NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
TERM DEFINITION
12:1:1 Student/staff ratio in a self contained setting (12 students:1 teacher:1 adult support staff
311 New York City Information number
ACS Administration for Children’s Services: The NYC government agency that oversees government subsidized
childcare, Head Start, child protective services, foster care and preventative services. ACS administers publicly funded
child care subsidies though contracts and vouchers.
ADD Attention Deficit Disorder
ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
AIDP Attendance Improvement Dropout Prevention
AIS Academic Intervention Services
Allocation Funds that have been set aside for a particular school/site by your FMC from an approved budgeted
program so that a school/site may begin spending OTPS monies.
Alpha A Gifted and Talented Program
AP Advanced Placement: College level courses taught in high school which may result in college credit if the
student achieves a score on the AP examination that is accepted by the college.
AP Assistant Principal
APE Adaptive Physical Education
AQE Alliance for Quality Education
ARISTA A nationally recognized honor society in which admission is based on character, scholarship and service.
ATS Automate The Schools: A computer system linking schools with the Central Department of Education’s
mainframe computer, data files and operating systems. Fastrack purchasing and the monitoring of allocations,
expenditures/encumbrances and balances can be generated via this system.
AYP Adequate Yearly Progress: Measure of school improvement. Under the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act,
schools receiving federal funds must develop goals, known as targets, to bring all students to “academic proficiency” by
the end of the 2013-14 school year. Students at schools failing to make sufficient improvement after two years may
transfer to another school or receive tutoring.
Balanced Literacy An approach to teaching reading that mixes whole language and phonics. It also encourages
children to read fiction and non-fiction books suitable to their skills and interests.
Beacon School Community Centers operating in neighborhoods across the five boroughs of NYC. Their intent is to
create safe havens for children, youth and families to stand as a symbol of hope and opportunity in the neighborhoods
considered the poorest and most affected by substance abuse, crime and violence.
BI Brain injured
Bids An offer by a vendor to provide an item at a specified price. Depending on the price, this can be by telephone,
written, faxed, or sealed. If a Central Requirements Contract already exists for the item being ordered, a bid is not
necessary.
BIS Bilingual Instructional Service
Bridge Class A class with students from 2 grades. Bridge classes keep students with the same teacher for 2 years.
A K-1 class for instance, would include some students in kindergarten and some in 1st grade.
Budget Code A 4-digit number which is the quick code preceded by 2 digits which codes the money to a specific
category (e.g. elementary schools, high schools, bilingual education, NYSTL).
C- 30 The process by which principals are permanently appointed to their schools.
C- 37 The process by which Community Superintendents are appointed to districts
CAP Children’s Assistance Program
CAS Corrective Action School: School that has not met its proficiency target for two consecutive years.
CBO Community Based Organization, e.g., The Boy’ Club, YMCA,YMHA, local churches, etc.
CCSE Citywide Council on Special Education: Newly formed by the State Education law; takes effect on July 1,
2004.
CCHS Citywide Council on High Schools: Newly formed by the Chancellor; takes effect on July 1, 2004.
CEC Community Education Council: Newly formed by the State Education law; takes effect on July 1, 2004
CEP Comprehensive Educational Plan: The tool used for school planning that allows for a systematic review and
analysis of student needs and existing activities to determine how instructional areas can be improved. See: http://www.
nycenet.edu/whatsnew/dcep/default.asp
CFE Campaign for Fiscal Equity
Charter School A new type of public school that operates with flexibility as an independent not for profit educational
corporation with its own Board of Trustees. A charter school must meet the same health and safety, civil rights, and
student assessment requirements applicable to other NYS public schools. A charter school is governed by state
compulsory education requirements and must meet or exceed state standards.
Children First A multi-year effort launched by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Chancellor Joel I. Klein, aimed at
significantly improving NYC’s public schools. The goal of Children First is to create a system of outstanding schools
where effective teaching and learning is a reality for every teacher and child.
Cluster Teacher
Curriculum specialist who provides coverage for teachers’ preparation period.
