Bill Text: NY A02654 | 2011-2012 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes an economic and entrepreneurial education program in the department of education to foster an understanding and appreciation of the basic principles of economics including the role and impact of labor in economic growth and the process of new enterprise development in secondary school students and teachers throughout the state, appropriates funds therefor.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-04 - referred to education [A02654 Detail]
Download: New_York-2011-A02654-Introduced.html
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K ________________________________________________________________________ 2654 2011-2012 Regular Sessions I N A S S E M B L Y January 19, 2011 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. MORELLE -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. MAGEE, McENENY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing an economic and entrepreneurial education program in the department of education, and making an appropriation therefor, and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM- BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: 1 Section 1. Legislative findings. Continued prosperity and stability of 2 our democratic society depends upon an educated populace that under- 3 stands the basic economic principles, concepts and contributions that 4 labor and management have made which underlie the American economy. 5 These principles and concepts include an understanding of the free 6 enterprise system and the important role of labor in building and 7 sustaining long-term economic growth. The board of regents of the 8 university of the state of New York has recently recognized this fact by 9 the creation of a mandate which states that all high school students in 10 the state must successfully complete a semester course in economics as a 11 requirement for graduation from high school. This requirement, which 12 responds to an important need, presents a problem to the school 13 districts of the state because it necessitates a major effort in service 14 education. Teachers who have little or no training in economics must be 15 given the knowledge and skills to be able to teach this required course. 16 In addition, economic concepts have been thoroughly integrated into all 17 instructional areas in the new occupational education curriculum, 18 including the home and career skills study of resource management, 19 mandated for all occupational education students. Thus, teachers in 20 business/marketing education, home economics, and other social studies 21 courses must also be given similar training so that they can deal effec- 22 tively in explaining the role of labor and management in the evolution 23 of the American economy. EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD05712-01-1 A. 2654 2 1 Furthermore, a key to sustained economic growth of New York state is 2 the ability of its citizens to identify new business ideas and opportu- 3 nities and to develop them into new business and industry, both of which 4 are dependent upon the entrepreneurial spirit and the role of labor. The 5 role of government in creating the entrepreneurial spirit needed to 6 develop new business is limited, but it can and should encourage and 7 nurture that spirit through fostering an understanding and appreciation 8 of the process of new enterprise development. At present, students in 9 the state's secondary schools are not receiving such an understanding 10 and appreciation because: (i) few social studies, business/marketing 11 education, economics, and labor history teachers are themselves trained 12 in this field; and (ii) instructional materials, teaching aids and 13 activities to support curricular changes with regard to entrepreneurial 14 education and education on the principles of economics and labor history 15 as it relates to our economy have not been developed as they have been 16 for general economic education. 17 Furthermore, few programs exist relating the principles and theory of 18 economics to practice, and inadequate linkages exist between school 19 programs, the private sector and organized labor to foster an under- 20 standing and articulation process. 21 Therefore, it is vital that teachers be afforded an opportunity to 22 upgrade their knowledge of how the American economic system, trade union 23 movements and the entrepreneurial development process function; that 24 instructional materials, teaching aids, and activities be developed to 25 assist teachers responsible for entrepreneurial education and education 26 on the economy; and that public-private sector partnerships be formed to 27 link the theory and practice of entrepreneurship and economics in the 28 classroom and through extra-curricular activities. 