TURNING NOW TO EDUCATION IN NEW YORK.

FOR MOST KIDS AND PARENTS IN NEW YORK, THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR STARTS NEXT WEEK AND IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING TIME FOR THAT.

THIS YEAR IS JUST THE SECOND SCHOOL YEAR SINCE COVID.

LAST YEAR WAS RELATIVELY NORMAL BUT SCHOOL LEADERS AND EDUCATION OFFICIALS STARTED TO NOTICE THAT THE PANDEMIC HAD TAKEN A TOLL ON PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE.

A LOT OF STUDENTS NOW HAVE GAPS IN LEARNING AND TRAUMA FROM THE PANDEMIC, BUT TEACHERS DO AS WELL.

MAKING THE STATE'S TEACHER SHORTAGE WORSE AT A CRITICAL TIME IN EDUCATION.

AT THE SAME TIME, SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK ARE PREPARING FOR ANOTHER CHALLENGE, THE STATE'S INFLUX OF ASYLUM SEEKERS, CHILDREN WHO ARE NEW TO THIS COUNTRY WILL BE PLACED IN LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHEREVER THEY ARE.

IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT ALONGSIDE OTHER CHALLENGES THAT DON'T SEEM TO LET UP.

SO FOR MORE ON ALL THAT, WE TURN THIS WEEK TO MELINDA PERSON, PRESIDENT OF NEW YORK STATE UNITED TEACHERS, THE TEACHERS UNION IN NEW YORK.

[ THEME MUSIC ] MELINDA, THANK YOU SO IN FOR BEING HERE.

I APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

OF COURSE, ANYTIME.

SO THIS SCHOOL YEAR'S INTERESTING BECAUSE IN THE PAST FEW YEARS STUDENTS AND TEACHERS HAVE HAD A DEAL WITH COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND THEN COMING OUT OF THAT.

SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SHIFTING IN TERMS OF WHAT SCHOOL LOOKS LIKE FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS.

HOW ARE YOU FEELING GOING INTO THIS SCHOOL YEAR?

IT'S KIND OF THE FIRST SCHOOL YEAR WHERE COVID SEEMS TO BE LESS OF A PROBLEM IN SCHOOLS.

HOW ARE YOU FEELING?

I'M FEELING REALLY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THIS YEAR.

OUR MEMBERS TELL US THAT LAST YEAR THERE WAS STILL SOME RECOVERING.

A LOT OF FOCUS ON LEARNING LOSS AND GETTING KIDS BACK INTO NORMAL ROUTINES.

SURE.

AND THIS YEAR, LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY NORMAL.

[LAUGHTER] IN THE SENSE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON SORT OF THE NORMAL PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE IN A SCHOOL YEAR.

LIKE THE TEACHER SHORTAGE, WHICH IS A TOPIC WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A LOT, BUT ALSO FOCUSING ON GETTING KIDS BACK ON TRACK.

YEAH.

EXACTLY.

IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS, THE STATE HAS ANNOUNCED SOME FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS AND REALLY GOOD INITIATIVE BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, I'M SURE, AND AS I KNOW THAT KIND OF TRAUMA REALLY MANIFESTS IN A WAY FOR THESE STUDENTS THAT COULD AFFECT THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, THEIR LIVES BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF FLIP THAT AND LOOK AT TEACHERS.

DURING THE PANDEMIC, TEACHERS HAD TO SHIFT REALLY QUICKLY AWAY FROM WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING FOR SEVERAL YEARS TO TEACHING FROM HOME NOW.

SOME PEOPLE ARE TEACHING TO AN EMPTY CLASSROOM OVER ZOOM.

I THINK THERE ARE MENTAL HEALTH IMPLICATIONS THERE AS WELL.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?

SHOULD WE BE DOING MORE FOR TEACHERS IN THAT SENSE?

MOST DEFINITELY.

I DON'T MEAN EMPHASIZING SELF-CARE BECAUSE OUR MEMBERS DO HAVE ENOUGH TO DO.

[LAUGHTER] BUT SORT OF PROVIDING RESOURCES THAT OUR EDUCATORS CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, MINDFULNESS TRAINING, THINGS LIKE THAT.

THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE'RE PUSHING FOR AT THE STATE LEVEL TO HELP SUPPORT OUR MEMBERS.

WE HAVE A NEW HOTLINE THAT OUR MEMBERS CAN CALL WHEN THEY'RE IN CRISIS.

THAT'S GREAT.

AND GET THE RESOURCES AND REFERRALS THAT THEY NEED.

THAT'S GREAT.

THAT KIND OF THING, IF I WERE A TEACHER AND I HAD GONE THROUGH THAT, JUST AS A JOURNALIST HAVING GONE THROUGH THAT, THERE ARE CERTAIN PARTS OF IT THAT I THINK YOU CARRY WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT LONG PERSONALLY FOR TEACHERS.

THIS VERY TO GO BACK INTO THAT SAME CLASSROOM.

