NY State Senate Bill 2017-S8004

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

Please enter your contact information

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

A valid email address is required.

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.

Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Mar 19, 2018	referred to education

co-Sponsors

View additional co-sponsors

2017-S8004 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A10542
Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: A3223
2021-2022: A4220
2023-2024: A287

2017-S8004 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes the commission on diversity in specialized schools.

2017-S8004 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S8004

SPONSOR: BAILEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act in relation to establishing the commission on
diversity in specialized schools; and providing for the repeal of such
provisions upon expiration thereof

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To create a commission to study the current diversity initiatives in
specialized high schools in the city of New York, and provide recommen-
dations on how to improve them.

 
SUMMARY OF MAIN PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill establishes the "Commission on Diversity in
Specialized Schools" (the "Commission"), which is a temporary State
commission, that is empowered to examine, evaluate and make recommenda-
tions concerning current diversity initiatives in the city of New York's
specialized high schools. It also prescribes the composition of the
Commission, which shall be 18 members who shall receive no compensation

for their services, but are allowed reimbursement for expenses. As well
as requiring that the commission begin work 45 days after the bill shall
become law.

Section 2 of the bill prescribes the rules for appointment to the
Commission.

Section 3 of the bill provides that the commissioner of education and
the chancellor of the city school district of the city of New York shall
designate employees of the department of education and of the city
school district to provide support services to the commission, as well
as designating a liaison each between the department, the city school
district and the commission.

Section 4 of the bill provides the factors and information for consider-
ation for the Commission. The chancellor of the city school district of
the city of New York shall submit, within 90 days of this act becoming
law, a list of all current diversity initiatives used by specialized
high schools, as well as any additional relevant factors to be consid-
ered in the deliberations of the commission.

Section 5 of this bill provides that the deliberations, meetings, and
other proceedings of the commission and any committee thereof shall be
governed by article 7 of the public officers law.

Section 6 of this bill provides for the recommendations of the commis-
sion, which shall be transmitted in a report to the governor, the legis-
lature, the mayor of the city of New York, and the chancellor of the
city school district of the city of New York.

Section 7 of the bill provides for a severability clause.

Section 8 of the bill provides that this act shall take effect imme-
diately and shall expire and be deemed repealed two years after such
effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The Calandra-Hecht bill from 1971 ensured that admittance to specialized
high schools in New York City was determined via a standardized test to
minimize discrimination and admit students based entirely on merit.
However, over the years the test has evolved to the point where many
parents spend large sums of money on special tutoring classes and test
prep for their children, thus creating a disadvantage for low-income
students, predominantly black and Latino.

In the fall of 2017, 28,333 eighth graders sat for the test to qualify
for spots in Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech and five smaller
schools, representing an overall 2% increase from last year, the number
of black and Latino students taking the test fell 2%. The corresponding
results: Just 10 black students were admitted to a Stuyvesant class of
902, down from 13 admitted last year. The Latino results dipped from 28
to 27.

The lack of resources and information for black and Latino children to
prepare for this test clearly shows in the results. It is imperative
that we diversify all specialized high schools in the city of New York,
this way giving all of our students, regardless of their ethnic back-
ground, the same opportunities. This bill seeks to examine the current
initiatives and make recommendations to improve diversity.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately and shall expire and be deemed repealed on June 30, 2020.

2017-S8004 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8004
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 19, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  BAILEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT in relation  to  establishing  the  commission  on  diversity  in
   specialized  schools;  and providing for the repeal of such provisions
   upon expiration thereof
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. Commission established. (a) There is hereby created in the
 department of education a commission to be known as the  "commission  on
 diversity in specialized schools", hereafter referred to as the "commis-
 sion",  which  shall  be  charged  with examining the City of New York's
 specialized senior high schools' admission policies to evaluate  current
 diversity  initiatives and make recommendations on how to improve diver-
 sity in such schools.
   (b) The commission shall consist of 18 members. The 18  members  shall
 be  appointed  as  follows:  (i)  two  members shall be appointed by the
 temporary president of the senate; (ii) two members shall  be  appointed
 by  the  speaker of the assembly; (iii) one member shall be appointed by
 the minority leader of the senate; (iv) one member shall be appointed by
 the minority leader of the assembly; (v) two members shall be  appointed
 by  the  governor;  (vi) five members shall be appointed by the board of
 regents; (vii) two members appointed by the mayor of  the  City  of  New
 York;  and  (viii) three members appointed by the chancellor of the city
 school district of the City of New York.  The  board  of  regents  shall
 designate the chair from among the members of the commission.
   (c)  The  members  of the commission shall receive no compensation for
 their services as members, but shall be allowed their actual and  neces-
 sary  expenses  incurred  in the performance of their duties. Members of
 the commission shall be  considered  public  officers  for  purposes  of
 section 17 of the public officers law.
   (d)  The  commission  shall  begin to act 45 days after this act shall
 have become a law. A quorum shall consist of a majority of  the  members
 of  the  commission  entitled to vote on the matter under consideration.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD15121-01-8

