Tag: Advisory
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Advisory: School districts in NYS required to teach child sexual abuse prevention classes to K-8 students
On August 29, 2019, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation known as Erin’s Law, which will require New York state public schools to teach child sexual abuse and exploitation prevention classes to students in grades K-8. This legislation mandates these prevention classes to include age-appropriate instruction that helps students recognize what sexual abuse might look like…
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Advisory: New law requires schools offering tackle football programs to provide specific concussion information
State legislation requires school districts to make concussion-related materials available for parents and guardians. Learn about what and how to communicate this information.
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2-1-1: Getting help to where it’s needed
While school staff can work with students to address academic and behavioral issues, other challenges (such as hunger or homelessness) are often outside the scope of services a school can provide. These issues, which can directly affect student performance, behavior and attendance, are present in all communities at varying levels. By dialing 2-1-1, school professionals…
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Advisory: Employers in NYS required to establish a sexual harassment prevention policy, provide prevention training
The 2019 New York state budget included new requirements for employers related to preventing sexual harassment in the workplace. What are all employers — including school districts — required to do? Under the new law, every employer in New York state was required to: Employers are encouraged to provide the sexual harassment policy and training…
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Advisory: Religious exemptions removed from state vaccination law
With the worst outbreak of measles in more than 25 years taking place in the United States and outbreaks in New York state primarily driving the crisis, Gov. Andrew Cuomo on June 13 signed a bill into law that immediately removed the religious exemption for school vaccination requirements. Per the amendment to Public Health Law…
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Advisory: New law requires districts to designate employee to provide substance use materials/resources
In an ongoing effort to support those dealing with addiction and substance use, the New York State Education Department recently amended both Education and Mental Health Hygiene laws to ensure that students, parents and staff know where to go within the school community for information on substance use and support services. What are schools required…
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Districts must ensure all students have access to a certified school counselor
Counseling plans must be posted to district websites, and available for review in district and school offices.
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Help students, and parents, get the facts about vaping
Poster, social media and video resources available By 2017, more than 2 million teenagers were using e-cigarettes, and e-cigarettes surpassed combustible cigarettes as the most commonly used tobacco product among U.S. middle and high school students, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). School districts are increasingly encountering these battery-operated vaping devices, often…
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College is costly: Scholarship tip sheet targets parents and students
Paying for college can be daunting, but there is help if you know where to look for it. To help your district share information with parents and students about how and where to look for scholarship opportunities and tips on applying for financial aid, the Capital Region BOCES School Communications Portfolio has updated its scholarship…
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Introducing a School Resource Officer (SRO) to your community
The number of school resource officers (SROs) in New York is on the rise as districts add these specialized positions to address school safety concerns.
Recent blog posts
Recent Portfolio Releases
- Advisory: Annual report required for internet-enabled device policy enforcement
- Advisory: New water safety information
- Required notifications for school districts (2026-27)
- Encourage families to fill out Free and Reduced-Price Lunch applications
- NY Inspires: A plan to transform education in New York state