This bill requests that Governor Kathy Hochul issue a proclamation designating September 2026 as Early Intervention Awareness Month in New York. It seeks to highlight the availability of services for infants and toddlers under age three who have developmental delays or disabilities. The resolution does not alter existing laws or funding but directs the Governor to acknowledge the importance of these early childhood support programs.
This bill creates a new state program that allows New York residents to set up accounts to pay for college expenses for themselves or family members. The program lets people contribute money to help cover tuition, room and board, books, and other qualified education costs for a designated beneficiary. Funds in the accounts grow without state or federal taxes, and withdrawals used for qualified education expenses are also tax-free. The bill defines who can contribute, what expenses qualify, and includes rules about how contributions and distributions are taxed. It also requires that contributions be made in cash and allows account holders to direct investments up to two times per year.
Permits the establishment of reserve funds for unanticipated costs relating to special education, provided that the amount in such fund shall not exceed four percent of the district's current school year budget.
Requires any public school located in a city with a population of one million or more to offer a remote learning option to all primary and secondary students when such public school is located in a county determined by the federal centers for disease control and prevention to have a substantial or high level of community transmission of any illness deemed by the federal centers for disease control and prevention to be an outbreak.
This bill asks Governor Kathy Hochul to officially recognize March 1-7, 2026, as School Social Work Week in New York State. The resolution highlights the important work school social workers do in supporting students facing challenges like mental health issues, poverty, and family stress. It encourages schools and communities to hold events that raise awareness about these professionals' roles in helping students succeed academically and emotionally. The bill is a ceremonial measure that does not change laws or funding, but instead honors the contributions of school social workers.
Creates the New York state school resource officer program for school districts outside of New York City; requires retired police officers be certified by the department of education to become school resource officers; allows retired police officers employed as school resource officers to carry a firearm on school grounds given an appropriate license; relates to the earnings limitations for retired police officers employed as a school resource officer.
This bill allows Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) to lease properties for up to 20 years, extending the previous 10-year limit. It requires BOCES boards to document that longer leases serve their financial interests, ensure rental rates match fair market value, and disclose any conflicts of interest to state officials. The legislation also permits renewal of these extended leases for up to 10 additional years with commissioner approval, while maintaining the ability to cancel agreements if enrollment or facility needs change significantly. Local governments and school districts are similarly authorized to lease properties to BOCES for up to 20 years without needing a public vote, provided the lease meets the new requirements.
Prohibits the location of homeless shelters within five hundred feet of a school, place of worship or transit facility; provides an exception for a shelter program or food program operated by a place of worship.
This bill modifies state education law to improve notification and public hearing requirements for charter schools, particularly when a charter school is relocated to a new district. It requires charter entities to notify local school districts and nearby schools at key stages of the chartering process, including within 30 days of receiving an application and 45 days before approval. When a charter school moves to a different school district or community education council district in larger cities, the new district must also hold a public hearing to gather community input. The bill ensures school districts have a formal opportunity to comment on proposed charters before they are issued, revised, or renewed. These changes take effect 90 days after the law is enacted.
This bill requires schools to immediately notify a child's parents when an allegation of child abuse is made against that child in an educational setting. The law mandates that administrators provide parents with a written statement explaining their rights and the procedures involved, while also ensuring reports are forwarded to law enforcement without delay. This applies whether the allegation comes from the child themselves or from another person, and it prevents delays in reporting to authorities even if a superintendent cannot be contacted. The bill amends existing education law provisions to make these notification requirements explicit and enforceable.
