Research


New York State Education Department Commissioner's History File


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Overview of the Records

Repository:

New York State Archives
New York State Education Department
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230

Summary:
This series includes memoranda, correspondence, press releases, and reports, most of which were sent by the commissioner to Education Department administrators and staff members, members of the Board of Regents, local school officials, and state and national legislators. Series also contains Regents' statements and position papers, commissioner's statements, press releases, published reports, copies of legislation, and news clippings.
Creator:
Title:
Education Department commissioner's history file
Quantity:

1.3 cubic feet

Inclusive Dates:
1955-1969
Series Number:
B0460

Arrangement

Organized into two subseries: 1. Memoranda, correspondence, press releases and reports; 2. Regents and commissioners statements, position papers, and reports.

Chronological by date written.

Administrative History

The office of Commissioner of Education was established in 1904 by the so-called Unification Act (Chapter 40), which created the Education Department and replaced the Superintendent of Public Instruction and Secretary to the Board of Regents with the Commissioner. Since 1913 the Commissioner has also held the title of President of the University of the State of New York, conferred by the Regents.

Scope and Content Note

Series comprises two subseries of records identified by the Office of Commissioner James E. Allen as historically significant.

The first subseries (1955-1969) consists of copies of memoranda, correspondence, press releases, and reports, most of which were sent by the Commissioner to Education Department administrators and staff members, members of the Board of Regents, local school officials, and state and national legislators. These documents promulgate Education Department policy and information on a variety of topics such as: education-related legislation; Department organization; state aid to schools; Commissioner's travels abroad; curricula; school administration; integration of schools; and Federal aid to education.

The second subseries (1960-1969) consists of Regents' statements and position papers, Commissioner's statements, press releases, published reports, copies of legislation, and clippings relating to many subjects, including: school segregation and integration; New York City school decentralization; private higher education; education-related legislation; and Federal aid to education.

Related Material

B1506 New York State Education Dept. Architectural and Mechanical Drawings of the State Education Building

Other Finding Aids

Available at Repository

Folder list of approximate folder titles and dates for first subseries only.

Access Restrictions

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

Access Terms

Personal Name(s):
Corporate Name(s):
Geographic Name(s):
Subject(s):
Genre(s):
Function(s):

