S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  6107

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             August 3, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. HUNTLEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a  parent
  and student training center within the City University of New York

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 2590-v
to read as follows:
  S 2590-V PARENT TRAINING. 1. THE CITY UNIVERSITY  OF  NEW  YORK  SHALL
OPERATE A PARENT AND STUDENT TRAINING CENTER, KNOWN AS THE PARENT TRAIN-
ING CENTER ("CENTER") FOR THE SUPPORT AND TRAINING OF PARENTS OR PERSONS
IN PARENTAL RELATION TO A STUDENT OR STUDENTS ATTENDING PUBLIC SCHOOL IN
THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK.  SUCH TRAINING SHALL OCCUR IN EACH OF THE FIVE
BOROUGHS. THE CENTER SHALL DESIGN  AND  IMPLEMENT  PROGRAMS  FOR  PARENT
ENGAGEMENT  WITHIN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, COORDINATING,
WHERE APPROPRIATE, WITH THE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT  OF  THE  CITY  OF  NEW
YORK. THE CENTER SHALL:
  (A)  CONDUCT  TRAINING  AND  SUPPORT  PROGRAMS FOR PARENTS IN ORDER TO
INCREASE THEIR  CAPACITY  TO  PARTICIPATE  IN  AND  ENGAGE  WITH  LOCAL,
DISTRICT,  AND  CITY-WIDE SCHOOL GOVERNANCE AND PARTICIPATORY STRUCTURES
DESIGNED TO SUPPORT AND INCLUDE PARENTAL AND STUDENT INPUT INCLUDING BUT
NOT LIMITED TO SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TEAMS,  COMMUNITY  EDUCATION  COUNCILS,
DISTRICT  LEADERSHIP  TEAMS, PARENT ASSOCIATIONS, CITY-WIDE COUNCILS AND
OTHER EXISTING FORMAL GOVERNANCE AND PARTICIPATORY  STRUCTURES  DESIGNED
TO SUPPORT AND INCLUDE PARENTAL AND STUDENT INPUT;
  (B)  CONDUCT  OUTREACH  AND  RECRUITMENT  TO INCREASE DIVERSITY IN THE
ABOVE LISTED GOVERNANCE AND PARTICIPATORY STRUCTURES TO  BETTER  REFLECT
THE  DIVERSE  COMPOSITION OF THE REPRESENTED COMMUNITY, WITH AN EMPHASIS
ON PROVIDING RESOURCES AND TRAINING IN COMMUNITY DISTRICTS WHERE  GRADU-
ATION  AND RETENTION RATES ARE IN THE LOWER HALF OF THE CITY-WIDE GRADU-
ATION AND RETENTION RATES;

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD14610-01-9
              

S. 6107                             2

  (C)  IMPLEMENT  PROGRAMS  TO  ENHANCE  PARENTS'  ABILITY  TO   SUPPORT
STUDENTS'  EDUCATIONAL  SUCCESS,  INCLUDING  SUPPORT FOR PARENTS TO HELP
THEM COMMUNICATE WITH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND  TEACHERS,  TRACK  THEIR
CHILD'S PERFORMANCE, AND FOSTER AN ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING AT HOME;
  (D)  ASSIST  PARENTS  AND  STUDENTS  IN  INTERACTING  WITH CITY SCHOOL
DISTRICT PERSONNEL AND IN DEVELOPING AN UNDERSTANDING OF  THE  FUNCTION,
STRUCTURE  AND  OPERATIONS  OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF EDUCA-
TION, INCLUDING PROVIDING BASIC INFORMATION CONCERNING SPECIAL EDUCATION
PROGRAMS,  GIFTED  AND  TALENTED  PROGRAMS,  ENGLISH  LANGUAGE   LEARNER
PROGRAMS,  SCHOOL  IMPROVEMENT  STRATEGIES,  SCHOOL  BUDGET,  ENROLLMENT
PROCEDURES, AND STATE AND  CITY  STRUCTURES  AND  POLICIES  THAT  IMPACT
EDUCATION, AND THE EFFECT OF SUCH STRATEGIES, PROCEDURES, STRUCTURES AND
POLICIES ON THE EDUCATION BEING PROVIDED BY THE STUDENT'S SCHOOL;
  (E) ENCOURAGE STUDENT BASED COLLEGE COUNSELING INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO
INCREASE  THE  RATE  OF  COLLEGE ENROLLMENT AND TRAIN STUDENTS TO BECOME
YOUTH LEADERS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO STUDENT SUCCESS CENTERS.
  2. PRIORITY IN DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMS SHALL BE  GIVEN  TO
SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS IN WHICH THERE IS LOW OVERALL ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
BY  STUDENTS  OR  WHICH HAVE A HIGH DENSITY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING
STUDENTS OR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES. SCHOOLS WITH INEFFECTIVE PARENT ASSOCI-
ATIONS OR WITHOUT PARENT ASSOCIATIONS SHALL RECEIVE TARGET SUPPORT.
  3. UPON REQUEST BY THE CENTER, THE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL  PROVIDE
THE  CENTER WITH NAMES AND CONTACT INFORMATION OF THE OFFICERS OF PARENT
ASSOCIATIONS,  MEMBERS  OF  COUNCILS  OF  PRESIDENTS,  MEMBERS  OF   THE
CHANCELLOR'S  PARENT  ADVISORY  COUNCIL,  MEMBERS OF COMMUNITY EDUCATION
COUNCILS, MEMBERS OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TEAMS, MEMBERS OF DISTRICT  LEAD-
ERSHIP  TEAMS,  AND  MEMBERS  OF  THE  CITY-WIDE COUNCILS, PROVIDED THIS
INFORMATION IS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.
  4. THE CENTER SHALL BE STRICTLY  NON-PARTISAN,  SHALL  NOT  ENGAGE  IN
ISSUES  OF  ADVOCACY, AND SHALL REMAIN NEUTRAL IN ALL POLICY MATTERS AND
DISPUTES.
  5. THE CITY OF NEW YORK SHALL PROVIDE ANNUAL FUNDING TO THE CENTER  IN
AN  AMOUNT  EQUAL TO THAT PROVIDED IN AN APPROPRIATION BY THE STATE, BUT
NOT TO EXCEED EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.