COLA Cost of living adjustment
Consensus A process for group decision-making. It is a method of negotiation by which an entire group of people
can come to an agreement by gathering and synthesizing the input and ideas of all participants. Through consensus,
the group works to achieve better solutions while also building communication and trust.
COE Continuity of Education
Cooperative Learning Approach to education in which students work on class projects in pairs or teams.
Proponents of this method say that each child brings unique strengths to the project and learns how to work
collaboratively, as is often required in the workplace.
Co-op Program A program in which students alternate between one week of work and one week of school.
COSA Coordinator of Student Affairs: A staff member in every high school with whom students should meet in
order to become involved in extracurricular activities that occur both during and after school hours.
CPAC Chancellor’s Parent Advisory Council: The council focuses on building strong coalitions of parents who are
knowledgeable and active partners with the NYC DOE
CPSE Committee on Preschool Special Education. Each school district has an office and personnel that review
assessments and placements of preschool children with special needs.
CR Chancellor’s Regulations
CSA Council of Supervisors and Administrators: A union that represents its members individually and collectively in
matters concerning salaries, working conditions and educational policies, and all other areas which relate to the
administration and supervision of schools that assists members in matters concerning their welfare.
CSD Community School District
CSE Committee on Special Education: CSEs are responsible for ensuring timely evaluations and recommendations
for students who are initially referred or re-evaluations of and recommendations for students already receiving special
education services.
CTB California Testing Bureau
CUNY City Universities of NY: A network of city schools including Hunter College, Baruch College, City College,
Lehman College, Borough of Manhattan Community College, Brooklyn College, Bronx Community College, City
University School of Law Graduate Center, Hostos Community College, John Jay College of Criminal Justice,
Kingsborough Community College, LaGuardia Community College, Medgar Evers College, Queens College, NYC
College of Technology, Queensborough Community College, College of Staten Island and York College.
DBN District, Borough, Number: A code used by the DOE to track schools.
DC – 37 District Council 37: The union in NYC representing clerical, family workers, school aides and staff
members in various other titles.
DCEP District Comprehensive Educational Plan: A district data-driven plan that is developed by superintendents to
address areas of educational and organizational need within their districts/superintendencies.
DINI District In Need of Improvement
District 75 Citywide district for special education, which provides educational, vocational and behavioral support
programs for approximately 20,000 students with a broad range of abilities, disabilities, and support needs through
specialized instructional environments and services.
DLT District Leadership Team
DOE NYC Department of Education: Previously called the Board of Education or BOE
DOHMH Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
DOI Department of Investigation: The NYC agency that conducts the fingerprinting of staff for early childhood
programs.
DPSO District Parent Support Officer
DRP Degree of Reading Power
Dual
Language Programs in which student learn 2 languages. Half the class’ students are native English speakers, the
other half are of speakers of another language, usually Spanish. Classes alternate the languages so students become
fluent in both.
ECLAS Early Childhood Literacy Assessment: A performance assessment designed to help educators measure
and monitor the literacy development of young children in grades K-3.
ELA English Language Arts: What used to be called “reading” or “English”, ELA includes reading, writing, speaking
and listening.
ELL English Language Learners: (over 15% of NYC public school students): Students who have limited English
ability as shown by scoring below the cutoff on the LAB-R. ELL students must receive bilingual or English as a Second
Language instruction.
ELL ISS English Language Learners Instructional Support Specialists: There are over 100 ELL Instructional
Support Specialists who each work with approximately six schools. They support teachers in ELL classrooms and report
on the quality of education for ELLs.
EIC Emergency Information Center: Must be provided with timely information on incidents or accidents being
reported by our schools.
E-PAL Early Performance Assessment in Language: A diagnostic tool to help teachers and parents measure the
progress of 3rd grade students in writing and listening.
ESL English as a Second Language: A program that provides instruction to English Language Learners to assist
them in becoming proficient in English.
Exit Projects A form of assessment that involves 8th grade students in tasks that address the content standards in
Social Studies and Science as well as the ELA and Math performance standards.
