Bill Text: NY A06338 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Amended


Bill Title: Relates to establishing regional secondary schools.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-02-09 - print number 6338a [A06338 Detail]

Download: New_York-2017-A06338-Amended.html


                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
            S. 4823--A                                            A. 6338--A
                               2017-2018 Regular Sessions
                SENATE - ASSEMBLY
                                      March 2, 2017
                                       ___________
        IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. LAVALLE -- read twice and ordered print-
          ed,  and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education --
          recommitted to the Committee on Education in  accordance  with  Senate
          Rule  6,  sec.  8  --  committee  discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered
          reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
        IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. THIELE, DiPIETRO -- read once  and
          referred to the Committee on Education -- recommitted to the Committee
          on  Education  in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee
          discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
          to said committee
        AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to the  establishment  of
          regional secondary schools
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section 1.  Legislative  intent.  The  legislature  hereby  finds  and
     2  declares  that  given  the  current  fiscal  climate in this state, many
     3  school districts, particularly small  districts,  are  threatened  by  a
     4  decline  in  educational  opportunities and programs for their students.
     5  School districts are  seeking  new  models  of  delivering  services  to
     6  students that are more cost-effective and efficient, in order to sustain
     7  or  enhance  the quality of services and to maintain or expand the scope
     8  of services offered to students. The legislature  recognizes  that  many
     9  high  schools  in  the state are experiencing financial limitations that
    10  may impair their ability to offer students the same range or quality  of
    11  courses  that  other  high  schools may provide. In order to ensure that
    12  these districts continue to offer their students advanced  course  work,
    13  districts  should  be  afforded  the opportunity to establish a regional
    14  secondary school. Under this new model of delivering services, districts
    15  will be able to streamline programs and  services,  increase  resources,
    16  and  increase  their  purchasing  power  through  shared services. These
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD04093-02-8

        S. 4823--A                          2                         A. 6338--A
     1  resultant cost  savings  will  allow  money  to  flow  into  educational
     2  programs  and services for students which will, in turn, help to improve
     3  student performance and meet college and career readiness.
     4    This  legislation  would  establish  a  pilot  program authorizing the
     5  establishment of regional secondary schools in any county with  a  popu-
     6  lation  in  excess  of  one  million  four  hundred thousand inhabitants
     7  according to the 2010 decennial census, excluding counties located with-
     8  in a city with a population of one million  inhabitants  or  more.  This
     9  pilot  program  will  help  to  determine  the  efficacy of the regional
    10  secondary schools in providing  greater  educational  opportunities  for
    11  less  cost.  If  this  pilot  program  of  regional secondary schools is
    12  successful, the concept could then be expanded statewide.
    13    § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new article 39-A to read
    14  as follows:
    15                                ARTICLE 39-A
    16                         REGIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOLS
    17  Section 1920. Establishment of a regional secondary school operated by a
    18                  board of education.
    19          1921. Establishment of a regional secondary school operated by a
    20                  board of cooperative educational services.
    21          1922. State aid for regional secondary schools.
    22          1923. Regional secondary school advisory committee.
    23          1924. Applicability.
    24    § 1920. Establishment of a regional secondary  school  operated  by  a
    25  board of education. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the
    26  contrary,  for  purposes  of  this  article, a regional secondary school
    27  shall mean a high school with grades six, seven and/or eight  as  agreed
    28  upon  by  each  of the participating districts consistent with the grade
    29  configuration of the new secondary school or schools.
    30    2. A regional secondary school may be  established  pursuant  to  this
    31  section  by  agreement of the boards of education of two or more central
    32  school districts, union  free  school  districts  and/or  common  school
    33  districts that are wholly contained within the supervisory district of a
    34  board  of  cooperative  educational services, subject to the approval of
    35  the voters of each participating district.  Provided,  however,  that  a
    36  component  school  district  of  a  central  high  school district and a
    37  special act school district, as defined in section four thousand one  of
    38  this  chapter,  shall  not  be  authorized  to participate in a regional
    39  secondary school. A central high school district, subject to approval of
    40  its voters, also may enter into an agreement with school districts other
    41  than its component school districts that are wholly contained within the
    42  supervisory district of a board of cooperative educational  services  to
    43  establish  a  regional  secondary school. Such regional secondary school
    44  shall serve all of the students in each of the  participating  districts
    45  in grades nine through twelve and may also serve students in grades six,
    46  seven and/or eight as agreed upon by each of the participating districts
    47  consistent  with  the grade configuration of the new secondary school or
    48  schools, provided that each participating district shall cease  district
    49  operation of its high school, if the participating school district oper-
    50  ates a high school. The regional secondary school may be operated by one
    51  of  the  participating  school districts upon the agreement of the other
    52  participating districts, and such district shall assume the responsibil-
    53  ity to operate, supervise and maintain the regional secondary school and
    54  the administration of such secondary school. For purposes of this  arti-

        S. 4823--A                          3                         A. 6338--A
     1  cle,  the  school district designated as the operating district shall be
     2  referred to as  the  hosting  district.    Alternatively,  the  regional
     3  secondary  school  may  be operated by a joint board of education estab-
     4  lished pursuant to this section. The establishment of a regional second-
     5  ary  school  shall  be subject to the approval of the commissioner, in a
     6  manner and timeframe, as set forth within this section. School districts
     7  participating in a regional secondary school need not be  geographically
     8  contiguous.
