Bill Text: NY S03950 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Requires instruction in civic education for grades 5 through 12 including instruction on the NYS constitution; federal, state and local government; civic literacy; methods of public participation; and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - REFERRED TO EDUCATION [S03950 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-S03950-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          3950
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
                    IN SENATE
                                    February 21, 2019
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  Sen.  MONTGOMERY  -- read twice and ordered printed, and
          when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
        AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to require  civic  educa-
          tion courses for grades five through twelve
          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. Instruction in  civic  education.  1.  The  commissioner  shall
     4  establish a curriculum for instruction in civic education in all schools
     5  providing  instruction  to students in grades five through twelve. Local
     6  boards of education and the chancellor of the board of education of  the
     7  city of New York may adopt their own curriculum upon the approval of the
     8  commissioner.
     9    2.  Such  instruction  shall  include,  but  shall  not be limited to,
    10  instruction on the New York state constitution; federal, state and local
    11  government; civic literacy; methods of  public  participation;  and  the
    12  rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Such curriculum shall have a
    13  simulation  based  approach,  including but not limited to, mock trials;
    14  moot court; opportunities to identify  and  debate  issues  relative  to
    15  power,  economic  status and the common good in democracy, advocacy, and
    16  community organizing; simulation based legislative hearings;  and  other
    17  role playing exercises that engage students in the democratic process.
    18    3.  The  boards  of  education  and trustees of the several cities and
    19  school districts of the state shall require instruction to be  given  in
    20  such course, by the teachers employed in the school therein.
    21    4.  The  commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations outlining
    22  the training of teachers providing such civic education instruction  and
    23  materials to be provided for such instruction. The board of education or
    24  trustees of every school district shall provide appropriate training and
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD08459-01-9
        S. 3950                             2
     1  curriculum materials, as promulgated by the commissioner, to such teach-
     2  ers.
     3    § 2. This act shall take effect two years after it shall have become a
     4  law,  provided,  however, that effective immediately the commissioner of
     5  education is authorized to adopt any rules or regulations  necessary  to
     6  implement the provisions of this act on such effective date.