Education (K-12 Education)

in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 6508: Requires a course of study in the awareness and prevention of human trafficking

This bill requires all public school students in New York State from kindergarten through 12th grade to receive age-appropriate instruction about recognizing and preventing human trafficking. The curriculum must be developed by the education commissioner with input from criminal justice services, covering signs of trafficking and prevention strategies for students, parents, and school staff. Schools must provide this education as part of their regular coursework, with model materials available online from the state department. The law takes effect July 1 following its enactment, mandating concrete policy changes in public school curricula.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates age-appropriate human trafficking education in all K-12 public schools, enhancing student awareness programs and curriculum requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 5243: Establishes the high school peer mentoring pilot program

This bill establishes a statewide high school peer mentoring pilot program for all public high schools, directly affecting students, mentors, and school staff. It requires schools to review existing programs, develop recruitment plans, create training materials, and implement a structured mentoring framework before the 2026-2027 school year. Key provisions include mandatory staff training on mentor-like practices, evidence-based mentor screening, ongoing skill-building for mentors (like active listening and boundary-setting), and relationship mapping to ensure every student connects with a supportive adult. The program must be evaluated after its first year, with results reported to state officials by August 2027, and the pilot expires January 1, 2028.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates structured peer mentoring programs in public high schools, requiring training and framework development to enhance student support and staff practices, directly advancing educational programming.90% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 1857: Requires the public school curriculum for children in kindergarten through grade twelve to include a minimum of two hours per week instruction in civics lessons

Requires the public school curriculum for children in kindergarten through grade twelve to include a minimum of two hours per week instruction in civics lessons.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates civics curriculum requirement, enhancing student civic education and aligning with curriculum standards under education policy.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 6392: Provides an annual scholarship of $1000 for students with a minimum 3.0 high school GPA who attend a New York state public postsecondary institution

Provides an annual scholarship of $1,000 for students with a minimum 3.0 high school GPA who attend a New York state public postsecondary institution.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesFunds education scholarship program via state budget allocation, aligning with supporting public service funding under Budget & Taxes.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides $1000 annual scholarship for eligible students, directly funding higher education access and reducing financial barriers for public postsecondary education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 4923: Requires instruction on conflict resolution for elementary, middle, and high school students

Requires age-appropriate instruction on conflict resolution for elementary, middle, and high school students; requires the commissioner to develop curricula for schools in the state for such instruction; directs the commissioner to develop resource materials to facilitate such instruction.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates age-appropriate conflict resolution curriculum, strengthening student program standards in K-12 education.90% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Safety

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 5400: Requires the department of education create an online database of seats available for non-public and public institutions who offer college opportunity programs

Requires the department of education create an online database of seats available for non-public and public institutions who offer college opportunity programs and provide such information to authorized high school counselors.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates database to improve college program access for students via counselors, aligning with expanding educational access indicators85% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 3906: Relates to making certain provisions applicable to public schools relating to instruction in civility, citizenship and character education

This bill requires New York public schools (K-12) to incorporate instruction in civility, citizenship, and character education into their existing curricula. It mandates teaching specific principles including honesty, tolerance, respect, personal responsibility, and anti-bullying measures, with explicit emphasis on addressing harassment and discrimination based on race, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and other protected characteristics. The instruction must also cover safe and responsible internet use. The bill directs school regents to design how this component integrates into current courses, with the education commissioner handling regulatory details.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates K-12 inclusion of civility/citizenship curriculum with anti-discrimination focus, enhancing student development and school climate per bill requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Safety

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 1474: Requires instruction in agriculture

S 1474 requires all public elementary, middle, and high schools (state-controlled or state-funded) to include agriculture instruction starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The bill mandates teaching topics like food origins, farm-to-market processes, sustainability, resource conservation, rural culture, and agricultural careers. This instruction must be approved by both the Education and Agriculture departments and can integrate with science, math, history, or business courses.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates new agriculture curriculum integration across subjects, enhancing educational scope and aligning with K-12 curriculum policies per topic description.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Curriculum K-12 Education Tags Agriculture

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 1624: Relates to creating a set of media literacy standards for students in grades kindergarten through twelve

Creates a set of media literacy standards for students in grades kindergarten through twelve which focuses on internet safety, civility and digital citizenship.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates media literacy standards for K-12, enhancing curriculum and digital citizenship education as part of educational standards.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill establishes media literacy standards focusing on internet safety and digital citizenship, aligning with digital citizenship promotion in technology policy.85% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Online Safety

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 604: Relates to instruction in food, agriculture and nutrition in elementary and high school

Relates to instruction in food, agriculture and nutrition in elementary and high school; contents may be varied to meet the needs of particular school districts; need not be uniform throughout the state; school districts shall utilize either the curriculum for health education instruction regarding food, agriculture and nutrition prescribed by the commissioner or a course approved by the commissioner in accordance with criteria established by the commissioner.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates inclusion of food/agriculture/nutrition curriculum in K-12 schools, expanding subject coverage per commissioner standards without restricting flexibility.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education Student Health

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