     9    3. To establish a regional secondary school, two or more participating
    10  school  districts must initially adopt, by majority vote of the board of
    11  education of each participating district,  a  resolution  proposing  the
    12  establishment  of  such  regional secondary school. The resolution shall
    13  indicate the proposed participating school  districts  and  whether  the
    14  school would be governed by a proposed hosting district or a joint board
    15  of  education  and  the  proposed  term  of  the  contract governing the
    16  regional secondary school. The resolution shall  be  voted  on  by  each
    17  board  at  a meeting held no later than October first of the school year
    18  prior to the school year in  which  the  regional  secondary  school  is
    19  proposed  to  commence  operation. If two or more school districts adopt
    20  such a resolution, the resolution shall be presented in a referendum for
    21  voter approval in each of the proposed participating  districts.    Upon
    22  approval  by  the  voters  in  each of the proposed participating school
    23  districts, the participating school districts shall  collectively  enter
    24  into a contract for the establishment of a regional secondary school. In
    25  the  event the voters do not approve such resolution, the resolution may
    26  be presented for one re-vote in the  proposed  participating  districts;
    27  or,  if  the  boards  of education of one or more such districts vote to
    28  rescind their  resolution  to  participate  in  the  regional  secondary
    29  school,  one  additional  vote  may  be  held  in  each of the remaining
    30  proposed participating districts. In no event may more than two votes be
    31  held in any proposed participating district in any school year.
    32    4. With the consent of each of the participating boards  of  education
    33  and  approval of the commissioner, additional school districts otherwise
    34  eligible to  establish  the  regional  secondary  school  may  join  the
    35  regional  secondary  school in the second or a subsequent year of opera-
    36  tion by  adopting  a  board  resolution  and  obtaining  voter  approval
    37  substantially  in  the  manner  prescribed  in  subdivision  two of this
    38  section.
    39    5. (a) Upon receipt of voter approval in  each  of  the  participating
    40  school  districts,  such  districts  shall submit the proposed contract,
    41  together with the plan  of  formation  and  operation  of  the  regional
    42  secondary school, to the commissioner for his or her approval, in a time
    43  and  manner  prescribed  by  the commissioner. Such contract shall be an
    44  intermunicipal sharing agreement  pursuant  to  article  five-G  of  the
    45  general  municipal  law  that  complies  with  the  requirements of this
    46  section.
