This bill changes when career education aid begins in New York schools, moving the starting grade from ten to nine. It increases the per-pupil aid amount from $3,900 to $4,300 for students in grades nine through twelve in career programs like trade, health, or business. School districts receiving this aid must use the funds for career education programs and maintain funding levels comparable to the previous year. The changes take effect for school years starting July 1, 2025, directly affecting school districts offering career education programs.
This bill requires New York City school districts to provide charter schools with free access to public school buildings or reimburse them for private rental costs, capped at 30% of the school’s tuition-based calculation. It directly affects all New York City charter schools (population over 1 million) seeking new facilities or grade-level expansions. Key provisions include a 5-month deadline for the city to offer space, a binding arbitration process for disputes, and a phased payment schedule for existing schools to receive full reimbursement by the 2029-2030 school year (starting at 20% in 2025-2026 and increasing to 100% by 2029-2030).
This bill requires all public schools (from elementary through high school) to implement a multicultural curriculum. It mandates the education commissioner to create rules allowing schools to adapt the curriculum to their specific student body's cultural makeup, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach. The bill also requires the commissioner to develop teacher training programs to prepare educators in culturally responsive teaching methods. These changes would directly affect every public school in the state and their educators, with implementation beginning September 2025 if enacted.
This bill expands New York's Opportunity Promise Scholarship to cover all SUNY and CUNY associate's degree programs that lead to high-demand careers, directly affecting students enrolled in these specific programs. It specifies fields like nursing, cybersecurity, engineering, and green energy as eligible, with the list updated annually by the Department of Labor before each fall term. The change ensures students in approved associate's programs at SUNY/CUNY community colleges or campuses can access the scholarship without restrictions based on program type. The policy takes effect immediately upon enactment.
Relates to the common core state standards initiative; establishes the department shall discontinue implementation of the common core state standards.
This bill requires all public secondary schools in the state to teach humane education about animal treatment, respect, and relevant laws as part of their curriculum. It directly affects public secondary schools and their students by mandating specific content on animal kindness, ecological roles, and responsible ownership. Schools must verify compliance with these requirements, and the education commissioner will track and publicly share these records. The law also states that schools failing to provide this instruction risk losing state funding. The bill expands existing elementary school humane education requirements to include secondary education.
Relates to providing medically accurate instruction regarding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in all elementary and secondary schools.
This bill expands New York's Opportunity Promise Scholarship to cover all SUNY and CUNY community college programs awarding associate's degrees in high-demand fields. It directly affects students enrolled in these programs, including those in fields like nursing, cybersecurity, engineering, and green energy. The key mechanism adds all approved SUNY/CUNY associate degree programs in designated high-demand fields (updated annually by the Department of Labor) to the scholarship's eligibility. The change applies immediately for the 2025-2026 academic year and beyond, broadening access to the scholarship.
Provides an annual tax levy limit allowing for expenditures directly or indirectly related to school safety, including improving district wide emergency response plans, training staff and/or students on school safety and/or conflict mediation, installing and maintaining safety technology and software in school buildings, hiring school resource officers, acquiring emergency medical equipment, installing fencing around the perimeter of school grounds, installing bulletproof doors and windows, acquiring and maintaining technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency.
This bill changes how New York school districts receive prekindergarten funding starting in the 2025-2026 school year. It allocates $17,500 per eligible full-day four-year-old student, prioritizing those from families qualifying for free/reduced-price lunch or identified as multilingual learners if funds are limited. Districts must use these grants first for these priority groups before serving other eligible students. The funding amount adjusts annually based on inflation (CPI) and is subject to available state appropriations. The policy applies to all districts receiving this specific prekindergarten grant.
