Bill Text: NY A04407 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Amended

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Bill Title: Relates to expanding access to advanced courses to improve educational equity beginning with notification to parents and students on the benefits and opportunities offered as well as automatic enrollment opportunities.

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-05 - referred to education [A04407 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-A04407-Amended.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                         4407--A

                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    February 4, 2021
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  M. of A. PEOPLES-STOKES, JEAN-PIERRE, PICHARDO, JACKSON,
          LAWLER, CRUZ -- read once and referred to the Committee  on  Education
          --  committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended
          and recommitted to said committee

        AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to  expanding  access  to
          advanced courses to improve educational equity

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 817 to
     2  read as follows:
     3    § 817. Expanding access to advanced  courses  to  improve  educational
     4  equity.  1.  Definitions.  As  used  in this section the following terms
     5  shall have the following meanings:
     6    a. "Advanced course" means as  follows:  (i)  in  middle  school,  any
     7  course  that  leads  to  a  high school level regents examination or any
     8  honors, gifted, or accelerated course; and  (ii)  in  high  school,  any
     9  honors, gifted, accelerated, advanced placement, international baccalau-
    10  reate,  dual  or  concurrent  enrollment  course  or program, work-based
    11  learning opportunities, apprenticeships, and courses or examinations for
    12  which a student  may  earn  college  credit  or  an  industry-recognized
    13  certification.
    14    b.  "Parent"  means  a  parent,  legal guardian, or person in parental
    15  relation to a student.
    16    2. Providing transparency and support for parents and  students.    a.
    17  Starting  with  the  two  thousand twenty-two--two thousand twenty-three
    18  school year, each school district  and  charter  school  shall  annually
    19  provide  notification  to  parents  and students of the benefits and the
    20  opportunities within the district or charter school of participating  in
    21  advanced courses.
    22    b.  For  students  in grades five through six, such notification shall
    23  include:

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD03699-05-1
        A. 4407--A                          2

     1    (i) a clear and understandable description  of  the  middle  and  high
     2  school  courses  students  should take in order to be prepared for entry
     3  and success in college, the workforce, and active citizenship, including
     4  but not limited to advanced courses;
     5    (ii) language advising students and parents of the benefits of partic-
     6  ipating in advanced courses; and
     7    (iii)  a  description  of  the  advanced courses offered by the school
     8  district or charter school in middle and high school and how to  prepare
     9  for and enroll in them.
    10    c.  For  students preparing to enter grades seven through twelve, such
    11  notification shall occur by January first of each  school  year  or  two
    12  weeks  before  registration  for  classes  for the upcoming school year,
    13  whichever is earlier, and shall include:
    14    (i) a clear and understandable description  of  the  courses  students
    15  should  take  in  the  applicable grade span in order to be prepared for
    16  entry and success in college, the  workforce,  and  active  citizenship,
    17  including but not limited to advanced courses;
    18    (ii) language advising students and parents of the benefits of partic-
    19  ipating in advanced courses;
    20    (iii)  a  description  of  the  advanced  courses to be offered by the
    21  school district or charter school in the following school year; and
    22    (iv) a description of the academic and non-academic support the school
    23  district or charter school provides to help students succeed in advanced
    24  courses, as well as any financial  assistance  available  to  reduce  or
    25  eliminate  any  costs associated with participation in advanced courses,
    26  including but not limited to related fees, supplies, and assessments.
    27    d. Notification under this subdivision  shall  be  provided  electron-
    28  ically or by mail and be posted on the website of the school district or
    29  charter school.
    30    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.