29 S 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 4608 to read 30 as follows: 31 S 4608. ECONOMIC AND ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION. 1. THE COMMISSIONER IS 32 HEREBY AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO ESTABLISH AND SUPPORT, WITHIN AVAIL- 33 ABLE APPROPRIATIONS, ECONOMIC AND ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS 34 DESIGNED TO FOSTER AN UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF THE BASIC PRIN- 35 CIPLES OF ECONOMICS INCLUDING THE ROLE AND IMPACT OF LABOR IN ECONOMIC 36 GROWTH AND OF THE PROCESS OF NEW ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT IN SECONDARY 37 SCHOOL STUDENTS AND TEACHERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. 38 2. IN FURTHERANCE OF THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE COMMISSIONER 39 SHALL: 40 (A) CONTRACT WITH ANY NON-PROFIT AGENCY SUITABLY QUALIFIED FOR THE 41 PURPOSE OF HOLDING SEMINARS, CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS DESIGNED TO 42 IMPROVE THE ECONOMIC EDUCATION INCLUDING LABOR MARKET ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL 43 STUDIES, BUSINESS/MARKETING EDUCATION AND HOME ECONOMICS TEACHERS IN THE 44 SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF THE STATE. 45 (B) CONTRACT WITH ANY NON-PROFIT AGENCY SUITABLY QUALIFIED FOR THE 46 PURPOSE OF HOLDING SEMINARS, CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS DESIGNED TO 47 IMPROVE THE ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION OF SOCIAL STUDIES, 48 BUSINESS/MARKETING EDUCATION AND HOME ECONOMICS TEACHERS IN THE SECOND- 49 ARY SCHOOLS OF THE STATE, INCLUDING THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PRINCI- 50 PLES OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP, THE ROLE OF ENTREPRENEURS IN THE ECONOMY AND 51 THE ROLE OF LABOR AND MANAGEMENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. 52 (C) CONTRACT WITH A PUBLIC OR PRIVATE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY IN THE 53 STATE HAVING AN ESTABLISHED ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM, CENTER OR INSTI- 54 TUTE TO DEVELOP INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, TEACHING AIDS, AND IN-SCHOOL 55 PROGRAMS, RELATED TO ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION AND PRINCIPLES OF ECONOM- 56 ICS INCLUDING THE ROLE OF LABOR IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, FOR USE IN A. 2654 3 1 SECONDARY SCHOOLS, AND TO CONDUCT A SUMMER INSTITUTE FOR SECONDARY 2 SCHOOL TEACHERS IN THE PRINCIPLES OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP, ENTREPRENEURIAL 3 EDUCATION AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS LABOR AND MANAGEMENT HAVE MADE TO THE 4 EVOLUTION AND GROWTH OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMY. 5 (D) CREATE AN ENTERPRISE CHALLENGE GRANT PROGRAM TO FOSTER PUBLIC 6 SCHOOL-PRIVATE SECTOR COOPERATIVE PROGRAMS OF ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION 7 AND EDUCATION ON THE ROLE OF LABOR AND MANAGEMENT THROUGH THE DEVELOP- 8 MENT OF IN-SCHOOL AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES DESIGNED 9 TO COMPLEMENT AND ENHANCE INSTRUCTION IN LABOR AND MANAGEMENT IN THE 10 CLASSROOM. 11 3. CONTRACTS AUTHORIZED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPHS (A), (B) AND (C) OF 12 SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE AWARDED ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS 13 IN RESPONSE TO REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS SETTING FORTH SUCH CRITERIA AND 14 REQUIREMENTS AS THE COMMISSIONER DEEMS NECESSARY, EXCEPT THAT THE 15 COMMISSIONER MAY ENTER INTO SUCH CONTRACTS TO CONTINUE A PROGRAM PREVI- 16 OUSLY FUNDED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE PURPOSES SET FORTH IN SUBDIVISION 17 TWO OF THIS SECTION WITHOUT FIRST ISSUING A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. 18 4. CHALLENGE GRANTS AWARDED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (D) OF SUBDIVISION 19 TWO OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE AWARDED ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS IN RESPONSE 20 TO REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS SETTING FORTH SUCH CRITERIA AND REQUIREMENTS 21 AS THE COMMISSIONER DEEMS NECESSARY AND UPON A JOINT APPLICATION FROM A 22 SCHOOL DISTRICT AND A PRIVATE SECTOR SPONSORING ORGANIZATION, AND MAY BE 23 USED TO PLAN, ESTABLISH AND IMPLEMENT IN-SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND EXTRA-CUR- 24 RICULAR ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING MENTORING PROGRAMS, INVOLVING PRIVATE 25 SECTOR PARTICIPATION AND COOPERATION, AND TO PURCHASE MATERIALS FOR SUCH 26 PROGRAMS. PREFERENCE SHALL BE GIVEN TO THOSE APPLICATIONS WHICH PROVIDE 27 A MATCHING GRANT FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND/OR PRIVATE SECTOR GROUP 28 PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM. NO GRANT SHALL BE AWARDED IN EXCESS OF 29 FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS. SCHOOL DISTRICTS CONTAINING MORE THAN ONE SECOND- 30 ARY SCHOOL MAY APPLY FOR MULTIPLE GRANTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF A PROGRAM 31 IN MORE THAN ONE SCHOOL, BUT NO SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL RECEIVE MORE THAN 32 TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF GRANTS AWARDED IN ANY ONE 33 STATE FISCAL YEAR. 34 5. APPLICATIONS IN RESPONSE TO REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS PURSUANT TO 35 SUBDIVISIONS THREE AND FOUR OF THIS SECTION SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE 36 LIMITED TO: 37 (A) A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM TO BE OFFERED; 38 (B) DESIGNATION OF A PROGRAM DIRECTOR; 39 (C) A PROGRAM BUDGET, INCLUDING MATCHING FUNDS, IN-FUND AND OTHERWISE, 40 TO BE PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANT; 41 (D) LINKAGES TO OTHER EXISTING PROGRAMS; AND 42 (E) SUCH OTHER REQUIREMENTS AS DEEMED NECESSARY BY THE COMMISSIONER. 