    47    (b) The regional secondary school and the proposed contract shall meet
    48  the following requirements:
    49    (i) the contract shall specify its term, which shall not be less  than
    50  five  nor  more  than seven school years, and shall either designate the
    51  board of education of the hosting district as the governing  board  that
    52  will  operate the regional secondary school on behalf of all participat-
    53  ing districts, or the joint  board  of  education  that  will  serve  as
    54  governing  board  for the regional secondary school. The governing board
    55  shall have responsibility for the operation, supervision and maintenance
    56  of the regional secondary school and shall be responsible for the admin-

        S. 4823--A                          4                         A. 6338--A
     1  istration of the school, including the curriculum, grading, staffing and
     2  the issuance of diplomas for  all  students  that  attend  the  regional
     3  secondary  school,  as  shall  be designated in the contract.  Provided,
     4  however,  that  the  contract may provide for issuance of the diploma by
     5  the student's school district of residence  upon  certification  by  the
     6  governing board that all graduation requirements of the regional second-
     7  ary school have been met.  The regional secondary school shall be deemed
     8  a school of the governing board for accountability purposes;
     9    (ii) the contract shall provide the name of the school, which shall be
    10  subject  to  the  commissioner's  approval,  the  grades  of instruction
    11  intended to be served by the regional secondary  school,  and  designate
    12  the  site  of  the  regional secondary school, which shall be within the
    13  boundaries of one of the participating  districts  and  where  possible,
    14  should use existing buildings and/or infrastructure;
    15    (iii)  notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the
    16  contract shall provide that each participating school district shall  be
    17  responsible  for  providing or arranging for transportation to its resi-
    18  dent students attending the regional secondary school in accordance with
    19  its school district policy, but without regard to  any  maximum  mileage
    20  limitation.  Such  transportation may be provided by contract, including
    21  but not limited to a contract with one or more  participating  districts
    22  or a board of cooperative educational services;
    23    (iv)  the contract shall specify that the students of each participat-
    24  ing school district shall remain enrolled as students of  their  respec-
    25  tive  participating  school  districts,  and  they  shall be treated and
    26  counted as such for purposes of all state aid calculations  pursuant  to
    27  this chapter;
    28    (v)  the contract shall either designate the board of education of the
    29  hosting district to serve as the governing board of the regional second-
    30  ary school or shall provide for the establishment of a new  joint  board
    31  of  education  for  the  regional  secondary  school  with at least five
    32  members, with representatives appointed by each participating  district.
    33  The contract shall specify the number, term, and procedures for appoint-
    34  ment  of  joint  board  members. If the districts choose to create a new
    35  joint board of education, the board  shall  have  the  same  powers  and
    36  duties  with  respect  to  the  regional  secondary school as a board of
    37  education of a union free  school  district  has  with  respect  to  its
    38  schools  under  this  chapter,  except  as  modified by the terms of the
    39  contract;
    40    (vi) the contract shall specify the current enrollment of all  partic-
    41  ipating  school  districts and the projected total enrollment numbers of
    42  the regional secondary school;
    43    (vii) the contract must demonstrate how the regional secondary  school
    44  will  provide increased educational opportunities, including courses and
    45  programs in  science,  technology,  engineering  and  math,  to  prepare
    46  students  for  college and career readiness and improve student perform-
    47  ance;
    48    (viii) all teachers, teaching assistants  and  teacher  aides  of  the
    49  participating  school  districts,  whose  services  in the participating
    50  school districts are no longer needed because of the establishment of  a
    51  regional  secondary  school  or  the transfer of students to an existing
    52  regional secondary school, as a result of  a  new  participating  school
    53  district  joining the regional secondary school shall immediately become
    54  employees of the governing board designated in the contract,  and  shall
    55  retain their tenure and/or employment status and the seniority gained in
    56  the  participating district. If the number of teaching, teaching assist-

        S. 4823--A                          5                         A. 6338--A
     1  ant or teacher aide positions needed to provide the educational services
     2  required by a regional secondary school  is  less  than  the  number  of
     3  teachers,  teaching assistants, and teacher aides eligible to be consid-
     4  ered  employees  of  the  designated  governing  board  of such regional
     5  secondary school pursuant to this paragraph, the services of the  teach-
     6  ers, teaching assistants and teacher aides having the least seniority in
     7  the  participating  school  district  within  the  tenure  area or civil
     8  service status, as the case may be, of the position shall be  discontin-
     9  ued. Any such employees who are teachers, teaching assistants or teacher
    10  aides  shall  be  placed  on a preferred eligible list of candidates for
    11  appointment to a vacancy that may thereafter occur in an office or posi-
    12  tion under the jurisdiction of  the  participating  school  district  in
    13  accordance  with  the  provisions  of section twenty-five hundred ten or
    14  three thousand thirteen of this chapter. For any such teacher,  teaching
    15  assistant  or  teacher  aide who is retained by the governing board, for
    16  salary, sick leave and any other purposes, the length of service credit-
    17  ed in such participating school district prior to its  participation  in