Extended Day A program that goes beyond regular school hours that may include academic, social and/or athletic
activities.
FY Fiscal Year
GED General Equivalency Diploma
GPA Grade Point Average: The average of the student’s marks in all of the major subject areas.
Grow Report A system of integrated print reports, web tools, instructional materials, and professional development,
which transforms the results of large-scale assessments into clear and effective tools for action. The Grow Network’s
reports and tools are based on data from citywide and statewide exams taken by students in grades 3-8 throughout the
NYC public schools.
Heterogeneous Grouping
The practice of placing children of various abilities or levels of achievement in the same class
Homogeneous Grouping Placement of students in class according to test scores or other measures. Sometimes
called “tracking”.
Home Instruction Student receives home instruction by a licensed DOE teacher at home. This is sometimes done
for a temporary period of time due to instances where the child is incapable of attending school due to healthcare
situations.
Home Schooling
A parent has chosen to take responsibility for fully educating their child at home.
HS High School
HRA Human Resources Administration: This NYC government agency administers social services programs and
welfare reform, including welfare to work programs.
IDEA Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: A law that was passed ensuring a free, appropriate, and
accessible education to students with disabilities.
IEP Individual Educational Program: An educational plan for a student with special needs that specifies instructional
and testing modifications suited to those needs. Students who have met the goals of their IEP receive an IEP diploma
upon graduation from HS.
IG Inspector General
IGC Intellectually Gifted Children
Inclusion Term used to describe the “least restrictive environment” for educating children with special education
needs. “Collaborative Team Teaching (CTT)” is a form of inclusion in which classes have 2 teachers, one of whom is
certified in special education, and a mix of children with special education needs and children in general education. In
other forms of inclusion, there may be just one or two children receiving special education services in a class of 30 or
more. In these classes, children receive special services from a teacher who “pushes in” to a class or pulls a child out
for part of the day.
ISS Instructional Support Specialist
IS Intermediate School
JHS Junior High School
LAB Language Assessment Battery
LIS Local Instructional Superintendent
LRE Least Restrictive Environment: A key requirement in special education. Children with disabilities should, to the
maximum extent appropriate, be educated with their non-disabled peers, or as the law puts it-in the “least restrictive
environment”. The only time a child should be placed in a setting away from the general school population is when he
or she cannot be educated in a regular class, even with supplementary aids and services.
LSC Learning Support Center: Each region has at least 1 LSC, which houses the regional superintendent, student
support staff and a team of “Parent Support Officers. (PSOs) ” The staff members in the parent support office are
charged with helping parents with any school-related questions.
MADD Mothers Against Drunk Driving, an advocacy group
Magnet Program A program that focuses on a specific subject, interest or skill area and draws students from
locations all over the city.
Math & Reading
Coaches As part of Children First, reading and math coaches were placed in schools to train teachers on the best
ways to teach reading and math and provide support to the teachers when needed.
MS Middle School
MOM Mothers on the Move, an advocacy group
NCLB No Child Left Behind: A legal act that was signed into law by 2002 as a revision to the Elementary &
Secondary Education Act (ESEA). ESEA encompasses Title 1, the federal government’s flagship aid program for
disadvantaged students.
New Century Schools
Large comprehensive high schools that have been broken down into smaller schools.
NYC Performance Standards A performance standard is a statement that sets specific expectations for student
performance, defines the quality of performance, and establishes the levels of proficiency leading to high quality
performance. Publications that define performance standards for NYC students are available in the areas of Primary
Literacy, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Applied Learning. www.nycenet.edu
NYC Teaching Fellows A highly selective fellowship that mobilizes talented professionals to commit to teach in our
city’s most under-performing schools. When schools continuously fall below the state’s guidelines for achievement, the
school may then be designated as a SURR school. These schools are targeted for immediate intervention and
improvement, including placement of a NYC Teaching Fellow.
NYS Learning Standards Publications that delineate the content standards and performance indicators in each
academic area. Included, are samples of student wok, along with teachers’ comments on the wok that are suggestions
of ways students can demonstrate progress toward achieving the standards.
