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SUNY Operation Inform 2015!

ACT test takers take note: the No. 2 pencil is losing its cachet. Greater numbers of test takers of the college entrance exam will be able to take the test on a computer next year.

WNY will be a thriving economic region whose innovative workforce and citizenry are created through interdisciplinary STEM collaboration.

ALBANY, N.Y. August 29, 2014 - New York State United Teachers today moved to intervene in Wright v. New York as a defender of tenure, which for more than a century has allowed New York's teachers to teach and advocate effectively for students while protecting good teachers against unfair firing.

East Aurora, NY (WBEN) Across New York State, teachers will wear blue in solidarity to support public schools and say they will pledge to treat students as individuals, not test scores. "Monday is an affirmation for teachers to stand up for their students. It's a time to say we value you more than a test score," says Larry Grisanti of the East Aurora Faculty Association. Grisanti says teachers will also read a pledge, "I shall continue to creat a positive supportive learning environment and educational experience for all students and pledge to respect each of my students as a unique person, not a test score." Grisanti says teachers can't help students improve based on state assessment tests. "Teachers don't get answers, they don't get the weak points where the students struggle, so teachers can't help the students learn by giving these tests. The tests take up class time, and then it's back to the teach to the test routine," explains Grisanti. He says the tests are only part of a student's assessment. "It entails the whole class, the effort, the writing, the participation, the understanding. It ultimately affects teachers if these test scores are used to evaluate them." Grisanti relays one discouraging story from the first week of school regarding pre-assessment tests given out. "A teacher in the science department has a test where a student wrote on top, 'I don't know any of this, maybe I should drop the course, I'm not smart enough.' The first days of school are supposed to light the fire in the student and interest the student, and we give tests on things we know they don't understand, and the most recent example is this student's writing on her test," says Grisanti. Grisanti says he wants parents and the community to understand teachers are with the students and them.

State education officials have started urgent talks with BOCES about storing and crunching student data now that lawmakers have forced the state to drop plans for using a privately run data-cloud.

Buffalo Niagara has an outstanding workforce with talented, energetic and innovative employees. Employment rates here remained among the highest, and steadiest, throughout the recession. And with a significantly lower cost of living than most midsize-to-large metropolitan areas, entrepreneurs all types can afford to build their businesses and careers here—and still enjoy life.