Curriculum Information
BPSS Curriculum Requirements for Licensed Private Career Schools
Education Law Section 5001 and Section 126 of the Commissioner's Regulations provide the State Education Department with the authority to license private career school curricula. Curricula are reviewed to ensure that the overall educational quality of the programs offered will provide students with the necessary skills to secure meaningful employment and to protect students' financial interests while attending proprietary schools.
Ability to Benefit Testing and Counseling Plans
Distance Education Applications
Coursework in Languages Other Than English (LOTE)
Appearance Enhancement Programs
Curriculum Application Summary Graphic
The Curriculum Approval Letter
Curriculum Renewals & Amendments
Application Fees
Any expenses related to an application for curriculum, including, but not limited to, application fees or outside evaluators, will be incurred by the applicant at the risk of not obtaining curriculum approval.
As stated in Education Law 5002(4) for new curriculum applications, the application fee for any curriculum of 100 clock hours or more shall be $250. The application fee for any course of less than 100 clock hours shall be $100. The same is true for all curriculum amendments. All curricula of 100 hours or more will be subject to a $250 curriculum renewal application fee, per Education Law 5002(5).
Courses less than 100 hours are subject to a $100 curriculum renewal application fee. Schools may be required to pay this fee to move the application to a review status, therefore allowing BPSS to perform the required evaluation. Any past waivers of the curriculum renewal/amendment fee requirements are not considered acceptable justification for future fee waivers.
In some circumstances, a curriculum renewal fee may be waived if the course is less than 100 hours and the BPSS Curriculum Unit finds no substantive changes to the application. Schools must complete a Curriculum Renewal Fee Waiver Request Form PRIOR to submitting payment for EACH of the curriculum applications in the system. Schools must submit this form for each curriculum they wish to be considered for waiver. Courses of 100 hours or more are not eligible for fee waivers or refunds.
Application Timeframes
As per Education Law 5002(4)d and 5002(5), the BPSS Curriculum unit will act on any applications for approval of a course or curriculum within 120 days of receipt of a complete application.
After an initial review of an application, an email is sent to the school contact and to the school directors listed in the BPSS system with notification of deficiencies. The school will then have 30 days to correct these deficiencies. A second review is done at the end of the 30 days checking for the curriculum updates, corrections, or additions as previously requested. If any deficiencies persist, the school will be notified by email that they have 10 days to complete any outstanding requests.
If all requests are not completed at the end of the 10 days, the application will be denied. In the case of a denial, the Curriculum unit will email the reasons for the denial.
In the event of a denial, the school may submit a new curriculum application for the same program. However, the same fee and review timeline from the date of the new application will apply.
Application Criteria
The application will require satisfaction of the criteria outlined in Education Law 5002(4)b and the Commissioner’s Regulation 126.4(c), which will be the basis for approval of the curriculum. Each criterion will have its own evaluation standards and documentation requirements. The criteria include, but are not limited to:
- Occupational objective is appropriate for industry standard.
- The language of instruction.
- Curriculum title and hours that align with industry standard.
- Equipment, book and curriculum material lists for the classroom and student kits (if required) that are current and meet industry standards.
- The entrance requirements demonstrate that students possess the skills, competencies and prerequisite knowledge needed to progress in the curriculum. Any ability to benefit tests used should be a nationally recognized test appropriate to the course of instruction.
- Course content descriptions of those skills and competencies required for employment in the occupational area for which the curriculum is developed.
- The instructional methods are appropriate for the content.
- Assessment methods that lead to observable, measurable outcomes.
- Affiliation agreements are complete and in place for any application with an internship.
- An internship skills checklist is included for any application with an internship.
- Specifically for curriculum renewal applications, from Commissioner’s Regulation 126.19(b)(5), a consideration of completion and job placement rates
Application Process
Schools seeking approval for curriculum must apply using the BPSS system. Prior to applying, schools should have the following documents scanned and ready to attach to the application on the BPSS system. Do not apply until these documents are finalized and scanned in Word or PDF file formats, as applicable.
- A signed, completed BPSS-30 paper application. Extended content outlines and performance objectives may be attached to the application.
- For online or hybrid courses, a narrative describing the implementation of synchronous online instruction, security, and archive capacities.
- Skills checklists for internship assessment and attendance.
- Completed affiliation agreements for all internships. These must include legible contact information (name, email and phone number) for the affiliated site.
- Updated liability insurance covering students at the school as well as the affiliated sites.
- An operating certificate for Home Health Aide and Nursing Assistant internship sites.
Once the BPSS system application is completed, documents are uploaded, and payment is made, it will change to “Ready for Review.” Only applications in “Ready for Review” status are visible to the curriculum evaluators.
For assistance with the BPSS system, please see the following guide:
BPSS provides templates, step-by-step instructions for uploading necessary documents and feedback during the curriculum review process to assist applicants. However, BPSS does not provide technical support. Applicants must demonstrate the capacity to independently create and substantiate the design of the school’s educational programs, the ability to implement and operationalize its curriculum, as well as the capability to navigate the BPSS system. Schools designing their own curriculum (school defined curriculum) are strongly encouraged to refer to outside experts as well as national certification and accreditation entities for curriculum design guidance.
