NYSTCE SDL flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Vision statement

A vision statement describes the desired future state of a school district and guides long-range planning; it is aspirational, concise, and distinct from day-to-day operational goals.

Mission statement

A mission statement explains a district's core purpose, who it serves, and how it fulfills that purpose; it is more stable than goals and informs resource decisions.

Board of education

In New York, the elected local board governs the district, adopts policy and the budget, appoints the superintendent, and acts collectively; it does not administer daily operations.

Superintendent authority

The superintendent is the board-appointed chief executive who implements policy, manages staff and programs, recommends personnel and budget actions, and reports to the board.

Quorum

The minimum number of board members who must be present for the board to conduct official business and vote; defined by law or board policy.

Strategic plan

A multi-year document that sets district priorities, measurable goals, strategies, timelines, and accountability assignments; typically spans three to five years and is reviewed annually.

District culture

The shared beliefs, norms, and behaviors that shape how staff, students, and families interact; assessed through climate surveys, retention, attendance, and discipline data.

MTSS

A Multi-Tiered System of Supports is a framework that provides universal instruction plus targeted and intensive interventions matched to student need, with progress monitoring deciding movement across tiers.

APPR

Annual Professional Performance Review is New York's required evaluation system for teachers and principals, using observations and measures of student learning to rate performance and plan improvement.

Next Generation Learning Standards

New York's ELA and mathematics learning standards that define what students should know and be able to do; district curricula, assessments, and professional learning should align to them.

Data team

A collaborative group of educators that examines multiple data sources, identifies a problem, sets a measurable goal, selects an instructional strategy, and monitors implementation and results.

Achievement gap

A persistent difference in academic outcomes between groups of students, often analyzed by race, disability, English-learner status, and economic disadvantage using rates and growth.

ESSA accountability

The federal Every Student Succeeds Act requires states to identify schools for Comprehensive Support and Improvement, Targeted Support and Improvement, and Additional Targeted Support based on performance indicators.

High-quality instructional materials

Standards-aligned, evidence-based curricula and resources that support equitable access, culturally responsive teaching, and consistent implementation across classrooms; adoption should include teacher review and pilot data.

Tax levy limit

New York's cap on the annual property-tax levy: prior levy multiplied by one plus the lesser of 2% or CPI-U, plus allowable exclusions; an override needs 60% voter approval.

Contingency budget

A budget adopted when a proposed school budget is defeated twice; it restricts spending, excludes certain non-contingent items, and limits the tax levy under Education Law.

Fund balance cap

In New York, unappropriated fund balance may not exceed 4% of the ensuing year's budget; excess amounts must reduce the tax levy or be assigned to reserves.

Competitive bidding

The requirement that school districts seek formal bids for purchases above the statutory threshold, generally $20,000 in New York, to ensure fair and cost-effective procurement.

Three-part budget

New York school district budgets present program, capital, and administrative components; the administrative component is subject to a statutory cap.

Claims auditor

A person appointed by the board to independently examine and approve claims before payment, providing a key internal control over district spending.

Collective bargaining

The process by which the district and recognized employee unions negotiate wages, hours, and terms of employment under the Taylor Law; agreements become contracts.

Open Meetings Law

New York law requiring board deliberations and votes to occur in public, with executive session limited to specific statutory purposes and no binding action taken there.

FOIL

The Freedom of Information Law gives the public the right to request government records; districts must respond within five business days, with an extension notice when needed.

Stakeholder mapping

A technique that plots groups by influence and interest to decide who should co-design decisions, who should be consulted, and who should receive information.

Family engagement

Epstein's framework includes parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision making, and collaborating with community to support student success.

Crisis communication plan

A protocol that names a spokesperson, verifies facts before release, coordinates with authorities, and schedules regular updates to maintain trust during an incident.

Code of ethics

A set of standards requiring board members and leaders to act honestly, avoid conflicts of interest, protect confidentiality, and make decisions in the district's best interest.

Policy cycle

The sequence of identifying a need, drafting, legal review, public adoption, communication, implementation, monitoring, and revision of board policy.

Policy hierarchy

The order of authority: federal law, New York Education Law, Commissioner's Regulations, board policy, superintendent procedures, and school-level rules.

CTLE

Continuing Teacher and Leader Education: New York requires certified teachers and school leaders to complete 100 clock hours of professional development every five years.

Conflict of interest

A situation in which a board member or employee has a personal or financial interest that could improperly influence official decisions; it must be disclosed and avoided.

FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act protects student education records, gives parents and eligible students access and amendment rights, and limits disclosure without consent.