Detailed Description

Dates Contents Box

Accretion: B0460-77
1955 September–1957 June Address and Papers of 1
1956 September Commissioner Annual Letter to Teachers in Bulletin to the Schools 1
1957 May Memo from Commissioner to Department Staff re Code of Ethics for Employees 1
1957 September Memo from Commissioner to Superintendents re "œMoral and Spiritual Values in Schools"� 1
1957 October The Department's Organization Reconsidered 1
1957 November Memo from Commissioner to Regents re-Statement re Striving for Excellence 1
1958 March Letter from Commissioner to Governor Harriman re Legislative Proposals for State Aid 1
1958 March Memo from Commissioner to Superintendents re Regents Examination School at 180 Day Program 1
1958 April Memo from Commissioner to Regents re Certain Standards for Teaching of Academic Subjects 1
1958 May Memo from Commissioner to Superintendents re Nursery School Registrations by Department 1
1958 The Commissioner's Formula for Distribution of State Aid for "œ600"� Day Schools 1
1958 July Letter from Commissioner to Superintendent Jansen - NYC re "œ600"� Schools 1
1958 September Memo from Commissioner to Staff re State wide Survey of Education 1
1958 October Memo from Commissioner to Superintendents re "�NDEA of 1958"� 1
1958 November Memo from Commissioner to Regents re Relationships Between Commissioner and Regents 1
1959 March Letter from Commissioner to Senator Erwin re Priorities on Department Budget 1959-1960 1
1959 April Memo from Commissioner to School and College Officials re Regent 175th Anniversary 1
1959 April Memo from Commissioner to School Board Members re "œThe School Budget"� 1
1959 May Memo from Commissioner to Staff re Administrative Savings and Economies 1
1959 May Allen's Visit - Israel 1
1959 June Memo from Commissioner to Board of Education re School Finance Studies 1
1960 January 18 Memo from Commissioner to Legislature enclosing "œRequirements of Education in Decade Ahead"� 1
1960 March Letter from Governor to Commissioner re State Aid Program 1
1960 April 5 Memo from Commissioner to Chief School Officers re 1960 Legislation re Challenge for Education 1
1960 June 2 Memo from Commissioner re Master Plans for Construction of New School Buildings 1
1960 June Memo from Commissioner to Regents re "œPrinciples and Issues re Higher Education"� 1
1960 August Memo from Commissioner to Regents re "œPrinciples and Issues re Higher Education - No. 2"� 1
1960 September Commissioner Greeting to Teachers in Bulletin to Schools 1
1961 January 18 Memo from Commissioner re Appointment of Brickell as Consultant on Educational Evaluation 1
1961 March Memo from Commissioner to Regents re "œRegents Recommendations"� 1
1961 April 18 Memo from Commissioner re 1961 Legislative Action - "œRe Challenge for Education"� 1
1961 April Goals in Education for New York State (draft material) 1
1961 April 26 Memo from Commissioner re Appointment of Dr. Woolatt as Associate Commissioner 1
1961 April Commissioner Allen's Observations on Trip to Australia 1
1961 July Memo from Commissioner to Superintendent re Cooperative Review Service 1
1961 July Commissioner Allen's Memo to School Officers re Data Processing Machines 1
1961 August Memo from Commissioner to Superintendent re "œTeaching About Communism"� 1
1961 August Commissioner Allen's Memo to Legislature re Background Information on Schools 1
1961 August Release on Commissioner's statement re Enactment of New York City Legislation 1
1961 August Commissioner Allen's Memo to Superintendents re "œAvailability of Pupil Records to Parents"� 1
1961 August Memo from Commissioner Allen to Superintendent re "œPhysical Fitness"� 1
1961 August Reprint of Article on Commissioner Allen in New York Post 1
1961 August Goals and Plans for Students in New York City 1
1961 November Memo from Commissioner Allen re New Legislation for Fallout Shelters 1
1961 December Legislation Memo from Commissioner Allen re School Fall out Shelter 1
1962 January Recommendation by Regents and Commissioner re Organization and Administration of NYC Schools 1
1962 April 23 Memo to Superintendent from Commissioner re "œOur Responsibility under New State Aid Plan"� 1
1962 April 27 Memo to Chancellor from Commissioner re "œProgress Report on Procedures in Professional Licensure"� 1
1962 May 25 Memo from Commissioner to Regents re Federal-State-Relations in Financing Education (adopted by Regents) 1
1962 August 27 Commissioner's Memo to Regents re Creation of Advisory Board on Teacher Education, Certification and Practice 1
1962 November Commissioner's Letter to Charles H. Diefendorf, JLC on School Financing 1
1963 March 3 Commissioner's Memo re Transportation of Children to Non-Public Schools 1
1963 April 4 Letter to Legislature re NYS Standing on National Merit Scholarship Program 1
1963 November 4 State and Local Responsibility for Achieving School Integration 1
1963 November Memo to Legislature re Seminars on Education 1
1964 January 3 State and Local Responsibility for Achieving School Integration 1
1964 January 6 Memo to Legislature re Seminars on Education 1
1964 January 6 Memo re the New Federal Vocational Education Act - PL 88-210 1
1964 January 16 Commissioner's Memo re Higher Education Facilities Act of 1963 1
1964 February 8 Exchange of Telegrams re JEA Evaluation of NYC Integration Plan (Donovan-Gross) 1
1964 February 24 The State Education Department General Goals for Education in NYS 1
1964 February 27 JEA statement re NYC School Boycott 1
1964 February 27 Commissioner's Letter to Governor and Legislative Leaders re $10 million in Supplemental Budget 1
1964 May 12 "œDesegregating the Public Schools of New York City"� (Allen Report) 1
1964 May 27 Letter from JEA to Governor re NYC integration and 6-24-64 reply to Governor 1