Ability to Benefit Testing and Counseling Plans
A school may choose an ability to benefit from instruction exam in lieu of or in combination with a high school diploma or employment experience. If a school elects to use an ATB test, then they must submit a counseling plan to their field associate soon after they receive their curriculum approval letter. ESL programs must choose a separate ESL placement exam. Please see Policy Guideline 6-0201 for more information on ATB and ESL placement exams and see this section of the BPSS web site for more information on counseling plans.
Nationally Recognized Vendors
All application criteria listed above are taken into consideration when a school submits curriculum purchased from a nationally recognized vendor.
A nationally recognized vendor is defined in the Commissioner’s Regulation 126.1(y) as: An independent, industry recognized, educational products provider offering curriculum and instructor qualifications to third party educational service providers via the internet and other appropriate media.
The school must provide a copy of the curriculum outline in its original format as well as the vendor contact information to enable the Curriculum unit to determine that the curriculum proposed by the school is in its original format.
A teacher who has been certified as an instructor by a nationally recognized vendor may be deemed qualified as an instructor by the department, provided such teacher shall only provide instruction in the course or courses for which he or she holds vendor's certification. A teacher certified by a nationally recognized vendor will be subject to all licensing fees required by the department for licensed teachers. If there is no vendor specific instructor certification, the instructor must possess a vendor certificate in the curriculum area proposed.
See Policy Guideline 1-0300 for more information on Nationally Recognized Vendors.
Internships
Schools intending to offer coursework through an internship or externship must have Bureau approval. Travel time to and from an internship site cannot be included in the course hours. Schools are expected to maintain attendance and evaluations of satisfactory academic progress for students attending internships.
Note: Networking events, trade shows, field trips, volunteer events, or any outside activity not approved as an internship are considered a project or homework, and these hours/assignments are not considered instructional hours towards the curriculum.
Distance Education Applications
BPSS welcomes applications for distance education programs that meet qualifying criteria. Distance Education programs will not be approved in an asynchronous format or through correspondence. Schools seeking approval to offer coursework via distance education must read and follow Policy Guideline 54-1231.
Coursework in Languages Other Than English (LOTE)
Certain coursework can be approved in a language other than English. To file a curriculum application for instruction in a language other than English, the school is required to:
- Complete a BPSS-30 curriculum application in English.
- Complete a BPSS-30 curriculum application in the language being requested.
- Attach the BPSS-128 LOTE form as the cover page for the LOTE curriculum application.
- Attach a translator’s notarized affidavit of translation or a certificate from a translation service as the second page of the LOTE curriculum application.
The notarized affidavit MUST contain the following:
- Provide the name, email, and phone number of the translator.
- Attest that the translator is NOT an employee, or otherwise affiliated with the school.
- State that the translator is proficient in BOTH the English language and the LOTE and specify where they acquired their knowledge of the language other than English.
- Affirm that the translation is a “true and complete” translation of the English language version of the BPSS-30 curriculum application.
A certificate of translation from a language translation service agency may be acceptable to the Education Commissioner if the certificate can be verified by the Commissioner’s representative.
The school must log in as school administrator, create and pay for a curriculum application on the BPSS system. This online application must be in English. After the application is complete but before payment the school must upload the following:
- The paper English language BPSS-30 curriculum application.
- The translated BPSS-30 with BPSS-128 LOTE form attached.
- The translator’s notarized affidavit or a certificate of translation from a language translation service.
Note: The first two pages of the translated BPSS-30 paper application upload will be the BPSS-128 LOTE form and the notarized affidavit or certificate of translation.
Appearance Enhancement Programs
The curriculum outlines for appearance enhancement programs that lead to licensure through the New York State Department of State are pre-determined. These programs are as follows: Cosmetology, Esthetics, Natural Hair Styling, Nail Specialty, Waxing and Barbering. For information on NYS DOS exam requirements and to access the BPSS curriculum applications please click here.
The list of procedures or services that may be performed by Appearance Enhancement licensees is found here.
School-defined appearance enhancement programs submitted for review that are prohibited by NYS law or supervised by another NYS government agency will be denied and the school will be directed to consult the appropriate agency for approval. To request a school-defined curriculum application contact BPSSCurriculum@nysed.gov.
Allied Health Programs
Any Personal Care Aide, Home Health Aide or Nursing Assistant program supervised by BPSS has a prescribed curriculum, internship skills checklist and equipment list from the NYS Department of Health. The BPSS applications with the DOH prescribed information can be found here.
Any other allied health curriculum is considered a school defined curriculum. To request a school defined curriculum application contact BPSSCurriculum@nysed.gov.
The following Allied Health curricula are not eligible for distance education approval, because the department has determined the content, duration, and occupational purposes to which this content leads does not lend itself to distance education:
- Nurse Assistant/Nurse Aide
- Home Health Aide
- Personal Care Aide
- Transition curricula between the above-mentioned programs
- Phlebotomy – must be a minimum of 60 hours, classroom and skills lab only.
