S 9101 establishes a grant program to support the mental health and wellness of teachers and school staff in public schools. It creates a dedicated fund (not using state general funds) to provide two types of grants: planning grants (one-year) for developing programs and operational grants (two-year) for implementing programs that cover counseling, stress management training, and professional development. School districts must apply for grants, with applications evaluated based on staff turnover rates, employee satisfaction, and student success metrics like absenteeism and graduation rates. The program requires annual legislative reporting on outcomes and includes an advisory committee of mental health experts and educators.
Specifies that teachers, teacher aides, and teacher assistants that work with children with a disability, and who are employed by schools commonly referred to as 4410 schools and 853 schools, shall be included in the excessive teacher turnover prevention program.
Implements requirements and guidelines to reduce chronic absenteeism including attendance reporting, attendance review teams, tiered strategies, early warning systems, and attendance policies.
Authorizes SUNY and CUNY to provide emergency aid grants to certain students; provides that the state shall reimburse half of all such grants provided; requires the higher education services corporation to provide an annual report on such programs.
Increases the amount of credit to be certified under the federal public service loan forgiveness program for faculty or teachers to five hours worked for each hour of lecture or classroom time.
Requires school buses to have windows made from bulletproof or ballistic glass; requires the commissioner of motor vehicles and the commissioner of transportation to establish minimum standards and requirements for bulletproof or ballistic glass used.
Increases the amount of credit to be certified under the federal public service loan forgiveness program for faculty or teachers to five hours worked for each hour of lecture or classroom time.
Establishes a pilot program for schools with active aging programs or specializations in place; creates a curriculum team that shall identify areas that are most relevant to persons working with older adults currently, and/or represent emerging and evidenced-based practices and create a suggested syllabus template for an advanced-year practice class in the field of aging; creates the workforce development center for professional development in gerontological/geriatric education.
Prohibits vaping in educational institutions; requires educational institutions to educate communities about health risks associated with vaping and post no-vaping signage on educational institution premises.
Directs the commissioner of education, in consultation with the board of regents, to establish and develop a curriculum on healthy relationship building skills; provides that such curriculum shall be by grades and focus on different issues and understandings of healthy relationships.
