MaryEllen Elia

The State of New York has named who will lead its education agency as it searches for a new commissioner.

New York State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia abruptly resigned Monday, taking members of the state Board of Regents by surprise. She said she will take a new job at the end of August at an unnamed national firm.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is directing the state university system to continue policies that promote racial diversity among students after the Trump administration said the federal government will let schools leave race out of admission decisions.

New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia say they have launched an investigation into the facts and circumstances surrounding the death of Trevyan Rowe.

The State Education Department says more than 95 percent of schools in receivership made "demonstrable improvement" in the 2016-17 school year. However, BUILD Academy in Buffalo is one of two New York schools in receivership that did not improve enough and will now be placed under an Independent Receiver.

New York State United Teachers and its largest local affiliate, the United Federation of Teachers, are taking newly approved rules for charter school teachers to court.

The Buffalo School Board is back up to nine members, after Catherine Flanagan-Priore was sworn in as the Park District member Wednesday.

New York education leaders have tweaked and renamed the Common Core learning standards in response to criticism over the way they were written and implemented.

A familiar face is planning to throw his hat into the ring for the Park District seat on the Buffalo School Board now vacant because of a New York State Education Department decision.

Among the petitions decided Friday by the New York State Education Commissioner was a request from the District Parent Coordinating Council to remove Buffalo Schools Superintendent Kriner Cash and all School Board members. The Commissioner denied the request on "procedural grounds," but the DPCC is not expected to re-submit its petition.

Carl Paladino supporter Larry Quinn was the first to testify at Tuesday's hearing before State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. Then Paladino finally took the stand on the fourth day of his removal hearing.

The Carl Paladino hearing continues for its third day in Albany Monday afternoon. The Buffalo School Board is fighting to have Paladino kicked off the board for disclosing teacher contract discussions in an Artvoice article. Attempts to remove Paladino began after he made racist remarks last December against the Obamas. School Superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash was first called to testify when the hearing started at 1 p.m. 

New York State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia has imposed a receivership collective bargaining agreement at 15 Struggling Schools in the Buffalo City School District.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the Common Core program in New York is not working and must be fixed. 

Interim Buffalo Schools Superintendent Darren Brown says whether or not the city's Distinguished Educator position is filled again is dependent on new school leadership.

Buffalo Teachers Federation President Phil Rumore and school board member Carl Paladino don't always agree on very much, but both see new State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia as a positive sign of change in the Board of Regents.