NYSTL New York State Textbook Law
OEO Office of Equal Opportunity
OPCE Office of Parent & Community Engagement
OPM Office of Purchasing Management
OPT Office of Pupil Transportation
OSFNS Office of School Food Nutrition Services
OSI Office of Special Investigations
OSIS Student identification number
OT Occupational Therapy
OTPS Other Than Personnel Spending (a budgetary term)
PA Parent Association
PAL Performance Assessment in Language: Test given to measure 6th graders’ reading and writing skills.
PASS Performance Assessment in Schools System-wide: A system based on indicators of effective schools that
enables School Leadership Teams to develop, review and revise their school Comprehensive Educational Plan. The
rubrics provided help school teams assess both their current state and progress towards goals.
PEA Public Education Association
PC Parent Coordinator: Staff members who work out of each school in the city that are responsible for helping
address parent concerns and supporting parent involvement in the schools. The Parent Coordinators report to the
principals in the schools in which they work.
PC Presidents’ Council: An organization of presidents or designated representatives of parent members of parent
associations within a given jurisdiction, which represents parent associations on a district, regional, or citywide basis.
PCEN Pupils with Compensatory Education Needs
PENCIL Public Education Needs Civic Involvement in Learning: Founded in 1995 to develop meaningful civic
involvement in the NYC public schools.
PEP Panel for Educational Policy
Percentile How high a student scored on a test compared to all students who are tested. For example, a student in
the 70th percentile scored higher than 70% of the students tested and not as well as 30%.
PPT Preparatory Provisional Teacher: This temporary teacher’s license allows teachers to work full time and
receive benefits.
PSAL Public School Athletic League: Board governing school team sports. It sets rules and regulations, and
supports leagues and competitions.
PSAT A Scholastic Aptitude Test taken by high school students in their sophomore year that is practice for the SAT
test used by colleges as part of their admissions criteria.
PT Physical Therapy
PTA Parent Teacher Association
RASE Regional Administrator of Special Education
Regents Diploma For the class entering high school in the year September, 2003, recipients must earn 44 credits
and pass Regents Examinations in English, Math, Global History & Geography, US History & Government and Science.
Region
The city’s public schools are grouped into regions, each headed by a superintendent, appointed by the chancellor.
Regions are responsible for student placement, as well as personnel and business operations for the schools under
their umbrella. Regional offices house a parent resource center to respond to parent concerns.
Reimbursable City, state or federal monies targeted towards specific implementation
Related Services Services provided to a student based upon the recommendations of the student’s Individualized
Education Plan (e.g., speech, therapy, counseling, occupational therapy).
Resource Room Now called: SETTS
Special Education Teacher Support Services
RIF Reading Is Fundamental
RFP Request for Proposal: The method used by the NYC DOE for awarding contracts for professional services.
RIS Regional Instructional Supervisor
ROC Regional Operations Center
ROTC An in school program which provides preparation for entering the military service.
RPSO Regional Parent Support Officer
Rubric A form of authentic assessment that uses specific written criteria to distinguish among levels of student
proficiency on a common task.
SADD Students Against Drunk Driving, an advocacy group
SAPIS Substance Abuse Prevention Intervention Specialist
SAT Scholastic Aptitude Test: An examination taken by high school students in their junior year that is used by
colleges as part of their admissions criteria.
SES Supplemental Educational Services
SBMT School Based Management Team
SBO School Based Option: Initiative giving individual schools greater control over selecting teachers. If 75 % of a
school’s professional staff agrees, union security rules for hiring teachers are suspended, and the faculty may choose
new teachers they consider suitable. With union and school system approval, certain work rules may be changed too.