    18  the  regional secondary school shall be credited as employment time with
    19  the designated governing board;
    20    (ix) upon termination of the contract pursuant to this section and the
    21  return of students from the regional  secondary  school  to  the  former
    22  participating  school  district,  the teachers, teaching assistants, and
    23  teacher aides employed by the governing board to serve in  the  regional
    24  secondary  school  shall  have the same employment rights in the partic-
    25  ipating school districts as teachers would have upon takeover of a board
    26  of cooperative educational services program  by  such  school  districts
    27  pursuant to section three thousand fourteen-b of this chapter;
    28    (x)  the  contract  shall  specify  the process for development of the
    29  budget for the regional secondary school  by  the  designated  governing
    30  board  and how operating and administrative costs and the local share of
    31  capital expenses attributable to the regional secondary school  will  be
    32  allocated among the participating districts;
    33    (xi)  the  contract  shall specify the costs of the regional secondary
    34  school, staffing, current and future capital construction plans and  for
    35  the delivery of special education programs;
    36    (xii)  the  contract  shall  specify  the procedures for discipline of
    37  students attending the regional secondary school, including the applica-
    38  ble code of conduct  provided  that  such  code  of  conduct  meets  the
    39  requirements  of  section  twenty-eight  hundred  one  of this title and
    40  procedures for superintendents' hearings and appeals  to  the  board  of
    41  education  pursuant to section thirty-two hundred fourteen of this chap-
    42  ter;
    43    (xiii) the contract shall specify the costs of the  operation  of  the
    44  regional  secondary school for each participating school district and an
    45  itemized listing of the  cost  savings  for  each  participating  school
    46  district;
    47    (xiv)  the  contract shall specify how extra-curricular activities and
    48  interscholastic athletics will be provided to students of  the  regional
    49  secondary school;
    50    (xv)  the  contract  shall  specify  the  fiscal  implications  of the
    51  regional secondary school including  expected  state  aid  and  expected
    52  changes in expenditures and property tax levies;
    53    (xvi) the contract shall specify whether the employees of the regional
    54  secondary school shall establish new employee organizations, pursuant to
    55  article fourteen of the civil service law, for their representation, or,
    56  where  applicable,  whether  they shall become members of the applicable

        S. 4823--A                          6                         A. 6338--A
     1  employee  organizations  representing  the  employees  of  the   hosting
     2  district; and
     3    (xvii)  the contract shall set forth any other information or analysis
     4  as may be required by the regulations of the commissioner.
     5    6. If the commissioner approves the proposed  contract,  the  regional
     6  secondary school shall be established. The contract shall be for a peri-
     7  od  of  at least five and not more than seven school years and, with the
     8  approval of the commissioner, may be renewed by mutual agreement of  the
     9  boards of education of the participating districts. The regional second-
    10  ary school shall commence operations on the first of July, and shall not
    11  cease operations before the thirtieth of June in any school year.
    12    §  1921.  Establishment  of  a regional secondary school operated by a
    13  board of cooperative educational services. 1. Notwithstanding any  other
    14  provision  of  law  to  the  contrary,  for  purposes of this article, a
    15  regional secondary school shall mean a  high  school  with  grades  six,
    16  seven and/or eight as agreed upon by each of the participating districts
    17  consistent  with  the grade configuration of the new secondary school or
    18  schools.
    19    2. A regional secondary school may be  established  pursuant  to  this
    20  section  by agreement of a board of cooperative educational services and
    21  the boards of education of two or more central school  districts,  union
    22  free  school  districts  and/or  common school districts that are wholly
    23  contained within the supervisory district of the  board  of  cooperative
    24  educational  services,  subject  to  the  approval  of the voters of the
    25  participating districts. Provided,  however,  that  a  component  school
    26  district  of  a  central  high  school district and a special act school
    27  district, as defined in section four thousand one of this chapter, shall
    28  not be authorized to participate  in  a  regional  secondary  school.  A
    29  central  high  school  district, subject to approval of its voters, also
    30  may enter into an agreement with the board  of  cooperative  educational
    31  services  and school districts other than its component school districts
    32  that are wholly contained within the supervisory district of  the  board
    33  of  cooperative  educational  services to establish a regional secondary
    34  school. Such regional secondary school shall serve all of  the  students
    35  in each of the participating districts in grades nine through twelve and
    36  may also serve students in grades six, seven and/or eight as agreed upon
    37  by each of the participating districts consistent with the grade config-
    38  uration  of  the  new  secondary  school  or schools, provided that each
    39  participating school district shall cease district operation of its high
    40  school, if said participating  district  operates  a  high  school.  The
    41  regional  secondary school shall be operated by the board of cooperative
    42  educational services, which shall assume the responsibility to  operate,
    43  supervise  and  maintain  the regional secondary school and the adminis-
    44  tration of such  secondary  school.  The  establishment  of  a  regional
    45  secondary  school  shall be subject to the approval of the commissioner,
    46  in a manner and timeframe, as set  forth  within  this  section.  School
    47  districts  participating  in  a  regional  secondary  school need not be
    48  geographically contiguous.
    49    3. To establish a regional secondary school, two or more participating
    50  school districts and the board of cooperative educational services  must
    51  initially  adopt,  by  a majority vote of the board of education of each
    52  participating  district  and  the  board  of   cooperative   educational
    53  services,  a  resolution  proposing  the  establishment of such regional
    54  secondary school. The resolution shall indicate that the board of  coop-
    55  erative  educational services will operate the regional secondary school
    56  on behalf of the participating districts and specify  the  participating

        S. 4823--A                          7                         A. 6338--A
     1  school  districts  and  the  proposed term of the contract governing the
     2  regional secondary school. The resolution shall  be  voted  on  by  each
     3  board  at  a meeting held no later than October first of the school year
     4  prior  to  the  school  year  in  which the regional secondary school is
     5  proposed to commence operation. If two or more school districts and  the
     6  board  of  cooperative educational services adopt such a resolution, the
     7  resolution must then be presented in a referendum for voter approval  in
     8  each  of  the  proposed  participating  districts.  Upon approval by the
     9  voters in each of the participating districts, the participating  school
    10  districts  and  the  board  of  cooperative  educational  services shall
    11  collectively enter into a contract for the establishment of  a  regional
    12  secondary  school.  In  the  event the voters do not approve such resol-
    13  ution, the resolution may be presented  for  one  re-vote;  or,  if  the
    14  boards  of education of one or more such districts vote to rescind their
    15  resolution to participate in the regional secondary  school,  one  addi-
    16  tional  vote may be held in each of the remaining proposed participating
    17  districts. In no event may more than two votes be held in  any  proposed
    18  participating district in any school year.
    19    4.  With  the consent of each of the participating boards of education
    20  and the board of cooperative educational services and  approval  of  the
    21  commissioner,  additional  school districts otherwise eligible to estab-
    22  lish the regional secondary  school  may  join  the  regional  secondary
    23  school in the second or subsequent year of operation by adopting a board
    24  resolution  and  obtaining  voter  approval  substantially in the manner
    25  prescribed in subdivision two of this section.
    26    5. (a) Upon receipt of voter approval, the proposed contract, together
    27  with the plan of formation  and  operation  of  the  regional  secondary
    28  school,  shall be submitted to the commissioner for his or her approval,
    29  in a time and manner prescribed by the commissioner. Such contract shall
    30  be an inter-municipal sharing agreement pursuant to  article  five-G  of
    31  the  general  municipal  law that complies with the requirements of this
    32  section.
    33    (b) The regional secondary school and the proposed contract shall meet
    34  the following requirements:
    35    (i) the contract shall specify its term, which shall not be less  than
    36  five  nor more than seven school years, and shall provide that the board
    37  of cooperative educational services will operate the regional  secondary
    38  school  on  behalf  of all participating districts. The board of cooper-
    39  ative educational services shall serve as the  governing  body  for  the
    40  regional  secondary  school and shall have responsibility for the opera-
    41  tion, supervision and maintenance of the regional secondary  school  and
    42  shall  be  responsible  for the administration of such school, including
    43  grading and the issuance of diplomas for all students  that  attend  the
    44  regional  secondary  school,  as  shall  be  designated in the contract.
    45  Provided, however, that the contract may provide  for  issuance  of  the
    46  diploma by the student's school district of residence upon certification
    47  by  the governing board that all graduation requirements of the regional
    48  secondary school have been met. The  board  of  cooperative  educational
    49  services  shall  also  act  as  a  school  district  for  accountability
    50  purposes;
    51    (ii) the contract shall provide the name of the school, which shall be
    52  subject to  the  commissioner's  approval,  the  grades  of  instruction
    53  intended  to  be  served by the regional secondary school, and designate
    54  the site of the regional secondary school, which  shall  be  within  the
    55  boundaries  of  the  supervisory  district  of  the board of cooperative

        S. 4823--A                          8                         A. 6338--A
     1  educational services and where possible, should use  existing  buildings
     2  and/or infrastructure;
     3    (iii)  notwithstanding  any other provision of law, the contract shall
     4  provide that each participating school district shall be responsible for
     5  providing or arranging  for  transportation  to  its  resident  students
     6  attending  the  regional  secondary school in accordance with its school
     7  district policy, but without regard to any maximum  mileage  limitation.
     8  Such  transportation  may  be  provided  by  contract, including but not
     9  limited to a contract with one or  more  participating  districts  or  a
    10  board of cooperative educational services;
    11    (iv)  the contract shall specify that the students of each participat-
    12  ing school district shall remain enrolled as students of  their  respec-
    13  tive  participating  school  districts,  and  they  shall be treated and
    14  counted as such for purposes of all state aid calculations  pursuant  to
    15  this chapter;
    16    (v)  the  contract shall specify the current enrollment of all partic-
    17  ipating school districts and the projected total enrollment  numbers  of
    18  the regional secondary school;
    19    (vi)  the  contract must demonstrate how the regional secondary school
    20  will provide increased educational opportunities, including courses  and
    21  programs  in  science,  technology,  engineering  and  math,  to prepare
    22  students for college and career readiness and improve  student  perform-
    23  ance;
    24    (vii)  all  teachers,  teaching  assistants  and  teacher aides of the
    25  participating school districts,  whose  services  in  the  participating
    26  school  districts are no longer needed because of the establishment of a
    27  regional secondary school or the transfer of  students  to  an  existing
    28  regional  secondary  school  as  a  result of a new participating school
    29  district joining the regional secondary school, shall  become  employees
    30  of the board of cooperative educational services, and shall retain their
    31  tenure  and/or employment status and the seniority gained in the partic-
    32  ipating district. If the  number  of  teaching,  teaching  assistant  or
    33  teacher  aide  positions  needed  to  provide  the  educational services
    34  required by a regional secondary school  is  less  than  the  number  of
    35  teachers, teaching assistants or teacher aides eligible to be considered
    36  employees  of  the board of cooperative educational services pursuant to
    37  this subparagraph, the services of the teachers, teaching assistants  or
    38  teacher  aides  having  the  least seniority in the participating school
    39  districts within the tenure area or civil service status,  as  the  case
    40  may  be,  of  the position shall be discontinued. Any such employees who
    41  are teachers, teaching assistants, or teachers aides shall have all  the
    42  employment rights specified in section three thousand fourteen-a of this
    43  chapter.
    44    (viii)  upon  termination of the contract pursuant to this section and
    45  the return of students from the regional secondary school to the  former
    46  participating  school  district,  the  teachers, teaching assistants and
    47  teacher aides employed by the board of cooperative educational  services
    48  to  serve  shall  have the employment rights in the participating school
    49  districts as specified in section  three  thousand  fourteen-b  of  this
    50  chapter;
    51    (ix)  the  contract  shall  specify the process for development of the
    52  budget for the regional secondary school by  the  board  of  cooperative
    53  educational  services  consistent with subparagraph eight of paragraph b
    54  of subdivision four of section nineteen hundred fifty of this title  and
    55  how  operating  and  administrative costs and the local share of capital

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     1  expenses attributable to the regional secondary school will be allocated
     2  among the participating districts;
     3    (x)  the  contract  shall  specify the costs of the regional secondary
     4  school, staffing, current and future capital construction plans, and the
     5  delivery of special education programs;
     6    (xi) the contract shall specify the  cost  of  the  operation  of  the
     7  regional  secondary school for each participating school district and an
     8  itemized listing of the  cost  savings  for  each  participating  school
     9  district;
    10    (xii)  the  contract shall specify how extra-curricular activities and
    11  interscholastic athletics will be provided to students of  the  regional
    12  secondary school;
    13    (xiii)  the  contract  shall  specify the procedures for discipline of
    14  students attending the regional secondary school, including the applica-
    15  ble code of conduct  provided  that  such  code  of  conduct  meets  the
    16  requirements  of  section  twenty-eight  hundred  one  of this title and
    17  procedures for superintendents' hearings and appeals  to  the  board  of
    18  education  pursuant to section thirty-two hundred fourteen of this chap-
    19  ter;
    20    (xiv) the contract shall specify whether the employees of the regional
    21  secondary school shall establish new employee organizations, pursuant to
    22  article fourteen of the civil service law, for their representation, or,
    23  where applicable, whether they shall become members  of  the  applicable
    24  employee   organizations  representing  the  employees  of  the  hosting
    25  district;
    26    (xv) the  contract  shall  specify  the  fiscal  implications  of  the
    27  regional  secondary school, including the current and expected state aid
    28  and expected changes in expenditures and property tax levies; and
    29    (xvi) the contract shall set forth any other information  or  analysis
    30  as may be required by the regulations of the commissioner.