 S. 8004                             2
 
 Approval of any matter shall require the affirmative vote of a  majority
 of the members voting thereon.
   (e)  The members of the commission shall adopt by-laws for the manage-
 ment and regulation of its affairs.
   § 2. Appointments to commission. The legislative leaders,  the  gover-
 nor,  the  mayor  of the City of New York and the chancellor of the city
 school district of the City of New York shall submit their  appointments
 to  the  board  of regents, and the board of regents shall make appoint-
 ments, no later than 45 days after this act becomes a law. If  any  such
 appointment  is  not  made by such date, the person or board responsible
 for making the appointment pursuant to subdivision (b) of section one of
 this act may make the  appointment  after  that  date,  but  the  vacant
 appointment  shall  not  count  for  calculation of a quorum until it is
 filled. Vacancies in the commission shall be filled in the  same  manner
 as the member whose vacancy is being filled was appointed.
   §  3.  Commission  staff  and  agency liaison. (a) The commissioner of
 education shall designate such employees of the department of  education
 as  are  reasonably necessary to provide support services to the commis-
 sion. The commissioner of education shall appoint one or more  represen-
 tatives  of the department of education to serve as liaison between such
 department and the commission.
   (b) The chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York
 shall designate such employees of the city school district of  the  City
 of  New  York as are reasonably necessary to provide support services to
 the commission. The chancellor of the city school district of  the  City
 of  New  York shall appoint one or more representatives of the office of
 the chancellor of the city school district of the City of  New  York  to
 serve as liaison between such office and the commission.
   (c)  All  state  agencies,  public  authorities, public benefit corpo-
 rations and the city school district of  the  City  of  New  York  shall
 provide  such  assistance as may be reasonably requested by the chair of
 the commission.
   (d) The commission, acting by the chair of the commission, may  employ
 additional  staff and consultants, who shall be paid from amounts avail-
 able to the commission for that purpose.
   § 4. Factors and information for consideration. The chancellor of  the
 city school district of the City of New York shall submit to the commis-
 sion,  no later than ninety days after this act becomes a law, a list of
 all diversity initiatives currently used by the specialized senior  high
 schools.  The  chancellor  may  submit additional relevant factors to be
 considered in the deliberations of the commission.  The  commission  may
 also adopt additional factors to be considered in its deliberations.
   §  5.  Deliberations  of  commission.  The deliberations, meetings and
 other proceedings of the commission and any committee thereof  shall  be
 governed  by  article  7  of  the  public  officers law. Any one or more
 members of a committee may participate in a meeting of such committee by
 means of a conference telephone, conference video  or  similar  communi-
 cations  equipment  allowing all persons participating in the meeting to
 hear each other at the same time.   Participation by  such  means  shall
 constitute  presence  in  person  at  a  meeting. At any meetings of the
 commission conducted by means  of  a  conference  telephone,  conference
 video   or   similar  communications  equipment,  other  than  executive
 sessions, the public shall be given an opportunity to listen. If a meet-
 ing other than an executive session is to be conducted  by  means  of  a
 conference  telephone, conference video or similar communications equip-
 ment, the public notice for the meeting shall  inform  the  public  that

 S. 8004                             3
 
 such  equipment will be used, and identify the means by which the public
 may listen to such meeting.
   §  6.  Commission  recommendations. (a) The commission, upon consider-
 ation of demographic,  geographic,  educational  and  fiscal  indicators
 shall develop recommendations for improving diversity in the City of New
 York's  specialized  senior  high  schools.  Such  recommendations shall
 include, but not be limited to, changes in the schools' admission  proc-
 esses.  In  carrying out its functions, the commission shall collaborate
 with the city school district of the City of New York insofar as practi-
 cable to foster discussions among, and conduct  formal  public  hearings
 with  requisite  public notice to solicit input and recommendations from
 stakeholder interests including  but  not  limited  to  school  district
 administrators,  teachers, school board members, parents, students, non-
 pedagogical school support personnel, representatives  from  post-secon-
 dary  institutions  and  other  pertinent  groups  and  individuals. The
 commission shall formally solicit recommendations from  school  district
 administrators,  teachers, school board members, parents, students, non-
 pedagogical school support personnel, representatives  from  post-secon-
 dary institutions and other interested parties.
   (b)  The  commission  shall  make  recommendations  relating  to  each
 specialized senior high school.
   (c) On or before July 1, 2019, the commission shall  transmit  to  the
 governor,  the  legislature,  the  mayor of the City of New York and the
 chancellor of the city school district of the City of New York a  report
 containing  its  recommendations. Upon the transmission of the report to
 the governor and the legislature the commission shall be dissolved.
   § 7. Severability clause. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivi-
 sion, section or part of this act shall be  adjudged  by  any  court  of
 competent  jurisdiction  to  be invalid, such judgment shall not affect,
 impair, or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall  be  confined  in
 its  operation  to the clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section
 or part thereof directly involved in the controversy in which such judg-
 ment shall have been rendered. It is hereby declared to be the intent of
 the legislature that this act would  have  been  enacted  even  if  such
 invalid provisions had not been included herein.
   §  8.  This  act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
 deemed repealed June 30, 2020.

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Senate Bill S8004

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

co-Sponsors

2017-S8004 (ACTIVE) - Details

2017-S8004 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2017-S8004 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2017-S8004 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S8004

Share this bill

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

co-Sponsors

2017-S8004 (ACTIVE) - Details

2017-S8004 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2017-S8004 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2017-S8004 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments