S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  1559--A
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 17, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. SIMON, COLTON, ARDILA, AUBRY, GONZALEZ-ROJAS --
   Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, DICKENS, EPSTEIN, GLICK,  HEVESI,
   SAYEGH  --  read  once  and  referred to the Committee on Education --
   committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as  amended  and
   recommitted to said committee

 AN  ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a course
   of instruction and learning expectations on climate education  in  all
   public pre-kindergarten, elementary and secondary schools
 
   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 818 to
 read as follows:
   § 818. COURSES OF  INSTRUCTION  AND  LEARNING  STANDARDS  FOR  CLIMATE
 EDUCATION.  1.  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PRESCRIBE AGE-APPROPRIATE COURSES
 OF INSTRUCTION AND RELATED LEARNING STANDARDS FOR THE  SKILLED  INSTRUC-
 TION  OF  TOPICS  ASSOCIATED  WITH CLIMATE EDUCATION TO BE TAUGHT IN ALL
 PUBLIC PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS AND  PUBLIC  ELEMENTARY  AND  SECONDARY
 SCHOOLS.  WHEN RELEVANT, SUCH COURSES OF INSTRUCTION AND LEARNING STAND-
 ARDS SHALL PRIORITIZE TRADITIONAL, INDIGENOUS, AND LOCAL  KNOWLEDGE  AND
 EXPERTISE.  CONSISTENT  WITH THE NEW YORK STATE CLIMATE ACTION COUNCIL'S
 SCOPING PLAN, SUCH COURSES  OF  INSTRUCTION  AND  LEARNING  EXPECTATIONS
 SHALL  INCLUDE,  BUT  NOT  BE  LIMITED  TO,  THE PRINCIPLES AND CONCEPTS
 RELATED TO THE FOLLOWING TOPICS:
   A. THE CAUSES OF CLIMATE CHANGE, INCLUDING THE GREENHOUSE  EFFECT  AND
 ANTHROPOGENIC  SOURCES  OF  GREENHOUSE GASSES, ESPECIALLY THE BURNING OF
 FOSSIL FUELS;
   B. THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON:
   (I) THE ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING:
   (A) ATMOSPHERE - EFFECTS ON  LOCAL  CLIMATES,  WEATHER  PATTERNS,  AND
 STORM INTENSITY;
   (B) OCEANS - EFFECTS ON SEA LIFE AND GLOBAL WEATHER PATTERNS; AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02220-07-3
              

 A. 1559--A                          2
 
   (C)  LAND  - EFFECTS ON NATURAL HABITATS AND THE SURVIVAL OF FLORA AND
 FAUNA; AND
   (II)  SOCIAL, CULTURAL, ECONOMIC, HEALTH AND POLITICAL SYSTEMS INCLUD-
 ING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   (A) PUBLIC HEALTH INCLUDING MENTAL AND PHYSICAL IMPACTS;
   (B) ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND INJUSTICE;
   (C) FOOD PRODUCTION AND FRESH WATER SUPPLIES;
   (D) CONSUMPTION AND WASTE; AND
   (E) CLIMATE MIGRATION; AND
   C. ACTIONS REQUIRED TO MITIGATE AND ADAPT TO THE  IMPACTS  OF  CLIMATE
 CHANGE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   (I) RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION;
   (II)  SUSTAINABLE  LOW  CARBON LIFESTYLES, MANUFACTURING, DEVELOPMENT,
 AND CIRCULAR ECONOMIES; AND
   (III) CLIMATE RESILIENCY - OPTIONS AND STRATEGIES  FOR,  PLANNING  FOR
 AND ADAPTING TO CHANGING CLIMATES.
   2.  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PRESCRIBE COURSES OF INSTRUCTION AND LEARN-
 ING EXPECTATIONS FOR CLIMATE EDUCATION  ALIGNED  WITH  EXISTING  OR  NEW
 STANDARDS  OF INSTRUCTION AS SET FORTH BY THE DEPARTMENT. CLIMATE EDUCA-
 TION SHALL BE INCLUDED IN, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   A. SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING;
   B. ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS;
   C. SOCIAL STUDIES;
   D. HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION;
   E. MATHEMATICS;
   F. CAREER READINESS AND OCCUPATIONAL STUDIES;
   G. FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES;
   H. VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS; AND
   I. WORLD LANGUAGES.
   3. A. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL DEVELOP AGE-APPROPRIATE  INSTRUCTION  AND
 LEARNING  STANDARD  RESOURCES  AND  TECHNICAL  ASSISTANCE FOR SCHOOLS TO
 PROVIDE TO STUDENTS IN ALL PRE-KINDERGARTEN,  ELEMENTARY  AND  SECONDARY
 SCHOOLS TO CARRY OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
   B.  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL  MAKE  INSTRUCTION  AND  LEARNING  STANDARD
 RESOURCES PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY ON THE DEPARTMENT'S INTERNET
 WEBSITE.
   4. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL:
   A. ESTABLISH BOTH A TIMELINE FOR PROFESSIONAL  LEARNING  AND  EDUCATOR
 READINESS  IN  ACCORDANCE WITH NEW YORK STATE'S DECARBONIZATION GOALS AS
 OUTLINED IN SECTION 75-0107 OF ENVIRONMENTAL  CONSERVATION  LAW,  AND  A
 PLAN FOR ONGOING TEACHER SUPPORT, PEER EXCHANGE, AND EVALUATION;
   B.  REQUIRE  A  DESIGNATED NUMBER OF RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
 HOURS/CONTINUING TEACHER AND LEADER EDUCATION (CTLE) IN  CLIMATE  EDUCA-
 TION FOR ALL IN-SERVICE TEACHERS; AND
   C.  ESTABLISH  EXPECTATIONS FOR PRE-SERVICE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS
 FOR THE  TEACHING  OF  CLIMATE  CHANGE  FOR  ALL  TEACHER  CERTIFICATION
 PROGRAMS IN NEW YORK STATE.
   5. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH AN OFFICE OF CLIMATE EDUCATION AND
 WORKFORCE  DEVELOPMENT  WITHIN  SIXTY DAYS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS
 SECTION. THE BOARD OF REGENTS SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE  FOR  OVERSEEING  THE
 OFFICE AND ENSURING THAT IT:
   A. REGULARLY ENGAGES WITH NEW YORK STATE TEACHERS, INDIGENOUS COMMUNI-
 TIES, BIPOC COMMUNITIES, INFORMAL AND ALTERNATIVE EDUCATORS, AND NON-GO-
 VERNMENTAL   EDUCATION   ORGANIZATIONS  ABOUT  THE  OFFICE'S  GOALS  AND
 SERVICES;
 A. 1559--A                          3
 
   B. CREATES CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION (CTE)  AND  GREEN  WORKFORCE
 DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS;
   C.  SUPPORTS  PROFESSIONAL  DEVELOPMENT FOR IN-SERVICE AND PRE-SERVICE
 TEACHERS;
   D. DEVELOPS AND FACILITATES THE ADMINISTRATION OF  ASSESSMENT  INSTRU-
 MENTS RELATED TO CLIMATE EDUCATION; AND
   E.  ASSISTS  THE COMMISSIONER IN PROVIDING THE NECESSARY RESOURCES AND
 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR ALL SCHOOLS TO CARRY OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS
 SECTION.
   6. THE BOARD OF REGENTS SHALL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT  CLEAR  STRATEGIES
 FOR  ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CLIMATE EDUCATION
 TEACHING AND STUDENT LEARNING ACROSS ALL GRADE LEVELS AND SUBJECT AREAS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July  next  succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law.