Education (K-12 Education)

passed · New York · Senate Jun 4, 2026

S 4037: Relates to the compulsory age for full time instruction from six to five years of age and certain exceptions for minor children

This bill lowers the compulsory school age from six to five years old for full-time instruction in New York State. It requires children who turn five on or before December 1st to start school in September of that year, while those turning five after December 1st can begin the following September. Parents may choose to delay kindergarten enrollment until the next September, and the bill maintains exceptions for high school completers and full-time workers. The change affects all school districts and parents of five-year-old children.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationLowers compulsory school age to five, expanding early education access for K-12 students by requiring earlier enrollment for most five-year-olds.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood K-12 Education

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 8162: Relates to establishing a commission for the educational advancement of multilingual learners in New York

Relates to establishing a commission for the educational advancement of multilingual learners in New York; provides such commission shall report on the best practices and legislative recommendations to close the achievement gap and high school graduation rates between multilingual learners and their English proficient peers from prekindergarten through twelfth grade.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates commission to close achievement gap for multilingual learners, improve graduation rates, and advance educational outcomes through legislative recommendations.90% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 7496: Establishes the healthy and safe students act

Establishes the healthy and safe students act; requires comprehensive sexuality instruction for students in grades K-12 which includes a model curricula for comprehensive sexuality education and at a minimum conforms to the content and scope of national sexuality education standards.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates comprehensive sexuality education curriculum for K-12 aligned with national standards, directly advancing educational curriculum content and standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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in committee · New York · Assembly May 12, 2026

A 6939: Provides for daily recess for elementary students

Requires each school district to ensure that every public school in which school days exceed five hours in duration provides up to thirty minutes of daily recess within the school day for all students in kindergarten through fifth grade and for students in sixth grade who attend an elementary school.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates daily recess for K-5, enhancing student programs and well-being in schools per bill's explicit requirement.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Student Health

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 4930: Relates to the creation of an adult high school workforce development demonstration project

Creates an adult high school workforce development demonstration project in Rochester; defines "adult high school workforce development demonstration project" or "program" to mean a private or independent high school registered by the department which provides adult learners with an appropriate academic environment, career credentialing programs and access to wraparound services provided by the operator or any entity partnered which such operator to address barriers to enable adult learners to pursue and obtain, subject to satisfactory completion of the requirements set forth within this article, a high school diploma.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates new adult high school workforce program expanding educational access and career credentials for non-traditional learners, directly advancing educational access and workforce development.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates workforce development program with career credentialing to address employment barriers for adult learners, advancing workforce readiness and job access.90% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Workforce Development

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in committee · New York · Senate May 19, 2026

S 1495: Relates to school aid for transportation of children attending a universal pre-kindergarten program; repealer

This bill allows school districts to provide additional bus transportation for students in universal pre-K programs beyond what's already funded. Districts may offer this extra transportation equally to all pre-K children in similar circumstances within their boundaries, with the district covering the costs. Crucially, this transportation will not count toward state funding calculations for those students, meaning districts bear the full expense without receiving state aid for it. The policy applies starting with the 2027-2028 school year.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill enables expanded transportation access for universal pre-K students, directly enhancing educational access without state funding obligations for districts.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood K-12 Education School Transportation

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 2142: Relates to a sales tax exemption for certain fundraising organized by school-based volunteer organizations

This bill (S 2142) exempts from sales tax items sold for under $2 by school-based volunteer groups, such as parent-teacher associations, student organizations, or booster clubs. It directly affects these groups when they organize fundraising events to support K-12 educational or extracurricular activities, provided no third-party vendor collects the tax. The exemption applies only to low-cost items sold directly by the school groups themselves. The law aims to reduce administrative burdens and increase revenue for school activities by eliminating tax on small-scale fundraisers.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts school volunteer groups from sales tax on low-cost items, reducing tax burden and administrative costs for educational fundraising activities.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExempts low-cost school fundraising from sales tax, reducing costs for PTA/booster clubs supporting K-12 activities. Directly aids school funding mechanisms for educational programs.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax Tax Incentives K-12 Education Teachers

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 3696: Relates to the establishment of the New York state promise program; appropriation

S 3696 establishes the New York State Promise Program, providing tuition waivers for eligible students enrolled in New York community colleges. To qualify, students must be New York residents for at least one year, have completed high school or earned a GED in New York within six months of enrollment, maintain a 2.5 GPA, file the FAFSA, and not exceed 90 college credits. The waiver covers tuition costs (after deducting $50 and other aid) up to the actual tuition or $1,000, whichever is greater, but not exceeding average community college tuition. The state appropriates $450 million for the program, with annual grant spending capped at $10 million. The program requires annual reports on student completion rates, financial impacts, and program effectiveness.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesFunds tuition waivers via state appropriation, increasing public education spending as a core budget allocation per bill's 'appropriation' language.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes tuition waivers for NY community college students, expanding access and reducing costs, directly advancing higher education funding and access through state appropriation.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 1346: Relates to imposing a school impact tax on developers of non-senior housing developments

Relates to imposing a school impact tax on developers of non-senior housing developments to be used for the construction of new public kindergarten through twelfth grade schools.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesImposes developer tax to fund new public schools, directly increasing tax revenue for education infrastructure spending.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill imposes tax on developers to fund new K-12 school construction, directly increasing school infrastructure funding per summary.95% confidence ✗ HousingOpposes HousingBill imposes tax on non-senior housing developers to fund schools, increasing development costs and limiting housing development as per classification indicators.80% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 5523: Relates to the creation of a pre-specialized high schools admissions test and preparation program

This bill creates a free, mandatory test preparation program for all sixth-grade students in New York City public schools, culminating in a pre-specialized high schools admissions test administered in spring. Parents may opt their child out of the program. After completing the program, students receive a "gap analysis" identifying learning needs, which schools must use to tailor instruction - including potential enrollment in specialized high school test prep. The program must be offered during regular school hours at no cost to families.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates free, mandatory test prep program with gap analysis to identify learning needs and tailor instruction, directly enhancing educational access and preparation for specialized high schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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