About the New York State Teacher Center Consortium (NYSTC)

The NYSTC is a vibrant, collaborative public organization that spans New York State. Its mission is to provide high-quality professional learning opportunities for educators to enrich their teaching practice, improve student learning, and achieve their highest potential.

The NYSTC works closely with the New York State Education Department (NYSED) to facilitate meeting their goals and those of the NYS Board of Regents. Simultaneously, they support the professional growth and initiatives of the school districts they serve.

The NYSTC's work focuses on the following areas:

• Embedding professional learning into the daily practice of teaching for all content areas. They believe that professional learning should be an integral part of every educator's day-to-day work, regardless of their subject area or grade level.

• Recognizing that professional growth is integral to teachers' work. The NYSTC provides professional learning for preservice teachers, new teachers, and veteran teachers. They believe that all educators should have access to ongoing professional development opportunities to help them stay up-to-date on the latest best practices and improve their teaching skills.

• Maximizing professional learning in the Next Generation Learning Standards and Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM). The NYSTC is committed to helping educators prepare students for the future by providing professional learning on the Next Generation Learning Standards and STEAM.

• Promoting communities of learners and encouraging teacher leadership roles. The NYSTC believes that professional learning should be a collaborative experience. They encourage educators to learn from each other and share their expertise.

• Upholding their promise to students by supporting Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education (CRSE). The NYSTC is committed to helping educators create inclusive and supportive learning environments for all students. They provide professional learning on SEL and CRSE to help educators create classrooms where all students feel valued, respected, and engaged.

Governance of Teacher Centers

Each teacher center is governed by a policy board as required by Education Law 316. The policy board must include a majority of teachers appointed by the collective bargaining agent. Policy boards also have individuals designated by a center's LEA and contain at least one representative from higher education, a parent representative, and at least one representative from the local business and industry community.

The requirement that teachers comprise the majority of the board reflects the original principle behind teacher centers, "teachers are teaching teachers." This principle ensures that the professional learning provided by teacher centers is relevant and responsive to the needs of educators.

Responsibilities of Policy Boards

Policy boards are responsible for:

• Establishing the mission, goals, and strategic plan for teacher centers

• Recruiting and employing personnel to carry out these missions, goals, and objectives

• Working in partnership with a Teacher Center's LEA and within its by-laws

• Providing direction for the center's professional learning programs

• Ensuring fiscal oversight of its funds and expenditures

• Ensuring that all state and local reporting requirements are fulfilled

The NYSTC is committed to providing high-quality professional learning opportunities for all educators in New York State. They believe that professional learning is essential for helping educators meet the needs of all students and prepare them for success in the 21st century.

NYSUT Fact Sheet