S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    547
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              January 9, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. BURDICK, DICKENS, GUNTHER, OTIS, CLARK, JACKSON,
   GONZALEZ-ROJAS, JENSEN, ANGELINO, MANKTELOW -- read once and  referred
   to the Committee on Education
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  education  law,  in relation to authorizing the
   commissioner of education to implement a purple star schools program

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 60 to read as follows:
   60.  THE  COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH A "PURPLE STAR SCHOOLS PROGRAM"
 TO RECOGNIZE SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHICH DEMONSTRATE A COMMITMENT
 TO ASSISTING MILITARY-CONNECTED STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
   A. THE COMMISSIONER, OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE, SHALL DESIGNATE A  SCHOOL
 AS  A  "PURPLE  STAR  SCHOOL"  UPON  APPLICATION  OF  A SCHOOL OR SCHOOL
 DISTRICT WHICH:
   (I) HAS DESIGNATED A STAFF MEMBER AS A MILITARY LIAISON  WHOSE  DUTIES
 INCLUDE:  (A)  IDENTIFYING  MILITARY-CONNECTED  STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE
 DISTRICT; (B) SERVING AS THE POINT OF  CONTACT  BETWEEN  THE  SCHOOL  OR
 SCHOOL  DISTRICT  AND  SUCH STUDENTS; (C) DETERMINING APPROPRIATE CAMPUS
 SERVICES AVAILABLE TO MILITARY-CONNECTED STUDENTS; AND (D) ASSISTING  IN
 COORDINATING CAMPUS PROGRAMS RELEVANT TO MILITARY-CONNECTED STUDENTS;
   (II)  MAINTAINS ON ITS WEBSITE AN EASILY ACCESSIBLE PAGE THAT INCLUDES
 RESOURCES FOR MILITARY-CONNECTED STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES,  INCLUDING
 INFORMATION  REGARDING:  (A)  RELOCATION TO, ENROLLMENT AT, REGISTRATION
 AT, AND TRANSFERRING RECORDS  TO  THE  CAMPUS;  (B)  ACADEMIC  PLANNING,
 COURSE  SEQUENCES,  AND  ADVANCED  CLASSES  AVAILABLE AT THE CAMPUS; (C)
 COUNSELING AND OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES AVAILABLE  FOR  MILITARY-CONNECTED
 STUDENTS  ENROLLED  AT  THE  CAMPUS; (D) THE MILITARY LIAISON DESIGNATED
 UNDER SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH, AND THE LIAISON'S DUTIES UNDER
 SUCH SUBPARAGRAPH; AND (E) THE STATE MILITARY FAMILY  EDUCATION  LIAISON
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01126-01-3
 A. 547                              2
              

 
 DESIGNATED  PURSUANT TO SECTION THIRTY-THREE HUNDRED EIGHT OF THIS CHAP-
 TER;
   (III)  MAINTAINS A TRANSITION PROGRAM LED BY STUDENTS, WHERE APPROPRI-
 ATE, THAT ASSISTS MILITARY-CONNECTED STUDENTS IN TRANSITIONING INTO  THE
 CAMPUS;
   (IV)  OFFERS  PROFESSIONAL  DEVELOPMENT  FOR  STAFF  MEMBERS ON ISSUES
 RELATED TO MILITARY-CONNECTED STUDENTS;
   (V) FOR PURPOSES OF MONITORING ACADEMIC PROGRESS OF MILITARY-CONNECTED
 STUDENTS, INCLUDES AN IDENTIFIER ON THE STUDENT RECORD  OF  A  MILITARY-
 CONNECTED  STUDENT  AND  INCLUDE  IN  THE  BASIC EDUCATIONAL DATA SYSTEM
 REPORTS (BEDS), THE NUMBER OF MILITARY-CONNECTED  STUDENTS  ENROLLED  IN
 SUCH SCHOOL OR SCHOOL DISTRICT; AND
   (VI)  THE  BOARD  OF EDUCATION OR OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY AUTHORIZED TO
 ACT ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL OR SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS EITHER: (A) ISSUED  A
 RESOLUTION,  PROCLAMATION,  OR  OTHER  OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR
 MILITARY-CONNECTED STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES; OR (B) ISSUED  A  RESOL-
 UTION,  PROCLAMATION,  OR OTHER OFFICIAL STATEMENT RECOGNIZING THE MONTH
 OF APRIL AS THE "MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD" AND/OR THE MONTH OF NOVEM-
 BER AS "MILITARY FAMILY MONTH" AND HAS HOSTED EVENTS ON CAMPUS CELEBRAT-
 ING EITHER OR BOTH; OR (C) ENTERED INTO A PARTNERSHIP  WITH  A  MILITARY
 INSTALLATION,  NATIONAL  GUARD  ARMORY  OR  RESERVE CENTER THAT PROVIDES
 OPPORTUNITIES FOR MILITARY MEMBERS TO VOLUNTEER AT THE CAMPUS, SPEAK  AT
 AN ASSEMBLY, HOST A FIELD TRIP, OR PARTICIPATE IN SUCH OTHER EDUCATIONAL
 ACTIVITIES AS THE COMMISSIONER OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE DEEM APPROPRIATE.
   B.  A  SCHOOL  OR  SCHOOL  DISTRICT  MAY PARTNER WITH A THIRD PARTY TO
 PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES AND INITIATIVES SPECIFIED UNDER  PARAGRAPH  A  OF
 THIS SUBDIVISION.
   C. THE COMMISSIONER MAY PROMULGATE RULES TO EFFECTUATE THE PURPOSES OF
 THIS SUBDIVISION.
   D.  AS  USED IN THIS SUBDIVISION, "MILITARY-CONNECTED STUDENT" MEANS A
 SCHOOL-AGED CHILD ENROLLED IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH TWELFTH GRADE IN  THE
 HOUSEHOLD  OF  AN  ACTIVE  DUTY  MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY, A
 RESERVE FORCE OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY, THE  ORGANIZED  MILITIA  OF
 THIS STATE OR ANY OTHER STATE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.