BILL NUMBER:  S5968A

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to direct the commissioner of education to distribute certain
federal funds

 PURPOSE :

To ensure that federal funds, for the education of unaccompanied
minors, received by the New York State Education Department are
proportionately distributed to school districts on an equitable basis.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section one directs the Education Commissioner to distribute federal
funding designed to offset costs to districts in the education of
unaccompanied minors on a proportional basis.

Section two is the effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :

New York has a constitutional obligation to provide all children with
access to a free and appropriate education, regardless of their
immigration status or any other factors. As such, due to turmoil and
              

social upheaval in Central and South America many states received a
massive and abrupt influx of unaccompanied minors and other immigrant
youth that required basic services such as education. These children
were accepted into local school districts, but due to the suddenness
of their arrival schools were not able to properly budget for their
arrival and the increases in the demand for services associated with
properly educating English Language Learners.

In December 2014, Congress approved an appropriation of $14 million
that would be distributed to local educational agencies that have
received significant increases in the number of immigrant children and
youth. In New York, Long Island and Westchester were the two regions
that saw the sharpest increase in unaccompanied minors.  In order to
ensure that these immigrant students receive the education that they
are constitutionally entitled to and deserve there must be a proper
and timely allocation of funds by the State Education Department.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New bill

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None to state.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
Immediately.