One will focus on gaining a better perspective on the racial and ethnic climate on college and university campuses. A second round of meetings will offer the first look at draft policy recommendations from the Regents Task Force on Teaching. And a third series will prepare for Regents action in late summer or early fall on the graduation requirements. Meanwhile, hundreds of parents continue to respond to my first letter about what they can do to improve student learning. The letters are long and specific.
Some parents write to express their dismay at the higher standards.
Others resented the pressure on their children. Still others applauded the higher standards but demanded to know what we will do for students who can't learn enough to pass the tests. More than a few rewrote the whole letter to strengthen our strategy. Her child's school responded quickly with encouragement to learn to read herself. She is making rapid progress and now reads to her children.