S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4826
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 8, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  DE LA ROSA  -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to establish a commission  for  the  educational  advancement  of
   multilingual  learners  in  New  York; 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) A commission, to be known as
 the commission for the educational advancement of multilingual learners,
 hereafter referred to as "the  commission",  is  hereby  established  to
 study  and provide a report on the best practices and legislative recom-
 mendations to close the achievement gap and high school graduation rates
 between multilingual learners and their English  proficient  peers  from
 prekindergarten  through  twelfth  grade.  Such  report  will advise the
 legislature, the governor, the board of  regents,  and  New  York  state
 education  officials  on  the best practices and legislative recommenda-
 tions to close the achievement gap, and  the  feasibility  and  cost  to
 implement such practices in schools.
   (b)  The  commission  shall  be composed of nine members, appointed as
 follows: (i) two members shall be appointed by the  governor;  (ii)  two
 members  shall  be  appointed  by the speaker of the assembly; (iii) two
 members shall be appointed by the temporary  president  of  the  senate;
 (iv)  two members shall be appointed by the commissioner of the New York
 state department of education; and (v) one member shall be the  chancel-
 lor  of  the board of regents or appointed thereof. The commission shall
 be chaired by a person chosen by a majority vote at the first meeting of
 the  commission.  The  vice-chairperson  of  the  commission  shall   be
 appointed by the chairperson. Vacancies in the membership of the commis-
 sion shall be filled in the manner provided for original appointments.
   (c)  The  commission  shall be made up of at least:  (i) one education
 professional who specializes in English to Speakers of  Other  Languages
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD08536-01-1

 A. 4826                             2
 
 and Bilingual Programs; (ii) one teacher who has experience working with
 multilingual  students; (iii) one education professional who has experi-
 ence working with early childhood multilingual learners; (iv) one educa-
 tion  professional  who  has  experience with multilingual newcomers and
 high school graduation; and  (v)  one  education  professional  who  has
 expertise in education equity of New York state students.
   (d)  The  members  of the commission shall receive no compensation for
 their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
 incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder.
   (e) The commission shall commence no later than 30 days after this act
 shall become a law.
   § 2. Appointments to commission. The legislative leaders,  the  gover-
 nor,  the  chancellor  of  the board of regents, and the commissioner of
 education shall submit their appointments to the board of  regents,  and
 the board of regents shall make such appointments, no later than 30 days
 after this act shall become a law.
   §  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) All state agencies,  public  authorities,  public  benefit  corpo-
 rations  and  any public school district in New York state shall provide
 such assistance as may be reasonably  requested  by  the  chair  of  the
 commission.
   (c)  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 such purposes.
   § 4. Accomplishment of purpose. The commission shall be authorized and
 empowered  to  undertake  any studies, inquiries, surveys or analyses it
 may deem relevant. The commission shall meet and hold public hearings or
 private meetings within or outside the state, and  shall  have  all  the
 powers of a legislative committee pursuant to the legislative law.
   §  5.  Report  on  best practices and legislative recommendations. The
 commission shall make a report of its findings, including any  recommen-
 dations for legislative action as it may deem necessary and appropriate,
 to  the  governor, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of
 the assembly, the chairperson of the senate committee on education,  the
 chairperson  of  the  senate  committee  on New York City education, the
 chairperson of  the  assembly  committee  on  education,  the  board  of
 regents,  and  the  commissioner of education no later than December 31,
 2021.
   § 6. This act shall take effect immediately and shall  expire  and  be
 deemed repealed 2 years after such date.