S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K ________________________________________________________________________ 9193 I N A S S E M B L Y March 27, 2014 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. SIMANOWITZ -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to admission into insti- tutions of higher education for pupils receiving home instruction 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 312-a 2 to read as follows: 3 S 312-A. FAIR PRACTICES FOR HOME SCHOOL APPLICANTS. 1. THE COMMISSION- 4 ER SHALL NOT REQUIRE A PUPIL WHO HAS COMPLETED THE REQUIREMENTS OF A 5 HOME INSTRUCTION EDUCATION OR A NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL PROGRAM, AND WHO HAS 6 SUBMITTED TEST SCORES AND OTHER ADMISSIONS MATERIAL USED BY POST-SECON- 7 DARY INSTITUTIONS THAT QUALIFY THE PUPIL FOR ADMISSION TO AN INSTITUTION 8 OF HIGHER EDUCATION, TO OBTAIN OR SUBMIT PROOF OF HAVING OBTAINED A 9 GENERAL EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATE OR ANY ACCREDITED DIPLOMA. 10 2. A PUPIL WHO HAS COMPLETED THE REQUIREMENTS OF A HOME INSTRUCTION 11 EDUCATION OR NON-PUBLIC PROGRAM SHALL BE REQUIRED TO PRESENT A NOTARIZED 12 TRANSCRIPT, WHICH DEMONSTRATES COMPLETION OF A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION IN 13 A HOME INSTRUCTION OR NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL SETTING, FOR ADMISSION TO AN 14 INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND SUCH TRANSCRIPT SHALL BE ACCEPTED 15 AND THE PUPIL ADMITTED ON AN EQUAL BASIS WITH ALL OTHER APPLICANTS, 16 REGARDLESS OF EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND. 17 3. THE HOME INSTRUCTION OR NON-PUBLIC PROGRAM GRADUATE SHALL BE ELIGI- 18 BLE TO RECEIVE THEIR EARNED POST-SECONDARY DEGREE OR DIPLOMA WHEN THEY 19 HAVE FULFILLED THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE POST-SECONDARY DEGREE OR PROGRAM 20 REQUIREMENTS AND SUCH DEGREE CANNOT BE WITHHELD. 21 4. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION "INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION" 22 SHALL MEAN ANY INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION RECOGNIZED AND APPROVED 23 BY THE REGENTS OR THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WHICH PROVIDES 24 A COURSE OF STUDY LEADING TO THE GRANTING OF A POST-SECONDARY DEGREE OR 25 DIPLOMA. 26 S 2. This act shall take effect on the first of September next 27 succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law and shall apply 28 to undergraduate admissions to an institution of higher education for a 29 term or semester that begins on or after such date. EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD07206-01-3