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October 29, 2026

MOBOCES Co-Facilitates Regional Summit on NY Inspires

Two women look at a speaker off screen.

Madison-Oneida BOCES co-facilitated a regional New York State Assessment Strategy Summit on October 16 that brought together approximately 350 educators and school administrators from 48 school districts across Central and Northern New York. The summit focused on how local districts can prepare for changes under the state's NY Inspires education plan, including incorporating New York's Portrait of a Graduate into their classrooms.

More than 80 of the participants were from MOBOCES and its component districts. Staff and Curriculum Development Director Becky Copp and MORIC Data Leader Brittany Gaffney were part of the event’s planning team and led discussions about assessment types and taking an assessment inventory.

District Superintendent Scott Budelmann also joined his DS colleagues from three other BOCES in welcoming the group and the State Education leaders who participated. New York State Board of Regents member Patrick A. Mannion and Dr. Zachary Warner, assistant commissioner for NYSED's Office of State Assessment, joined regional education leaders to discuss the future of student assessment and graduation requirements.

The summit, held at Oneida BOCES, was part of a series of regional meetings held across the state, with NYSED and BOCES collaborating to coordinate discussions and support local implementation of the state's education initiatives. The event at OHM BOCES brought together educators and district leaders from the Oneida BOCES, Herkimer BOCES and Jefferson-Lewis BOCES regions.

New York state is working to move beyond relying solely on end-of-year exams to measure student success, with a greater emphasis on applied learning and meaningful ways for students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.

The Portrait of a Graduate outlines the knowledge, skills and attributes students need to succeed in college, careers and civic life. It emphasizes developing well-rounded students who can apply what they learn, think critically, communicate effectively and contribute to their communities.

 

Direct benefits for local students

The NY Inspires framework is intended to give students more opportunities to demonstrate their learning and prepare for life after graduation.

  • More ways to demonstrate learning: Students will have opportunities to show their knowledge and skills through applied learning experiences, projects and other assessments aligned with state requirements.
  • A new approach to graduation: New York is working to update graduation requirements and move toward a more flexible system that recognizes a broader range of student knowledge and skills.
  • Real-world skills: The Portrait of a Graduate emphasizes six areas: academic readiness, creative thinking, critical thinking, communication, civic responsibility and future readiness.