This bill mandates that public schools in New York incorporate eating disorder prevention into their health education curricula for students in grades six through twelve. The instruction must be tailored to the age and abilities of each grade level, aiming to help students develop a healthy self-image and live healthy lives. Schools are directed to design these lessons in consultation with existing eating disorder care centers, ensuring the content is integrated into existing nutrition programs. The changes take effect on September 1st of the year following the bill's enactment.
This bill, known as the Nutrition Education Act, mandates that public schools in grades K-12 teach students about nutrition, physical activity, and preventive health. The law requires instruction to cover topics such as how diet affects the body, the risks associated with ultra-processed foods, and skills like reading food labels and planning meals. To ensure accuracy, the curriculum must be based on scientific evidence from peer-reviewed research and expert consensus. The Department of Health is authorized to create specific definitions for terms like "ultra-processed foods" to guide how these lessons are taught. The changes will take effect on July 1st of the year following the bill's passage.
This bill amends the Education Law to allow students to be absent from school specifically for reasons related to their mental or behavioral health. It requires the state education commissioner to create specific rules outlining how schools should handle these absences and ensures that private or home-based schooling arrangements also permit such time off. The legislation applies to all minors required to attend school, giving them a recognized reason to miss class without violating attendance mandates.
This bill requires school boards to create written policies for managing their school library collections. The new rules mandate that these policies outline clear steps for selecting, buying, reviewing, and removing library materials while considering educational goals and community needs. Additionally, the bill ensures that certified librarians play a key role in these decisions and requires districts to share their policies online and use models provided by state library systems.
This bill asks the Governor of New York to officially recognize May 6, 2026, as School Nurse Day. The measure does not change any laws or alter how school nurses work; instead, it serves to honor their contributions to student health and education. By adopting this resolution, the legislature intends to raise awareness about the important role nurses play in schools and to thank them for their service. The primary effect is a ceremonial proclamation that highlights the value of school nursing to the public and the community.
Enacts the student suicide prevention act; requires the governing board or body of every local educational agency serving students in grades seven to twelve, to adopt policies, procedures and guidelines on student suicide prevention, intervention and postvention for students in such grades.
Requires the department of education, in consultation with the department of health, to develop informational materials on type 1 diabetes; requires such materials to be made available to schools providing elementary education through the department's website; requires schools to distribute such materials to parents and guardians of elementary school students and new students.
This bill asks the Governor of New York to officially recognize May 11, 2026, as School Nurse Day. It directly affects school nurses across the state by creating an official date to honor their work. The resolution does not change laws or funding but serves as a formal acknowledgment of the importance of school nurses in student health and education. A copy of the resolution will be sent to Governor Kathy Hochul for her signature and proclamation.
This bill, known as the New York City School-Based Food Pantry Act, authorizes the establishment of food pantries within high-need schools in New York City to help address student hunger and food insecurity. The program would operate on school premises during designated times, such as before or after school, providing free nutritious food to enrolled students and their families without interfering with instructional time. To ensure successful implementation, the bill mandates partnerships with local food organizations for training and supply coordination, while requiring strict guidelines to protect student dignity, maintain food safety, and prioritize volunteer-led operations. The Chancellor of the Department of Education would be responsible for prioritizing schools with the highest levels of economic need and submitting annual reports on the program's progress to state and city officials.
This bill requires public schools to provide plant-based food options as an alternative to every meal or snack upon request by a student or their parent. The plant-based option must be offered at no additional cost and must meet USDA standards for meat alternatives, while the school must also include this availability in all food-related written materials. Schools must respond to requests in a reasonable manner, and the requirement applies to all students regardless of whether they have requested the option, though requesting students may still choose non-plant-based meals. The law takes effect immediately but applies to school food service starting one year after enactment.
