S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  8612

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            December 16, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of A. ZEBROWSKI, JAFFEE -- read once and referred to
  the Committee on Education

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to  required  instruction
  in non-public schools

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

  Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 3204  of  the  education  law,  as
amended  by  chapter  827  of  the  laws  of 1982, is amended to read as
follows:
  2. Quality and language of instruction; text-books. Instruction may be
given only by a competent teacher. In the teaching of  the  subjects  of
instruction prescribed by this section, English shall be the language of
instruction,  and  text-books  used  shall be written in English, except
that for a period of three years, which period may be  extended  by  the
commissioner  with respect to individual pupils, upon application there-
for by the appropriate school authorities, to a period not in excess  of
six  years, from the date of enrollment in school, pupils who, by reason
of foreign birth or ancestry have limited English proficiency, shall  be
provided  with  instructional programs as specified in subdivision two-a
of this section and the regulations of the commissioner. The purpose  of
providing such pupils with instruction shall be to enable them to devel-
op  academically  while  achieving  competence  in the English language.
Instruction given to a minor elsewhere than at a public school shall  be
at  least substantially equivalent to the instruction given to minors of
like age and attainments at the public schools of the city  or  district
where  the  SCHOOL  IS  LOCATED  OR  IF  HOME  SCHOOLED, WHERE THE minor
resides.
  S 2. The education law is amended by adding a new  section  3204-a  to
read as follows:
  S  3204-A. INSTRUCTION REQUIRED IN NON-PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 1. ALL STUDENTS
ATTENDING A  NON-PUBLIC  SCHOOL  SHALL  BE  GIVEN  INSTRUCTION  THAT  IS

