Dr. Betty Rosa Delivering Closing Keynote Address

KINGSTON – Ulster BOCES, a leader in innovative educational service delivery, has announced that New York State Education Commissioner Dr. Betty A. Rosa will deliver the closing keynote address at the Deeper Learning New York 2025 (DLNY25) Conference, which will be taking place July 15-16 at Kingston High School. Following the closing keynote address, the Commissioner will join Ulster BOCES District Superintendent Dr. Jonah Schenker for an engaging “fireside chat” to conclude the two-day event.

This marks the second year that Ulster BOCES has partnered with Deeper Learning Global to host this transformative conference, which is designed to inspire insights into building student-centered schools that prepare learners to thrive in an ever-changing world.

Focusing on the theme “Leading for Deeper Learning,” DLNY25 will offer educators an interactive, immersive experience that will promote innovative practices to support students and their families. Deeper Learning is a forward-thinking, project-based educational approach that cultivates higher-order thinking, learning dispositions, and collaborative skills—all of which are critical for success in modern life. This model is closely aligned with the New York State Education Department’s forthcoming “Portrait of a Graduate,” which emphasizes these essential competencies.

The Commissioner’s participation underscores the strong alignment between Deeper Learning principles and the Department’s strategic initiatives, particularly the focus on empowering students with the skills needed to navigate complex, real-world challenges.
“The concept of Deeper Learning is to move beyond the industrial model of schooling that has dominated education systems for far too long,” said Dr. Schenker. “By embracing personalization, schools can empower students to take ownership of their learning, fostering a sense of agency and the ability to solve problems that are meaningful to them and their communities.”

The conference will also feature a keynote address by Dr. Yong Zhao, an internationally recognized education scholar and Foundation Distinguished Professor at the University of Kansas. Dr. Zhao will share his bold vision for the future of education and the critical role Deeper Learning can play in transforming schools and school districts. Drawing from decades of research and work with school systems around the globe, Dr. Zhao challenges the status quo and encourages educational leaders to think differently.

DLNY25 is open to educators, administrators, and leaders committed to advancing equitable and innovative learning environments. Registration is now open.

To learn more and to register for Deeper Learning New York 2025, visit ulsterboces.org/DLNY.

Dr. Betty A. Rosa is the Commissioner of Education and President of the University of the State of New York. Dr. Rosa was appointed as permanent Commissioner on February 8, 2021, by the Board of Regents. She is the first Latina woman to serve in the position.

Previously, Dr. Rosa served as Interim Commissioner since August 2020. Prior to that, she served as Chancellor of the Board of Regents since 2016. Dr. Rosa was elected by her Board of Regents colleagues as Chancellor in March 2016 and re-elected for a second term in 2019. She was first elected to the Board of Regents for a five-year term in 2008, as the Regent for the Twelfth Judicial District (Bronx County), then re-elected for a second term in 2013 and a third term in 2018.

Dr. Rosa is a nationally recognized education leader and received an Ed. M. and Ed. D. in Administration, Planning and Social Policy from Harvard University. She also holds two other Master of Science in Education degrees, one in Administration and Supervision and the other in Bilingual Education from the City College of New York and Lehman College, respectively, and a B.A. in psychology from the City College of New York. She has more than 30 years of instructional and administrative experience with an expertise in inclusive education, cooperative teaching models, student achievement, and policy implementation.

Dr. Rosa began her career in the NYC Department of Education as a bilingual paraprofessional, teacher, and reading coordinator, served as an assistant principal and principal in special education, introduced an integrated linguistic model in developing a multilingual and multicultural school for general and special education populations, was principal of I.S. 218, a full-service community school in partnership with the Children’s Aid Society in District 6, and developed and implemented the Office of Conflict Resolution for the NYC Division of Special Education. In 1998, Dr. Rosa was appointed to the position of Superintendent of Community School District 8 in the Bronx and later appointed to serve as the Senior Superintendent of the Bronx. One of the schools Dr. Rosa founded as superintendent, M.S. 101 (Maritime Academy for Science and Technology), became the top ranked middle school in the City of New York based on New York State examination results.

She has taught graduate level education courses including Education of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Exceptional Children, Due Process: Law and the Handicapped, and Applied and Action Research for Doctoral Students, has served on dissertation committees, and is an executive coach for doctoral students.