S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6708
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                May 5, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. BRONSON, GONZALEZ-ROJAS -- read once and referred
   to the Committee on Education
 
 AN  ACT to amend the education law, in relation to culturally responsive
   lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender education standards
 
   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 804-e
 to read as follows:
   § 804-E. CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND  TRANSGENDER
 EDUCATION  CURRICULUM  AND STANDARDS. 1. CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE EDUCATION
 RULES AND REGULATIONS. (A) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE  RULES  AND
 REGULATIONS  FOR  THE  IMPLEMENTATION  OF CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE LESBIAN,
 GAY, BISEXUAL AND  TRANSGENDER  EDUCATION  CURRICULUM  FOR  ALL  SCHOOLS
 INCLUDING  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS,  JUNIOR  HIGH  SCHOOLS  AND  SENIOR HIGH
 SCHOOLS. IN FORMULATING SUCH REGULATIONS, THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  SEEK
 INPUT OF PARENTS, STUDENTS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.
   (B) IN FORMULATING THE RULES AND REGULATIONS REQUIRED BY PARAGRAPH (A)
 OF  THIS  SUBDIVISION,  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  RECOGNIZE  THAT:  MANY
 STUDENTS IN NEW YORK STATE'S PUBLIC  SCHOOL  SYSTEM  ARE  LESBIAN,  GAY,
 BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER, AND EDUCATION THAT MAKES A CULTURAL CONNECTION
 WITH STUDENTS HAS BEEN SHOWN TO IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES.
   (C)  ALL  SCHOOL  DISTRICTS, CHARTER SCHOOLS AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS SHALL
 INTEGRATE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL  AND  TRANSGENDER
 EDUCATION  THROUGHOUT  THE EDUCATION OF ALL STUDENTS AT ALL GRADE LEVELS
 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMMISSIONER'S RULES AND REGULATIONS  PROMULGATED
 PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION.
   (D) THE COMMISSIONER'S RULES AND REGULATIONS SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE
 LIMITED TO, CURRICULUM STANDARDS FOR THE ROLE OF OPPRESSION AND INEQUITY
 IN TREATMENT OF LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER IN THE HISTORY OF
 NEW  YORK  STATE  AND  THE  UNITED STATES.   THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ALSO
 DEVELOP MODEL CURRICULA FOR USE BY SCHOOLS.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01463-01-3
              

 A. 6708                             2
 
   2. GRADUATION STANDARDS. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE  RULES  AND
 REGULATIONS  REQUIRING  ALL  HIGH  SCHOOL STUDENTS TO PASS A COURSE IN A
 SUBJECT AREA THAT MEETS THE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL
 AND TRANSGENDER EDUCATION STANDARDS ESTABLISHED BY  THIS  SECTION  AS  A
 PREREQUISITE FOR GRADUATION.
   3.  TEACHER CERTIFICATION. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND
 REGULATIONS TO INCLUDE COMPLETION OF AT  LEAST  ONE  COLLEGE  COURSE  IN
 EFFECTIVE  TEACHING  FOR LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER STUDENTS
 AS A PREREQUISITE FOR TEACHER CERTIFICATION.
   4. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL  PROMULGATE  RULES
 AND  REGULATIONS REQUIRING LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER COMPE-
 TENCY AND RESPONSIVE EDUCATION  TO  BE  INCORPORATED  INTO  THE  ONGOING
 PROFESSIONAL  DEVELOPMENT  STANDARDS  FOR  ALL  PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH
 GRADE TWELVE EDUCATORS.
   5. CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE ASSESSMENT.  THE  COMMISSIONER
 SHALL CREATE A LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER CULTURALLY RESPON-
 SIVE  SCHOOL  CLIMATE  ASSESSMENT  WHICH SCHOOL DISTRICTS MAY UTILIZE IN
 ASSESSING THE CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS  OF  THE  EDUCATIONAL  CLIMATE  IN
 THEIR SCHOOLS AND DISTRICT. THIS ASSESSMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE
 PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION.
   6.  PILOT  PROGRAM.  WITHIN AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED THEREFOR, THE COMMIS-
 SIONER SHALL ESTABLISH A PILOT PROGRAM IN  LESBIAN,  GAY,  BISEXUAL  AND
 TRANSGENDER  CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE EDUCATION AND SHALL MAKE FUNDS AVAIL-
 ABLE TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS THROUGH A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.  THE  AWARD  OF
 SUCH FUNDS SHALL BE BASED ON CRITERIA TO BE DEVELOPED BY THE COMMISSION-
 ER AND APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF REGENTS.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
 have become a law.