KIND OF COME OUT OF THE PANDEMIC AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S OUR NEW NORMAL THERE AND DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE SAW THIS PROBLEM CONTINUE OF THE TEACHER SHORTAGE, MORE PEOPLE WERE KIND OF GOING INTO RETIREMENT RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, STAYING IN BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T REALLY SEE A FUTURE THERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON'T SEE AS MANY TEACHERS COMING IN, NEW TEACHERS COMING IN.

IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, THE TEACHER SHORTAGE, AND IT'S A BIG QUESTION, BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD DO ABOUT IT?

WELL, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SOLUTIONS.

ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT WE'RE LAUNCHING THIS YEAR IS A PROGRAM CALLED EDUCATOR INSPIRED, AND IT IS AN EFFORT TO LIFT UP THE PROFESSION AND REMIND OUR MEMBERS WHO THEY ARE FOR THEIR STUDENTS AND FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES.

WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO TELL STORIES ABOUT THEIR FAVORITE EDUCATOR, SOMEBODY WHO INSPIRED THEM, SOMEONE WHO GOT THEM INTO THE FIELD THAT THEY ARE CURRENTLY IN, AND ALMOST EVERY ADULT CAN TELL ME WHO THEIR FAVORITE TEACHER WAS AND THEY LIGHT UP WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT THEM.

YEAH.

SO LET ME START WITH YOU.

TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE TEACHER.

I WILL TELL YOU ABOUT MY FAVORITE TEACHER.

HIS NAME IS ROY PRATT.

HE TAUGHT ENGLISH FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL WHERE I WENT TO SCHOOL IN CHENANGO COUNTY IN AFTON, NEW YORK.

HE WAS JUST BRILLIANT.

PAID EXTRA ATTENTION TO THE KIDS.

YOU COULD ALWAYS RELY FOR HIM FOR SPACE AT LUNCH OR AFTER SCHOOL TO JUST HANG OUT.

ESPECIALLY FOR ME.

I HAD A LOT OF FAMILY PROBLEMS AT HOME AND IT MADE SUCH A DIFFERENCE TO HAVE HIM THERE.

HE ALSO GOT ME MY FIRST REPORTING JOB WEIRDLY.

I STARTED AS A REPORTER AT 16 COVERING A CAR RACING IN AFTON, NEW YORK, AND I WOULD PUT OUT A WEEKLY STORY ABOUT THE RACES.

SO HE KIND OF STARTED ME ON MY TRACK.

IT'S THOSE KINDS OF TEACHERS THAT I THINK DON'T GET ENOUGH RECOGNITION.

YOU KNOW?

AS WE WERE TALKING BEFORE WE STARTED RECORDING THIS GUY TO ME WAS LIKE A THIRD PARENT.

HE REALLY WAS.

HE WAS THE PERSON THAT I LEANED ON IN EVERY PART OF MY LIFE.

I HAVE TO IMAGINE THAT YOU HEAR THOSE STORIES ALL THE TIME, TOO.

WE DO.

OUR MEMBERS LOVE OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN.

THEY TAKE CARE OF THEM LIKE THEIR OWN.

IT IS-- IT'S PAST DUE THAT WE REALLY LIFT UP THEIR VOICES AND REMIND THEM WHO THEY ARE.

YEAH.

DO YOU THINK, YOU KNOW, GETTING MORE PEOPLE INTO THE PROFESSION, IS IT ABOUT THAT RECOGNITION, OR IT IS ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE TANGIBLE?

SHOULD TEACHERS JUST GET PAID MORE TO GET PEOPLE INTO THESE JOBS?

THAT'S PART OF IT.

YEAH.

WE WANT OUR PROFESSIONS TO BE SUSTAINABLE AND ENTICING PROFESSIONS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON IS FIXING TIER 6, FOR INSTANCE.

THE PENSION SYSTEM FOR OUR NEWEST MEMBERS IS NOT AS GENEROUS AS FOR OUR MORE SENIOR MEMBERS.

YEAH.

AND ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF GOING INTO PUBLIC SERVICE IN GENERAL IS DIGNITY IF RETIREMENT AND BEING ABLE TO LOOK AHEAD AND RETIRE AFTER 30 YEARS.

ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT ALL OF OUR MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S ANOTHER THING HAPPENING IN SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW THAT I FIND REALLY INTERESTING AND IT BRINGS TEACHERS INTO THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT ARE THEIR JOBS GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS CONSIDERING NEW GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

A PANEL IS GOING TO PRESENT THEM TO THE REGENTS, WHO ARE EITHER GOING TO ACCEPT THEM OR REJECT THEM, BUT WHAT MAY HAPPEN IS EITHER CHANGING OR TAKING AWAY THE REGENTS' EXAMS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?

THE REGENTS HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR A COUPLE OF DECADES NOW.

I TOOK THEM.

A LOT OF MY FRIENDS TOOK THEM.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT ENDING THEM OR CHANGING THESE GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS IN GENERAL?

I THINK THAT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS NOT NECESSARILY ENDING THE REGENTS, BUT OFFERING MULTIPLE PATHWAYS TO DEMONSTRATING YOUR READINESS TO GO OUT INTO THE WORLD OR INTO HIGHER ED OR INTO A CAREER.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU ARE READY FOR LIFE AND TESTS ARE NOT THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU CAN DEMONSTRATE LEARNING.

WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, I USED PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS TO NOT INSTEAD OF THE GLOBAL STUDIES REGENTS.

AND THIS WAS 30 YEARS AGO.

SO THIS ISN'T A NEW CONCEPT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT HASN'T BEEN ADOPTED IN A MAJOR WAY HERE IN NEW YORK AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING SOME CHANGES COMING OUT OF THIS COMMISSION'S WORK.

DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR TEACHERS TO HAVE THOSE DIFFERENT PATHWAYS TO GRADUATION AND DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES?

I WAS THINKING OF IT DOES THIS MAKE TEACHERS' JOBS EASIER OR HARDER OR DOES IT MAKE THEM DIFFERENT?

I THINK IT WILL DEPEND ON THE TYPE OF CLASS THAT YOU'RE TEACHING.

A LOT OF EDUCATORS WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GO MORE BROAD OR DEEP INTO THE CURRICULUM AND NOT BE DRIVEN BY A SPECIFIC TEST.

SO-- BUT EDUCATORS CAN HAVE A LOT OF SAY OVER HOW THIS IS DEVELOPED.

WE HAVE A TASK FORCE RIGHT NOW THAT IS LOOKING INTO THIS AND THEY'RE GOING TO GUIDE OUR DECISION-MAKING THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE MAKE.

INTERESTING.

SO THIS SCHOOL YEAR, AS WELL, SOME THINGS ARE DIFFERENT IN SOME SCHOOLS IN TERMS OF IMMIGRATION.

SO WE'VE HAD AN INFLUX OF ASYLUM SEEKERS COMING TO NEW YORK OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS.

ABOUT 100,000 PEOPLE, MORE THAN THAT, WE DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER.

OBVIOUSLY, THEY HAVE CHILDREN WITH THEM WHO WILL HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL WITH US, NOT WITH ME BUT PEOPLE IN GENERAL IN NEW YORK.

YOU WROTE AN OP ED IN THE TIMES UNION RECENTLY LOOKING AT THESE RELOCATION EFFORTS AND BASICALLY SAYING WE NEED TO COORDINATE THIS IN A WAY THAT MAKES SENSE.

TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT.

YES.

WE'VE ALREADY SEEN RIGHT HERE IN THE CAPITAL REGION AN INFLUX OF STUDENTS INTO THE MAHONASEN SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE PREPARED TO WELCOME ALL STUDENTS THAT ENTER THEIR DOORS EVERY DAY.

THAT IS WHAT WE DO.

WE DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO TAKE CARE OF THE KIDS, AND IN MAHONASEN, OUR MEMBERS FROM ALL THE SURROUNDING DISTRICTS SHOWED UP WHEN THE STUDENTS ARRIVED AND HELPED PROCESS THEM INTO THE DISTRICT AND PROVIDED TRANSLATION SERVICES, BROUGHT FOOD AND CLOTHES AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT FAMILIES NEED WHEN THEY'RE MOVING INTO A NEW PLACE.

THE THING THAT WE ARE FOCUSED ON RIGHT NOW IS, OKAY, NOW THAT WE ARE BEGINNING TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE STUDENTS WILL ARRIVE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PROVIDING THESE DISTRICTS WITH THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO PROVIDE THE EDUCATION THAT THE KIDS NEED.

WE KNOW CERTAIN DISTRICTS ARE MORE PREPARED AND CAPABLE.

THEY HAVE THE TEACHERS.

THEY HAVE THE SPACE, RIGHT?

WE SHOULD DO THIS IN A REALLY THOUGHTFUL WAY SO THAT KIDS ARE PLACED WHERE THEY CAN GET THE BEST CARE AND EDUCATION.

CAN YOU BREAK THAT DOWN A LITTLE BIT?

WHAT SPECIALIZED CARE DO THESE KIDS NEED IN THESE SCHOOLS NEED AS THEY'RE COMING HERE?

I MEAN, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME, PRESUMABLY, THAT THEY WILL BE IN THE U.S. EDUCATION SYSTEM.

WE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHERE THEY'RE LEARNING IT.

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR THEM COMING INTO THIS SYSTEM?

SO OFTENTIMES, KIDS COMING INTO THE SYSTEM FROM OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY WILL NEED CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

WE DEFINITELY KNOW WE NEED E&L TEACHERS AND TEACHERS WHO ARE PREPARED TO PROVIDE EDUCATION TO OUR NEW NEIGHBORS AND SOME DISTRICTS HAVE THIS TYPE OF STAFF AND OTHERS DON'T.

SO WHEREVER WE'RE SENDING-- WHICHEVER COMMUNITIES WE'RE SENDING THEM, WE SHOULD ALIGN THE RESOURCES AND THE STUDENTS.

SO WE'LL SEE HOW THAT WOULD OUT WHEN THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.

MELINDA PERSON FROM NEW YORK STATE UNITED TEACHERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU, DAN.

[ THEME MUSIC ] AND IF THE SCHOOL YEAR HASN'T ALREADY STARTED, MOST KIDS ARE HEADING BACK TO CLASSROOMS THIS COMING WEEK.