43 6. THE COMPTROLLER, OR HIS LEGALLY AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE, IS HERE- 44 BY AUTHORIZED AND EMPOWERED TO EXAMINE THE BOOKS AND ACCOUNTS OF THE 45 DEPARTMENT RELATING TO PROGRAM GRANTS MADE PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF 46 THIS SECTION, INCLUDING ITS RECEIPTS, DISBURSEMENTS, CONTRACTS, LEASES, 47 LOANS AND ANY OTHER SUCH MONIES RELATING TO ITS FINANCIAL OPERATIONS 48 WITH RESPECT TO SUCH PROGRAMS. 49 7. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL: 50 (A) MONITOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED UNDER THIS 51 SECTION AND REQUIRE PERIODIC AND ANNUAL REPORTS FROM EACH RECIPIENT OF A 52 CHALLENGE GRANT OR CONTRACT AT SUCH TIME AND IN SUCH A MANNER AS 53 PRESCRIBED BY THE COMMISSIONER. 54 (B) EVALUATE THE PROGRAM AND REPORT ANNUALLY, ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 55 FIFTEENTH, TWO THOUSAND FOURTEEN AND ON OR BEFORE EACH JANUARY FIFTEENTH 56 THEREAFTER, THE RESULTS OF SUCH EVALUATION TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE A. 2654 4 1 LEGISLATURE. SUCH REPORT SHALL DISCUSS THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM IN 2 MEETING ITS GOALS, AND SHALL RECOMMEND CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS IN THE 3 PROGRAM. 4 (C) SUBMIT TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION OF THE BUDGET, THE CHAIRMAN 5 OF THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ASSEMBLY WAYS 6 AND MEANS COMMITTEE AN EVALUATION OF PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS, CONDUCTED BY 7 AN ENTITY INDEPENDENT OF THE DEPARTMENT. SUCH EVALUATION SHALL BE 8 SUBMITTED BY JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND FIFTEEN AND SHALL BE TRANSMIT- 9 TED WITH COMMENT ON SUCH EVALUATION BY THE COMMISSIONER. 10 S 3. The sum of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000), or so much 11 thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the education 12 department out of any moneys in the state treasury in the general fund 13 to the credit of the state purposes account, not otherwise appropriated 14 and made immediately available, as follows: 15 a. Fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), for the purpose of contracting 16 with any non-profit agency suitably qualified for the purpose of holding 17 seminars, conferences, and meetings designed to improve the economic and 18 entrepreneurial education of social studies, business/marketing educa- 19 tion, and home economics teachers in the secondary schools of our state 20 pursuant to paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of subdivision 2 of section 4608 21 of the education law, as added by section two of this act; and 22 b. One hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000), for the purpose of 23 creating an enterprise challenge grant program to foster public school- 24 private sector cooperative programs of entrepreneurial education through 25 the development of in-school and extra-curricular programs and activ- 26 ities designed to complement and enhance entrepreneurial education in 27 the classroom pursuant to paragraph (d) of subdivision 2 of section 4608 28 of the education law, as added by section two of this act. Such grants 29 of from one thousand dollars to five thousand dollars are to be awarded 30 on a competitive basis to school districts upon a joint application from 31 a school district and a private sector sponsoring organization and may 32 be used to plan, establish and implement in-school programs and extra- 33 curricular activities, including mentoring programs, involving private 34 sector participation and cooperation, and to purchase materials for such 35 programs. Preference shall be given to those applications which provide 36 a matching grant from the school district and/or private sector group 37 participating in the program. A total of up to thirty-two grants may be 38 made available. School districts containing more than one secondary 39 school may apply for multiple grants for implementation of a program in 40 more than one school, but no school district shall receive more than 41 eight grants. 42 Such moneys shall be payable on the audit and warrant of the comp- 43 troller on vouchers certified or approved by the commissioner of educa- 44 tion in the manner prescribed by law. 45 S 4. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire March 31, 46 2015 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed 47 repealed.