Research


Scope and Content Note

This series contains subject and correspondence files of the directors and staff of the office. The first set of chronological files were created by Bob Reilly as office manager and Bill Hirschen as an associate staff member. Reilly's records date from 1983 to 1986 and Hirschen's records date from 1985 to 1988. During their tenure, they worked with The Center for Learning Technology to implement educational technology, specifically video technologies, in the classroom. Reilly and Hirschen were often deeply involved in the development and production of the OETPB's programming, as well as other major initiatives including the New York Learns series. The records document fiscal and logistical issues being addressed, such as payments to vendors, receipt of materials, and schedule coordination. Records also document collaboration with other Education Department offices and external partners and vendors such as school districts, who were featured in the programs, and video processing companies whose services were utilized.

The second set of correspondence files were created by directors Bob Reilly and William Halligan and span from 1993 to 1998. There is a significant amount of administrative correspondence included, such as commentary on the success of the department retreat, program budget discussions, and meetings with staff. There are also records pertaining to the ongoing New York Learns series, which document both the start and the end of the program, commentary on the activities of public broadcasting stations, and grant fund distributions to public broadcasting stations.

There is an additional set of subject files of Tom Dunn who was an associate staff member in the office from 1987 to 1999. His records focus on the production of the New York Learns series as well as the early integration of the World Wide Web in schools from 1993 to 1996.