- EKG Technician - must be a minimum of 60 hours, classroom and skills lab only.
- Combination programs of Phlebotomy and EKG Technician - must be a minimum of 100 hours, classroom and skills lab only.
- Dialysis Technician – programs longer than 120 hours may be considered for hybrid instruction.
The following Allied Health curricula will be considered in a hybrid format, and the hands-on skills portion of the curriculum must be delivered in a skills lab under the direct supervision of the instructor:
- Medical Assistant (clinical and or a combination of clinical and administrative)
- Pharmacy Technician
- Physical Therapy Aide
- Sonography programs
Curriculum Application Summary Graphic
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The Curriculum Approval Letter
A curriculum approval letter will be issued after the BPSS curriculum reviewer has determined that the curriculum application is complete and meets BPSS standards. This letter must be kept with the school copy of the curriculum. Part of offering the curriculum as approved is following the specifications given on page two of this letter. An example of the specifications section is as follows:
Offering the curriculum as approved means:
- Using the approved title in all advertising as defined in the approval letter.
- Providing synchronous instruction (instructor led) for every hour of the total clock hours stated in the letter.
- Renewing the curriculum 120 days before the expiration date given in the letter.
- Using only BPSS licensed teachers as defined in the approval letter (code definitions found here).
- A copy of the entrance requirements, as defined in the letter, must be in every student record.
- Maintaining teacher-student instructional ratios.
Course Ratios
The instructional ratios set in the curriculum approval letter are not absolute. If the school’s Quarters Approval letter or Certificate of Occupancy limits the student seating to a lower number, the school must adhere to the lowest of any assigned capacity. For example, if the curriculum ratio is 1:20, but the quarters approval sets a maximum capacity to 6, based on the classroom square footage, then the teacher-student ratio is reduced to 1:6.
Teacher-Student Instructional ratios are generally set to 1:20 for theory and skills training. The internship ratio is generally 1:10. For Home Health Aide students in a home setting, the ratio is 1:3 for the 8-hour internship. For Nurse Aide students the ratio is 1:8 for the 35-hour internship in a long-term care facility. Beginner level ESL training programs are set at 1:15.
Please see Policy Guideline 18-0301 for more details on instructional ratios.
Curriculum Renewals & Amendments
Schools must apply for curriculum renewals at least 120 days prior to the expiration date of the curriculum. Sign into the BPSS portal and select Curriculum Amendments/Renewals. Look for the application to update and click on the "continue" button to the right of the name.
For assistance with the BPSS system, please see the following guide:
BPSS will treat any expired curriculum as a new curriculum. In the instance of an expired curriculum, submit a new application.
Schools should have an up-to-date, signed BPSS-30 paper application scanned and ready to upload into the Coursework Details category of the application in the BPSS system. In both the BPSS-30 application and in the BPSS system, there must be:
- All course units listed with accurate hours. The hours and units listed on the BPSS-30 must completely align with what is submitted in the online application.
- A complete equipment list.
- Textbooks updated to the most recent editions.
- If the curriculum is taught in a language other than English, a new LOTE application must be submitted if there were any changes in the curriculum.
Curricula that include an internship require the following documents to be uploaded into the Affiliation category:
- Completed affiliation agreements, using the revised affiliation agreement form, for all internships. These must have been signed within the past year. These must include legible contact information (name, direct email, and phone number) for the affiliated site.
- Updated liability insurance covering students at the school as well as the affiliated sites.
- An operating certificate or license for Home Health Aide and Nursing Assistant internship sites.
- Skills checklists for internship assessment and attendance.
If there are any changes to the program hours, content, textbooks, or entrance requirements, a curriculum amendment application is required. Schools must describe and justify the changes in a separate letter uploaded to the Coursework Details category of the application.
Common Errors
Curriculum approvals are significantly delayed if a school files an incomplete application, or an application that lacks sufficient detail. Below is a list of common errors that render curriculum applications deficient or not approvable:
- The BPSS system course outline with hours per course do not match the paper outline hours per course.
- The total hours for the program on the system application do not match the paper application.
- The narrative describing the implementation of synchronous online instruction is missing for distance education curriculum applications.
- Incomplete LOTE applications.
- No skills checklist for internship programs.
- No BPSS-30 application at all.
- BPSS-30 is not signed.
- The equipment list on the BPSS system application is missing or incomplete.
- Unit/Course outline missing from the BPSS system application.
- Curriculum name that does not describe the occupational objective.
- Not including the Occupational objective.
- Including asynchronous hours as clock hour training time.
- Out of date textbooks
- For school defined curricula, not following the sample curriculum of one of the credentialing organizations such as NHA; AMCA; NCCT, NABP, ARDMS, CompTia, Microsoft, Cisco. Please note: Course work must qualify students to take a credentialing exam if one exists in that field.
- Incomplete affiliation agreements with missing contact information, illegible contact information, missing signatures, missing liability insurance document, missing operating certificate for affiliated site.
All questions regarding curriculum should be directed to BPSScurriculum@nysed.gov