In April 2014, the Board of Regents approved an updated New York State K-12 Social..., which was developed in partnership with New York State educators over a two-and-a-half-year process, including three rounds of public comment.  

Today we're releasing the New York State Social Studies Field Guide at https://www.engageny.org/resource/new-york-state-k-12-social-studie.... This Field Guide is the first in a set of documents designed to help educators update local curricula following the adoption of the Social Studies Framework.  Produced collaboratively with New York State teachers, the Field Guide includes a sample unit and highlights three instructional shifts: Focus on Conceptual Understanding; Foster Student Inquiry, Collaboration and Informed Action; Integrate Content and Skill Purposefully.

Additional resources will be released later this school year as part of the collaboration among the Department, Binghamton University, and New York State teachers called the New York State K-12 Social Studies Toolkit Project.  The Toolkit Project will provide more guidance to educators as they design curricula, instruction, and classroom-based assessments. Instructional resources are being developed, reviewed, and piloted by New York State teachers.  The sample unit and unit template in the Field Guide will be updated as feedback is gathered from New York State teachers.

The Social Studies Framework, the Field Guide, and the Toolkit Project all underscore the Department's commitment to teaching and learning Social Studies at all grade levels.  Rigorous Social Studies instruction is vital as we prepare our students to be active and engaged participants in civic life.

Also in this edition of News & Notes is the introduction of a math standards video series, a video on a parent academy event held recently at Columbia University and a video of a Brooklyn 4th grader who is proud of his progress in writing. 

You'll also find a blog post from the U.S. Department of Education about EngageNY.org; an overview of a great high school equivalency program at LaGuardia Community College; information on NYSED and the Attorney General's review of district enrollment procedures for unaccompanied minors and other undocumented students; and information on a special computer science event called The Hour of Code.

Thank you for all you do as educators, family and community members in supporting our students.