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD13236-01-5
              

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SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT TO THE INSTRUCTION THAT IS GIVEN TO STUDENTS OF
SIMILAR  AGE  AND  ATTAINMENT  IN  THE  DISTRICT  IN WHICH THE SCHOOL IS
LOCATED. A NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL IS NOT REQUIRED TO USE  THE  CURRICULUM  OF
THE  SCHOOL DISTRICT IN WHICH THEY ARE LOCATED BUT MUST PROVIDE STUDENTS
WITH INSTRUCTION THAT IS SIMILAR IN RIGOR, ALLOTTED TIME, AND SUBJECT.
  2. IF THERE IS AN ALLEGATION THAT A NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL'S INSTRUCTION IS
NOT SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT TO THE INSTRUCTION  OF  THE  PUBLIC  SCHOOL
DISTRICT,  A  WRITTEN  COMPLAINT MAY BE FILED WITH THE COMMISSIONER BY A
CURRENT OR FORMER STUDENT,  PARENT  OF  A  CURRENT  OR  FORMER  STUDENT,
CURRENT  OR  FORMER  TEACHER,  ADMINISTRATOR OR EMPLOYEE OF A NON-PUBLIC
SCHOOL OR A RESIDENT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT SUCH NON-PUBLIC  SCHOOL
IS  LOCATED. THE COMPLAINT MUST INCLUDE THE COMPLAINANT'S NAME, ADDRESS,
NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL NAME, NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL'S ADDRESS, RELATIONSHIP TO THE
NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL, DESCRIPTION OF THE  NON-PUBLIC  SCHOOL'S  FAILURE  TO
PROVIDE  APPROPRIATE  EDUCATION, AND EVIDENCE OF THE CURRICULUM, CONTENT
OF INSTRUCTION OR ANY OTHER  DOCUMENTATION  OR  PROOF  THAT  THE  SCHOOL
FAILED TO PROVIDE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT INSTRUCTION.
  3.  UPON  RECEIPT OF A COMPLAINT PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, THE COMMIS-
SIONER SHALL SUBSTANTIATE SUCH COMPLAINT TO DETERMINE  WHETHER  A  VALID
CLAIM  EXISTS. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL NOTIFY THE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT
AND NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR, AND REQUEST DOCUMENTATION  PERTAIN-
ING   TO  THE  SCHOOL'S  INSTRUCTION,  INCLUDING  BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO,
DESCRIPTION OF CURRICULUM, CLASS INSTRUCTION MATERIALS, TESTING PROGRAM,
AND SCHEDULE  OF  CLASSES.  THE  NON-PUBLIC  SCHOOL  ADMINISTRATOR  MUST
RESPOND  TO  THE REQUEST FOR DOCUMENTATION IN A TIME PERIOD SPECIFIED BY
THE COMMISSIONER. IN THE COURSE OF  THE  INVESTIGATION,  THE  DEPARTMENT
MAY,  DURING  ANY  REASONABLE HOUR, CONDUCT UNANNOUNCED SCHOOL VISITS AT
THE NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL TO  OBSERVE  INSTRUCTION.  THE  VISITATIONS  SHALL
INCLUDE  OBSERVATION  OF  CLASSROOMS,  DISCUSSIONS WITH SCHOOL STAFF AND
STUDENTS, AND REVIEW OF  CURRICULUM  DOCUMENTS.  THE  NON-PUBLIC  SCHOOL
AUTHORITIES SHALL NOT REFUSE ACCESS TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF
A VISITATION PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
  4.  THE  COMMISSIONER  MAY  CONSULT  WITH  THE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT
DURING THE INVESTIGATION AND MAY REQUEST DOCUMENTS  NEEDED  AS  PART  OF
SUCH INVESTIGATION.
  5.  FOLLOWING  AN INVESTIGATION, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ISSUE A REPORT
ON THEIR FINDINGS OF WHETHER THE NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL IS PROVIDING INSTRUC-
TION THAT IS SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN WHICH IT
IS LOCATED. THE REPORT SHALL INCLUDE ALL DOCUMENTATION SUBMITTED BY  THE
NON-PUBLIC  SCHOOL AND IF SCHOOL VISITATIONS WERE MADE, ALL OBSERVATIONS
AND NOTES FROM SUCH VISITS.
  6. IF THE COMMISSIONER DETERMINES THAT A NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL HAS  FAILED
TO  PROVIDE  SUBSTANTIALLY  EQUIVALENT  INSTRUCTION TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL
PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL TAKE ANY OF THE FOLLOW-
ING ACTIONS, EITHER INDIVIDUALLY OR IN COMBINATION:
  (A) THE COMMISSIONER MAY ISSUE AN ORDER THAT PROVIDES  THE  NON-PUBLIC
SCHOOL  WITH  A CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN. THE CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN SHALL
COMPEL THE NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL TO TAKE IMMEDIATE  STEPS  TO  IMPLEMENT  AN
APPROPRIATE  CURRICULUM THAT PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIV-
ALENT INSTRUCTION PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
  (B) THE COMMISSIONER MAY PLACE A TEMPORARY EDUCATION OBSERVER  AT  THE
NON-PUBLIC  SCHOOL TO ENSURE THAT APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTION IS PROVIDED TO
STUDENTS.
  (C) THE COMMISSIONER MAY, IF APPLICABLE, PLACE THE NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL'S
REGISTRATION ON PROBATION UNTIL THE NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL DEMONSTRATES  THAT

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THEIR  INSTRUCTION  AND  CURRICULUM  IS  SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT TO THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT WHICH THEY ARE LOCATED IN.
  (D)  THE  COMMISSIONER  MAY  WITHHOLD  ANY  APPORTIONMENT  OR GRANT OF
MANDATED SERVICES AID UNTIL ANY ACTIONS OR ORDERS ARE SATISFIED.
  (E) THE COMMISSIONER MAY PERMANENTLY REVOKE  THE  NON-PUBLIC  SCHOOL'S
REGISTRATION OR IF NOT REGISTERED, PROHIBIT THE SCHOOL FROM OPERATING.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.