NYSEC’s Vision & Mission Statement

The New York State English Council (NYSEC) is the official New York affiliate organization of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). The first Constitution of NYSEC was adopted at the May 1950 NYSEC Conference in Syracuse, New York. We are a non-profit professional organization that operates as described in section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Service code.

As an NCTE affiliate, we are aligned with the vision, mission, and positions of our parent organization and work toward manifesting these ideas to support the educators of New York State. Towards that end, we also consult with and advise the New York State Education Department on matters of mutual concern. In addition, NYSEC maintains communication with national and local affiliates, often collaborating on projects and workshops. Our awards program highlights the contributions of teachers, pre-service candidates, and administrators at the elementary, middle, secondary, and collegiate levels, recognizes exceptional programs and professional collaborations, and celebrates student writing.

For over 70 years, NYSEC has promoted and delivered exceptional professional development to educators in New York State, and we continue to do so both in person and virtually. We advocate for students and teachers and promote collaboration among English Language Arts and literacy educators as well as among content area teachers. By encouraging Pre-K to college articulation, NYSEC supports its membership through conferences, workshops, publications, and digital communication.

Finally, to echo the objectives of NYSEC’s founders, NYSEC strives to develop an understanding of the problems that confront English teachers of New York State at all levels, to provide unity of action in the solution of our common problems, to promote discussion and study on a local, regional, and statewide basis, with the intention of increasing the understanding of the best practices in English teaching, and to strengthen the English program in New York State so that the needs of our students may be met most effectively.