It is clear that the Regents are determined to exert their control over private schools for the first time
Now, a pandemic later, they are ready for the next round. Months of meetings with stakeholders has taught the Board of Regents, the independent body that oversees education in the state, a few lessons — take parents’ priorities into account, consider a religious community’s beliefs, and be flexible. And above all, don’t make it “my way or the highway”; in other words, set a goal and allow schools to reach it using their own unique methods.
At their last monthly meeting, the board announced it will propose a new set of regulations that all private schools must meet in order to be registered. The regulations will be out in the fall, followed by a 60-day comment period. If any revisions are made subsequent to that, the Regents will present them to the public for a further comment period of 45 days.
“As it selects the path forward,” Chancellor Lester Young said in a statement, “the Board of Regents will carefully weigh the demands of its duty, attempt to chart a direction that is both respectful of the state’s role as the greeter of immigrants and protector of many faiths, and ensure that our students are prepared for a meaningful future.”
The group of 17 men and women charged with formulating education policy in New York state made its first attempt at regulating yeshivos two years ago, tossing a broad net that would cover everything from what material must be taught, how many hours must be dedicated to secular studies, and how teachers may be trained.
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