Research

• Full Finding Aid
• Overview
• Arrangement
• Administrative History
• Scope and Contents
• Related Material
• Access Restrictions
• Access Terms
• Detailed Description
• subseries 1
• subseries 2

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New York State Division of Urban Education New York City School-Community Interaction Umbrella Program Correspondence and Project Files

Some content may contain outdated and offensive terminology. See: New York State Archives Statement on Language in Descriptive Resources

Overview of the Records

Arrangement

Subseries 1, Umbrella Program files, is arranged by umbrella program number. Subseries 2, Project files, is arranged chronologically by school year, then by umbrella program number, and then by project number.

Administrative History

The New York School-Community Interaction Umbrella Program evolved from Title III of ESEA, which was enacted in 1968 to fund innovative and imaginative solutions to educational problems. From 1968 to 1971, the program was funded by federal Title III funds. Beginning in July 1971, the New York State Legislature assumed funding of the program (under a specific budget appropriation), and the program was administered by the Division of Urban Education of the New York State Education Department.

The umbrella program was divided into topical focuses, or "umbrellas". These focuses included curriculum and teacher growth, student guidance, basic skills and English as a Second Language, and communications between schools and their surrounding communities. Each umbrella was controlled by an "umbrella board" consisting of professional staff and community representatives from each of the component projects of the umbrella program. Each component project was related to the umbrella topic, and was sponsored by a public school or school district, as well as a community agency.

An SED audit of the program from 1972-1973 found the Umbrella program to be ineffective and hampered by a lack of guidance and oversight from city and state education authorities. Beginning in the school year 1974-1975, administrative control of the various umbrella programs was centralized under the Division of Community School Affairs of the New York City Board of Education.

Scope and Content Note

This series contains correspondence, project applications, evaluation forms, and other records documenting the work of the Division of Urban Education in administering the New York City School-Community Interaction Umbrella Program. Included are files documenting the operation of the program as a whole, as well as files on specific projects funded by the program.

Program files include administrative summaries of the umbrella program activities, as well as project summary forms for all projects under a given umbrella program in a given year. Summaries include project narratives, budget, and application forms. Also included is correspondence between SED staff and umbrella program directors. Files on specific funded projects include original project applications, each of which contains a project description, a projected budget, and a list of specific expenses required, including project staff. Along with these applications are forms requesting modifications to the existing project plan, as well as review forms completed by staff members of the Board of Education of New York City. Also included are correspondence between Division of Urban Education staff and umbrella program directors and travel expense reports from Division of Urban Education staff. Projects were focused on topics such as bilingual education, teacher training, remedial instruction and reading comprehension.

Related Material

14188 Urban Education Program correspondence and project files and

14189 Division of Urban Education correspondence and subject files, contain documentation on the Division of Urban Education, which was responsible for administering the NYC School-Community Interaction Umbrella Program

14043 Center on Innovation in Education New York City school decentralization files

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.

Access Terms

Detailed Description

Subseries 1: Correspondence and subject files

Scope and Content Note:

This subseries contains administrative summaries of the umbrella program activities, as well as project summary forms for all projects under a given umbrella program in a given year. Summaries include project narratives, budget, and application form. Also included is correspondence between SED staff and umbrella program directors.

Arrangement:

By umbrella program number.

  

Subseries 2: Project files

Scope and Content Note:

This subseries contains files documenting specific projects funded by the New York City School-Community Interaction Umbrella Program. Each umbrella project file contains an original project application, which includes a project description, a projected budget, and a list of specific expenses required, including project staff. Along with the applications are forms requesting modifications to the existing project plan, as well as review forms completed by staff members of the Board of Education of New York City. Also included are correspondence between Division of Urban Education staff and umbrella program directors and travel expense reports from Division of Urban Education staff. Projects were focused on topics such as bilingual education, teacher training, remedial instruction and reading comprehension.

Arrangement:

By umbrella program number.