    31    6.  If  the  commissioner approves the proposed contract, the regional
    32  secondary school shall be established. The contract shall not be  for  a
    33  period  of not less than five nor more than seven school years and, with
    34  the approval of the commissioner, may be renewed by mutual agreement  of
    35  the  boards of education of the participating districts and the supervi-
    36  sory district of the board of cooperative  educational  services.    The
    37  regional  secondary  school  shall  commence  operations on the first of
    38  July, and shall not cease operations before the thirtieth of June in any
    39  school year.
    40    § 1922. State aid for regional secondary schools. 1. Students  attend-
    41  ing a regional secondary school shall be deemed enrolled in their school
    42  district  of  residence  and shall be included in the applicable member-
    43  ship, enrollment  and  attendance  counts  of  their  respective  school
    44  districts  of residence for purposes of computation of state aid to such
    45  school districts. The costs of educating  each  such  student  shall  be
    46  included  in  the  approved  operating  expense  of the student's school
    47  district of residence and except as otherwise provided in this  section,
    48  the state aid attributable to such student shall be computed in the same
    49  manner as aid attributable to other resident students and shall be paya-
    50  ble to the school district of residence.
    51    2.  Notwithstanding  any  other  provision of law to the contrary, the
    52  school district that owns  the  facility  used  to  house  the  regional
    53  secondary school shall be the only school district eligible for building
    54  aid  pursuant  to  the  applicable provisions of subdivision six, six-a,
    55  six-c, six-e or six-f of section thirty-six hundred two of this  chapter
    56  for  projects  involving the regional secondary school that are approved

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     1  by the qualified voters of such  district  after  establishment  of  the
     2  regional  secondary  school,  provided  that  such aid shall be computed
     3  using the building aid  ratio  applicable  to  projects  of  the  school
     4  district  that  owns  the  regional  secondary school facility under the
     5  provisions of paragraphs b and c of subdivision six of  section  thirty-
     6  six  hundred  two of this chapter. Such aid shall be paid to such school
     7  district or to the board of cooperative educational services  on  behalf
     8  of  such  school  district  where  the  board of cooperative educational
     9  services operates the regional secondary school. The school district  or
    10  board of cooperative educational services shall allocate the local share
    11  of  the  costs of such projects to the participating school districts in
    12  accordance with its contract entered into pursuant to  section  nineteen
    13  hundred twenty or nineteen hundred twenty-one of this article. The costs
    14  of  such  projects shall not be eligible for aid pursuant to subdivision
    15  six-b or paragraph c  of  subdivision  fourteen  of  section  thirty-six
    16  hundred two of this chapter.
    17    3.  Notwithstanding any provision of section nineteen hundred fifty or
    18  nineteen hundred fifty-one of this title to the contrary, in the case of
    19  a regional secondary school operated by a board  of  cooperative  educa-
    20  tional  services  that  is housed in a facility owned by a participating
    21  school district, the capital expenses for  building  projects  involving
    22  the  regional  secondary school shall be a charge upon the participating
    23  school districts only, and such costs shall not be  allocated  to  other
    24  component  school districts. Such capital expenses shall not be eligible
    25  for aid pursuant to subdivision five of section nineteen  hundred  fifty
    26  of  this title. Provided, however, that costs of aidable shared services
    27  provided by the board of cooperative educational services to  supplement
    28  the  programs of the regional secondary school shall be eligible for aid
    29  pursuant to such subdivision five of section nineteen hundred fifty, the
    30  administrative expenses attributable to the  regional  secondary  school
    31  and  the  capital  expenses  attributable to a regional secondary school
    32  housed in a facility owned  by  the  board  of  cooperative  educational
    33  services  shall be allocated to component school districts in accordance
    34  with section nineteen hundred fifty or  nineteen  hundred  fifty-one  of
    35  this  title  and  shall be eligible for aid pursuant to such subdivision
    36  five of section nineteen hundred fifty.
    37    4. The board of education of each school district participating  in  a
    38  regional secondary school pursuant to this article shall be eligible for
    39  additional  state  aid pursuant to subdivision fourteen of section thir-
    40  ty-six hundred two of this chapter in the same manner and  to  the  same
    41  extent  as  a  school  district which qualifies for such aid pursuant to
    42  paragraph j of subdivision fourteen of section thirty-six hundred two of
    43  this chapter; provided further that such district shall be  eligible  to
    44  receive an additional apportionment equal to twenty-five percent of such
    45  apportionment computed pursuant to subdivision fourteen of section thir-
    46  ty-six  hundred  two  of  this chapter upon meeting academic achievement
    47  goals as established by the commissioner in accordance with a  methodol-
    48  ogy  prescribed in the regulations of the commissioner. In no case shall
    49  the sum of such apportionments under this paragraph  plus  the  selected
    50  operating  aid  per pupil be more than a total of ninety-five per centum
    51  of the year prior to the base year approved operating expense.
    52    § 1923. Regional secondary school advisory committee. 1. Each regional
    53  secondary school established and operated pursuant to this article shall
    54  establish  an  advisory  committee.  The  advisory  committee  shall  be
    55  composed  of the president of the board of education of each participat-
    56  ing school district, the president of the board  of  education  of  each

        S. 4823--A                         11                         A. 6338--A
     1  supervisory board of cooperative educational services, where applicable,
     2  and  the  superintendent  of  each participating school district and the
     3  superintendent of the supervisory district in which the regional second-
     4  ary  school  is  located. The superintendent of the supervisory district
     5  shall be the chair of the advisory committee.
     6    2. The advisory committee shall convene, at the call of the chair, not
     7  less than four times during each school year during which  the  regional
     8  secondary  school operates. During such meetings, the advisory committee
     9  shall review the operation of the regional  secondary  school  and  make
    10  recommendations  to  the  hosting  district  or the supervisory board of
    11  cooperative educational services, as the case may be, on  the  continued
    12  operation of such secondary school.
    13    §  1924.  Applicability.  The provisions of this article shall only be
    14  applicable in counties with a population of  one  million  four  hundred
    15  thousand  inhabitants  or  more  according to the 2010 decennial census,
    16  excluding counties located within  a  city  with  a  population  of  one
    17  million inhabitants or more.
    18    §  3. Subdivision 4 of section 1950 of the education law is amended by
    19  adding a new paragraph oo to read as follows:
    20    oo. Pursuant to article thirty-nine-A of this title, a board of  coop-
    21  erative  educational  services  may  enter into an agreement with two or
    22  more school districts eligible to enter such an agreement in  accordance
    23  with  section  nineteen  hundred  twenty-one  of  this  title, which may
    24  include central school districts, central high school  districts,  union
    25  free  school  districts, and/or common school districts which are wholly
    26  contained within the supervisory district of the  board  of  cooperative
    27  educational services, to form a regional secondary school to be operated
    28  by  the board of cooperative educational services.  The board of cooper-
    29  ative educational services shall have the same powers  and  duties  with
    30  respect to such regional secondary school as the board of education of a
    31  union  free  school  district has with resect to its schools, consistent
    32  with the terms of its agreement with the participating school districts.
    33    § 4. Paragraph h of subdivision 4 of section 1950 of the education law
    34  is amended by adding three new subparagraphs 12, 13 and 14  to  read  as
    35  follows:
    36    (12)  To  enter into contracts as necessary or convenient to operate a
    37  regional secondary school as established pursuant to the  provisions  of
    38  section nineteen hundred twenty-one of this title.
    39    (13)  To  develop  core  curriculum  for students attending a regional
    40  secondary school established pursuant to the provisions of section nine-
    41  teen hundred twenty-one of this title.
    42    (14) To issue regents and other high school diplomas to  students  who
    43  graduate  from  a  regional secondary school established pursuant to the
    44  provisions of section nineteen hundred twenty-one of this  title,  under
    45  the same conditions as a school district.
    46    § 5. Paragraph b of subdivision 4 of section 1950 of the education law
    47  is amended by adding a new subparagraph 8 to read as follows:
    48    (8)  For  regional  secondary  schools established pursuant to section
    49  nineteen hundred twenty-one of this  title,  the  board  of  cooperative
    50  educational  services  shall  prepare  and propose a tentative budget of
    51  expenditures for program, administrative and capital  costs  to  operate
    52  the  regional secondary school in the ensuing school year. Such proposed
    53  budget shall be provided to the board of education of each participating
    54  school district of the regional secondary school, by the  date  provided
    55  in  the agreement entered into pursuant to such section nineteen hundred
    56  twenty-one. The board of education of each participating school district

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     1  shall be afforded an opportunity to review and comment on  the  proposed
     2  budget  prior  to  its final adoption by the board of cooperative educa-
     3  tional services.
     4    §  6.  This act shall take  effect July 1, 2018, provided that if this
     5  act becomes a law after such date, it shall take effect immediately  and
     6  be  deemed  to  have  been in full force and effect on and after July 1,
     7  2018.
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