The New York State Council of School Superintendents recently honored Charles C. Mackey, Executive Director of the Office of Teaching. Funding is provided for districts to implement internships whereby veteran teachers provide guidance and support to beginning teachers during their first or second year of classroom teaching. The total statewide allocation for this effort for the current year is five million dollars.
Projects are under way in a variety of urban, rural, and suburban communities.
A second meeting of project coordinators is planned for Spring 2001. Under Way During January, March, and May of this year, test development committees will meet to help shape the definition of teaching in New York State public school classrooms for years to come. This effort includes the development of ten entirely new tests, required to align the testing program with the new teacher preparation and certification requirements established by the Board of Regents. The test development process includes several stages. Once content frameworks are established, job analysis surveys are conducted, test items are developed, and each test is reviewed by bias review and content expert committees.