Bill Text: NY A02973 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requires the department of education to establish professional development programs in culturally responsive instruction and provide access to those programs on its website.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-03 - referred to education [A02973 Detail]

Download: New_York-2017-A02973-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          2973
                               2017-2018 Regular Sessions
                   IN ASSEMBLY
                                    January 23, 2017
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  RODRIGUEZ  --  read once and referred to the
          Committee on Higher Education
        AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to culturally  responsive
          teaching
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section 1. Legislative finding. The  legislature  finds  and  declares
     2  that:
     3    1. Culture is essential to learning;
     4    2. Culture plays a role not only in communicating and receiving infor-
     5  mation,  but also in shaping the thinking process of groups and individ-
     6  uals;
     7    3. A pedagogy that acknowledges, responds to, and celebrates fundamen-
     8  tal cultures offers full, equitable access to education for pupils  from
     9  all cultures;
    10    4.  Culturally  responsive teaching is a major civilizing influence on
    11  the development of a humane, responsible and informed citizenry, able to
    12  adjust to and grow in a rapidly changing  world.  Culturally  responsive
    13  teaching  can substantiate a claim to the prevention of human and social
    14  costs to the state. Culturally responsive teaching develops  the  social
    15  consciousness  of  students  to better handle the world of prejudice and
    16  racism.  Culturally responsive teaching provides students with the back-
    17  ground in social studies and  humanities  so  that  they  will  function
    18  successfully and tolerantly in a participatory democracy and a multicul-
    19  tural  nation  and  world.   Culturally responsive teaching incorporates
    20  multicultural information, books, and other educational resources; and
    21    5. It is recognized that students in public elementary  and  secondary
    22  schools  can  only  reach  the  levels of performance expected under the
    23  provisions of this part with parental  participation  in  the  education
    24  process. It is therefore, the policy of this state to provide culturally
    25  responsive  services  for  young children and their families. Culturally
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD03941-01-7
        A. 2973                             2
     1  responsive services for young children and their families should reflect
     2  the importance of integration and diversity to the maximum extent possi-
     3  ble in regard to characteristics such as race,  economics,  sex,  creed,
     4  capability  and  cultural  differences.  Services  should be designed to
     5  support and strengthen the family and be  planned  in  consideration  of
     6  existing  family  values,  with the primary concern being the welfare of
     7  the child.
     8    § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 3037 to read
     9  as follows:
    10    § 3037. Professional development in culturally responsive instruction.
    11  1. The department shall establish professional development  programs  in
    12  culturally  responsive  instruction and provide access to those programs
    13  on its website.
    14    2. Each superintendent of a school district shall develop, and present
    15  to the local board of education for  adoption,  an  accountability  plan
    16  ensuring  that  the  district  is  complying  with culturally responsive
    17  instruction requirements established by the department.
    18    3. Each school district's accountability plan shall be effective for a
    19  period of three years, and shall be updated on or before July  first  of
    20  each year.
    21    § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.