1964 June 29 Commissioner's Memo to Professional Staff re Creation of Center on Innovation 1
1964 July 7 Commissioner's Memo to School District Administrators re Creation of Center on Innovation 1
1964 July 7 Commissioner's Memo to Staff re Federal Civil Rights Act 1
1964 September 8 Commissioner's Statement re Threatened Boycott in NYC and Buffalo 1
1964 September 14 Commissioner's Memo re Certified Teachers (plus attachments) 1
1964 September 26 Legal Opinion on Federal ESEA (Attorney General) 1
1964 November 4 Memo to Chief School Administrators re Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 1
1964 November 17 The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and its Relevance for Higher Institutions 1
1965 January 11 Commissioner's Letter to Legislature re Legislature Seminars 1
1965 February Department Organizational Chart 1
1965 February 4 JEA Statement - Education Subcommittee - U.S. Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare 1
1965 March ACCESS brochures 1
1965 March Proposed Regional Centers for Educational Planning and Development in New York State 1
1965 March 1 Commissioner's Memo to Local School Administrators re High School Fraternities and Sororities 1
1965 March 1 Memo re Funds for Research in Vocational Education 1
1965 March 23 JEA Memo to Local School Administrators re ACCESS Legislation 1
1965 March 30 Memo re Supplementary Education Centers and Services - Title III ESEA 1
1965 April 12 Memo re Peace Corps Returnees - Local School Administrators and College Presidents, etc. 1
1965 April 21 JEA Letter to Legislature "œThanks for Increased Aid to Legislature"� 1
1965 June 24 Memo from Commissioner to Superintendent, etc., re "œPotential Source of Good Teachers"� 1
1965 June JEA Memo to City, Village and District Superintendents re Health Education 1
1965 July 21 Summary Report by JEA at White House Conference on Education 1
1965 July 23 JEA Memo re Regional Conference on ESEA 1
1965 July 28 JEA Memo with Respect to EOA of 1964 1
1965 August Commissioner's Special Recommendation to Regents "œStrengthening our Leadership for the Task Ahead"� 2
1965 August 30 Commissioner's Letter to Governor and Legislature re Taxes for Education 2
1965 September 21 Commissioner's Letter to Boards of Education and School Superintendents - Suffolk County - re District Reorganization 2
1965 October Interview with JEA - Business/Communications 2
1965 October Commissioner's Memo re-Our Continuing Problem of Space 2
1965 October 8 JEA Letter to Members of the New York State Congressional Delegations (Recommendations re Education Program Enacted) 2
1965 December 27 JEA Letter to NYS Congressional Delegations re ESEA 2
1966 January 3 Memo to Legislature re Seminars on Education 2
1966 January 6 Orientation Session in Senate in JEA Remarks 2
1966 January 14 Letter to Legislature re Seminar 2
1966 January 21 Letter to Legislature re Seminar 2
1966 January 26 JEA Statement Before JLC on Higher Education as Par. Test. 2
1966 January "œFacts in Brief"� Report on Vocational Rehabilitation for Year Ending 6-30-65 2
1966 March 15 Saratoga "œslacks"� decision 2
1966 March 22 JLC on Higher Education - JEA Testimony 2
1966 March 28 Plainview Teacher Strike Decision 2
1966 May 16 Mount Vernon Decision 2
1966 May 31 Teacher Recognition Day Statement 2
1966 September 16 Memo to Professional Staff re Professional Visitors to the Department 2
1966 September 16 Wire re State Textbook Loan Law 2
1966 September 31 JEA Statement - U.S. Commission on Human Rights Hearing - Rochester 2
1966 September 27 Memo to Chief Executive Officers of Higher Education re Kille and Bulger Appointments 2
1966 October 10 JEA Memo to Higher Education Institutions re Conference for Teachers of Disadvantaged 2
1967 January 6 Letter to Members of Legislature Information on Education 2
1967 January Correspondence Between Forrest Connor - AASA and JEA re National Assessment Program 2
1967 January 30 JEA Memo re Volunteers to America Program (Exchange Peace Corps) 2
1967 February 9 "Orientation for Foreign Visitors - JEA Statement" 2
1967 May 17 JEA Statement - Hearing Committee on Intergovernmental Relations State Constitutional Convention 2
1967 August 4 Letter to Malverne President and Members of the Board of Education 2
1967 August 9 Statement on Senate 1125 and HR 7819 (ESEA Amendments) by Dr. Allen 2
1967 August 18 Letter to NYS Congressional Delegation re PL 40 Funds (Expenditure of Foreign Moneys) 2
1967 August 21 Letter - Commissioner Allen to Superintendent Donovan, NYC, re Selection of Principals in Demonstration Districts 2
1967 August 23 "Memo to School Administrators re Regional Educational Centers" 2
1967 August 24 "Galamison Decision" 2
1967 September Commissioner Letters to Teachers at Beginning of New School Year 2
1967 September 21 Commissioner Allen Statement re NYC Teacher Accord 2
1968 April 7 Statement by JEA on Death of Martin Luther King 2
1968 April 10 "Statement by JEA and Senate Committee on Higher Education - Hearing re Select Committee" 2
1968 May 23 "Letter from Commissioner Allen to NYSTA Equal Educational Opportunity Committee" 2
1968 June 6 Statements re Death of Senator Robert F. Kennedy 2
1968 July 12 JEA Memo to Boards of Education re Urban Education Program 2
1968 July 17 JEA Memo re Authorization of Textbooks by Members of Department Staff 2
1968 September 27 JEA Memo to Professional Staff re Salary Adjustment of Higher Education Positions 2
1969 February 3 Memo to Staff re JEA Appointment to U.S. Commissionership and Assistant Secretaryship 2
1969 February Background Information on Dr. Allen 2
1969 February Editorial Comments Concerning Appointment of JEA as Commissioner 2