SBSA School Based Services Administrator
SBST School Based Support Team
SCA School Construction Authority
School Report Card DoE report generated annually documenting several dimensions of school performance
(including school performance, teacher certification, student/teacher absences, student demographics and
suspensions). www.nycenet.edu
Section 504 Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 bans discrimination on the basis of physical or
mental disability in federally funded programs, such as NYC public schools. It is intended to level the playing field for
people with disabilities by eliminating disability-related barriers. The law protects not only children whose disabilities
directly interfere with their ability to learn, but also children whose physical or mental disabilities substantially limit one
or more “major life activities”, such as seeing, breathing, walking, or learning.
SED State Education Department: The NYS agency responsible for general supervision of all educational
institutions within the state; for operating certain educational and cultural institutions; and for certifying teachers; and
certifying or licensing practitioners in other professions.
SHSAT Specialized High School Admissions Test: The test which must be taken to be admitted to one of NYC’s
specialized high schools.
SINI School In Need of Improvement: The NYS Education Dept identifies schools that have not met adequate yearly
progress (AYP) in achieving state academic standards as “Title I Schools In Need of Improvement” These schools
include Title 1 SURR and Title 1 Schools in Corrective Action or Restructuring. These identifications are based on NYS
English language arts and mathematics assessments of students in grades 4 and 8. Identification of high schools is
based on students’ progress in English language arts and mathematics compared to students in the same grade
citywide.
SLT School Leadership Team: The fundamental purpose of the School Leadership Team is to determine the
school’s educational direction that is, the school’s overall educational vision, its goals, and priorities, the strategies that
will be used to achieve that vision, and the alignment of resources to accomplish those strategies. To carry out this
charge, the work of the team will focus on two core responsibilities:
• The creation of the school’s Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP) including annual goals and objectives
• The development of a school-based budget and staffing plan aligned with the CEP.
The team is comprised of parents, teachers, and members of administrations and its
existence is mandated by the NYS Dept of Education.
SOPM Standard Operating Procedure Manual
STH Student in Temporary Housing
SUNY State University of New York: A network of colleges located throughout NYS that charge reduced tuition for
NYS residents. Many schools offer collaborative programs with SUNY.
SuperStart Federal & State funded Pre-K Program for Title I schools
SURR School Under Registration Review: Each year, the NYS Education Dept places a number of low performing
schools on registration review, based on recent results of the grades 4 and 8 ELA and math assessments (for CSDs),
Regents cohort pass rates (for HSs) and dropout rates (also for HSs). Once placed on the SURR list, schools can be
removed only if they meet targeted improvements mandated by the state. A school’s status is assessed annually.
TASC The After School Corporation: This funds both academic assistance and athletic programs both during and
after school in many high schools.
Tax Levy $ Funds generated by city taxes.
Team Teaching A teaching method in which 2 teachers collaborate or share a class. Also, a classroom
arrangement in which general education students and students receiving special education services are taught side by
side in the same classroom by a general education and a special education teacher. Also called the “Plus” model.
TERC Math Math curriculum developed by the Teacher Educational Research Center, a non-profit organization in
Massachusetts. The approach encourages students to learn math through the use of manipulatives, to approach
problems from many angles and to understand the theories underlying math formulas.
Title I Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged: Nickname for the federal education law
authorizing funding for technical assistance and professional development to high-poverty area schools with students
who need significant academic help.
Title II Preparing, Training and Recruiting High Quality Teachers and Principals
Title III Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students
Title IV 21st Century Schools
Title V Promoting Informed Parental Choice and Innovative Programs
Title VI Flexibility and Accountability
Title VII Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaskan Native Education
Title VIII Impact Aid Program
Title IX General Provisions
Title X Repeals, Redesignations and Amendments to other Statutes
T & L Teaching and Learning
Tweed Courthouse The NYC Department of Education’s main office
52 Chambers St, NY, NY 10007
UFT United Federation of Teachers
UPA A federation of Parent Associations in NYC public schools. UPA believes that parent involvement is critical to
improving student performance and that parents must be included as partners at every level of decision-making that
affects children’s education.
UPK Universal Pre Kindergarten: A free, 2 ½ hour early care and education program that serves four year old
children.
Virtual Y Funding Source that provides Community Based Organizations with funds to implement literacy based
after school programs.