This bill expands New York's veterans tuition awards program by allowing qualified veterans to transfer unused benefits to eligible family members, including spouses, children, or financially dependent survivors. It defines "eligible immediate family member" and sets key rules: transfers are one-time only, children receiving benefits must be under 26, and annual transfers are capped at 100. Veterans must formally designate beneficiaries through a prescribed process, and transfers cannot exceed the original award amount. The changes take effect in 2027, building on prior legislative proposals to enhance support for veterans' families.
Requires all incarcerated individuals who do not have a high-school diploma or its equivalent to receive a reading proficiency level assessment and dyslexia screening upon intake by the department of corrections; requires for such individuals who perform below a certain proficiency level to be provided with intervention services that are evidence-based, effective and consistent with science-based research specifically tailored to addressing dyslexia.
Establishes the sector partnership enhancement and reinforcement program to assist in the identification of target industry clusters and employers for creation of new local sector partnerships and to provide grants to emerging and existing local sector partnerships and to community colleges seeking to establish local sector partnerships for recruitment activities; makes an appropriation therefor.
Provides for the inclusion of a faculty or staff member on the board of trustees of community colleges elected by and from among the faculty and staff of the college.
Amends provisions relating to removing the exemption for school psychologists to render early intervention services, in relation to the effectiveness thereof.
This bill establishes a Center for Dyslexia and Dysgraphia within the state Department of Education. The center will define these learning differences, create a public guidebook for schools, set evidence-based screening standards for all K-5 students (and at-risk new students), and develop teacher training requirements. It directly affects schools, educators, and students with dyslexia or dysgraphia by mandating universal screenings, standardized interventions, and updated professional resources. The center must issue a biennial report on implementation progress and update the guidebook every five years after public review.
Requires student financial aid award letters to contain information on net costs, defined as an estimate of the costs of attendance after financial aid which does not require repayment and options for loans which do require repayment.
Prohibits the state university of New York from contracting out to the ground lessee or any subsidiary of the ground lessee or the research foundation for the state university of New York for any services or privatize any services currently being performed by employees in the unclassified service at the state university of New York at Albany.
This bill moves the Amistad Commission from the State Department to the State Education Department. The commission, which focuses on promoting education about the African slave trade, slavery in America, and African-American contributions, will now be managed by the Education Department rather than the State Department. This transfer shifts administrative responsibility for the commission's work - such as developing educational resources, recognizing schools teaching African-American history, and advising on curriculum - to the Education Department. The bill is now law (Chapter 542, signed November 21, 2025).
This bill establishes a scholarship program for New York State residents pursuing master's degrees in education. It directly affects students enrolled full-time in approved New York state education programs who earned their undergraduate degree in New York, maintained residency during that time, and commit to teaching full-time in New York public schools for five years. The program prioritizes applicants attending public colleges (as defined by law), with remaining scholarships available for private college students meeting the same eligibility criteria. Key requirements include academic excellence during undergraduate studies and signing a teaching commitment contract with the state. The scholarship covers costs for qualifying education degree programs leading to teaching careers in New York's public elementary or secondary schools.
