Education

in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 8064: Authorizes certain school districts and their municipalities to authorize a one-time annual increase to the amount of school district expenditures funded by city funds to be excluded from certain calculations

Authorizes certain school districts and their municipalities to sign a memorandum of understanding authorizing a one-time annual increase to the amount of school district expenditures funded by city funds to be excluded from the maintenance of effort calculation.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllows exclusion of one-time city funding increase from MOE calculations, enabling additional school district funding without triggering maintenance requirements.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding

Track

in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 3315: Relates to culturally responsive lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender education standards

This bill requires New York state schools to implement culturally responsive education for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ+) students. It mandates all public and private K-12 schools to integrate LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum across all grade levels, including lessons on historical oppression and inequity. The bill also creates a graduation requirement for high school students to complete a course meeting these standards, adds a college course requirement for teacher certification, and requires ongoing teacher training on LGBTQ+ competency. Implementation will be guided by commissioner-developed rules, model curricula, and a school climate assessment tool.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum across all grades and adds graduation requirement, strengthening educational standards for marginalized students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education Teachers

Track

in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 7536: Ensures free speech on all college and university campuses within the state

Ensures free speech on all college and university campuses within the state; creates a cause of action for those who have their freedom of speech infringed upon by a college or university.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProtects academic freedom on campuses, a core educational policy by enabling legal recourse for speech violations in higher education.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

Track

passed · New York · Senate May 28, 2026

S 8288: Provides for the use of rooms within a public school at a reasonable rate

This bill amends education law to require public school boards to set reasonable rental rates for non-school uses of school rooms (e.g., community groups, after-school programs), ensuring rates cover actual operational costs. It prohibits excluding district children from these spaces solely because they don’t attend the specific school hosting the activity. The law applies to all public school rooms used for community purposes, clarifying that attendance at the hosting school cannot be a barrier. School boards must establish these terms under the revised legal framework.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill ensures equitable access to school facilities for community programs, preventing exclusion of district children based on school attendance, directly advancing educational access and community engagement in K-12 settings.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Libraries

Track

in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 6312: Relates to the financing of charter schools

This bill modifies how school districts receive state funding for charter school tuition. It requires districts to be paid annually based on charter school tuition costs from specific past years (2014-2017 and later), with smaller districts (under 1 million population) getting immediate payments for 2025-2026 expenses. Large city districts (over 1 million population) face a $35 million annual reduction in funding for 2020-2021 and 2023-2024 if they received corresponding American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) emergency relief funds. A new section creates a system where districts get funding equal to their current year charter tuition payments minus those from 2025-2026.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill reduces large district funding by $35M annually for specific years if they received ARP funds, indicating defunding of school finance.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice School Funding

Track

in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 6891: Relates to revisions to charter schools

Bill A 6891 restricts charter schools from submitting revisions to expand their grade levels if the change would cause them to serve students across multiple school classifications (such as elementary, middle, or high school) as defined by state regulations. Effective June 1, 2025, charter schools may no longer propose expansions that would result in serving more than one classification (e.g., adding high school grades to an existing elementary school). This rule applies to all new revisions submitted to charter entities after the effective date. The bill directly affects charter schools seeking to broaden their grade ranges beyond their current classification.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts charter school expansion to multiple grade classifications, limiting program flexibility and growth per bill's explicit language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

Track

in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 1984: Requires climate change and sustainability education in elementary and high schools

Requires that climate change and sustainability education be taught in elementary and high schools to educate pupils about how human activities cause climate change, the effects of climate change, the dangers associated with climate change and preventative measures that can be taken to alleviate the impacts of climate change.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates climate change education curriculum in K-12 schools, expanding required educational content and aligning with curriculum enhancement indicators.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentMandates climate change education teaching causes, effects, and preventative measures, advancing environmental awareness and education as a core component of environmental protection.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Climate Change

Track

in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 7029: Relates to directing the commissioner of education to make recommendations to the board of regents regarding the incorporation of instruction in artificial intelligence system literacy into the school curriculum

Directs the commissioner of education to make recommendations to the board of regents regarding the incorporation of instruction in artificial intelligence system literacy into the school curriculum at the elementary, junior high and senior high levels; directs the board of regents to adopt guidelines if the curriculum is adopted.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationDirects AI literacy curriculum integration into K-12, advancing educational content and student preparedness per bill's explicit mandate.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates AI literacy education in K-12 curricula, advancing tech education and digital literacy as a core component of technology policy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Artificial Intelligence

Track

in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 4082: Relates to establishing the New York state loan redemption program for certain public school teachers

This bill establishes a New York state program to redeem up to $9,000 of student loans for eligible public school teachers. It directly affects teachers hired after the law's effective date who teach STEM subjects or special education, meet specific academic criteria (top 20% in high school, 3.5 GPA, or top 20% SAT/ACT scores), and complete three consecutive years of full-time teaching. The program redeems eligible loan balances after three years of service, with the state covering up to $9,000 or the actual debt balance, whichever is lower, upon submission of employment proof. Teachers may cancel the contract with written notice but must repay any unredeemed debt.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates state funds ($9,000 per teacher) for loan redemption, directly increasing public education funding as a fiscal commitment.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides loan forgiveness for STEM/special ed teachers, supporting recruitment and retention in high-need education roles through direct financial assistance.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Special Education Student Financial Aid

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vetoed · New York · Senate Dec 19, 2025

S 1099: Enacts the freedom to read act

Enacts the "freedom to read act"; requires the commissioner of education and school library systems to develop policies to ensure that school libraries and library staff are empowered to curate and develop collections that provide students with access to the widest array of developmentally appropriate materials available.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates policies enabling school libraries to provide diverse, developmentally appropriate materials, directly enhancing educational access and curriculum freedom in K-12 schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Libraries

Track