NY State Senate Bill 2023-S4966

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Higher 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

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 03, 2024	referred to higher education
Feb 17, 2023	referred to higher education

2023-S4966 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A1572
Current Committee:: Senate Higher Education
Law Section:: Education
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: S7154, A10946
2021-2022: S2020, A2055

2023-S4966 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes the differentiated learning environment task force, to conduct a comprehensive study on the way colleges and universities are preparing future teachers to work in urban settings and to offer differentiated classrooms.

2023-S4966 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S4966

SPONSOR: JACKSON
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to establish the differentiated learning environment task force;
and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this legislation is to study the way that teaching
colleges and universities prepare prospective teachers to work in urban
settings and to offer differentiated classrooms. In particular, this
legislation will look into the creation of a dual certification process
in special education and language-based learning differences as well as
a way to fight the growing literacy crisis.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 establishes the differentiated learning environment task
force.

Section 2 defines "differentiated learning environment" and "language-
based learning differences."

Section 3 provides how members of the task force shall be appointed.

Section 4 provides that the commissioner of the Department of Education
or their designee shall chair the task force. Members of the task force
shall not receive compensation for their service on the task force but
shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred in the perform-
ance of their duties in the work of the task force.

Section 5 provides that appointments shall be made within 60 days of the
effective date and that any vacancies shall be filled in the same manner
provided for in the initial appointment.

Section 6 provides that the task force may consult with any organiza-
tion, government entity, or person in developing the report.

Section 7 provides that the task force shall submit its report, on or
before 1 year after the effective date, to the governor, the temporary
president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, and the minority
leaders of the senate and assembly. The report shall contain, among
other things, a dual certification process for teachers to be certified
in both special education and language-based learning differences; and a
comprehensive professional development training program for persons who
are teachers and those that are studying to become teachers to learn the
basics of differentiated learning environments.

Section 8 is the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The state's education system must constantly learn and adapt to greater
understandings of how students can succeed in differentiated learning
environments and how to take language-based learning differences fully
into consideration in each learning environment.

This bill will study the way teaching colleges and universities prepare
prospective teachers to work in urban schools with a variety of student
skills and learning styles. The study will be led by the Commissioner of
Education and a highly qualified task force. Our goal for the study is
to examine the benefits of a dual certification process in special
education and language-based learning differences to improve student
performance and fight our ongoing problems to strengthen literacy
skills.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2021-2022: S.2020 - Referred to Higher Education/A.2055 - Referred to
Education

2019-2020: S.7154 - Referred to Higher Education/A.10946 - Referred to
Education

 
STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire 24 months after
it shall have become a law when upon such date the provisions of this
act shall be deemed repealed.

2023-S4966 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4966
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 17, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. JACKSON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to establish the differentiated learning environment task  force;
   and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration there-
   of

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1.  The  legislature  hereby  establishes  the  differentiated
 learning  environment  task  force, referred to hereinafter as the "task
 force", to conduct a comprehensive study on the way colleges and univer-
 sities are preparing future teachers to work in urban  settings  and  to
 offer differentiated classrooms.
   §  2.  For the purposes of this act the following terms shall have the
 following meanings:
   (a) "Differentiated learning environment" shall mean learning  methods
 designed to address individual students' diverse learning needs; and
   (b)  "Language-based learning differences" shall mean developmental or
 learning disabilities where a student has a  problem  or  problems  with
 age-appropriate reading, spelling, writing and/or math.
   § 3. Such task force shall consist of eleven members with demonstrated
 experience in issues relating to the work of the task force. The members
 of the task force shall be appointed as follows:
   (a) two members shall be appointed by the governor;
   (b)  two  members shall be appointed by the temporary president of the
 senate;
   (c) two members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
   (d) one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assem-
 bly;
   (e) one member shall be  appointed  by  the  minority  leader  of  the
 senate;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01958-01-3
 S. 4966                             2

 
   (f)  two  members shall be appointed by the chancellor of the board of
 regents; and
   (g)  one  member shall be the commissioner of the department of educa-
 tion or their designee.
   § 4. The task force shall  be  chaired  by  the  commissioner  of  the
 department  of  education  or  their designee. Members of the task force
 shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed
 for their actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in
 the work of the task force.
   § 5. Appointments shall be made within 60 days of the  effective  date
 of  this act. Any vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be
 filled in the same manner provided for in the initial appointment.
   § 6. The task force may  consult  with  any  organization,  government
 entity,  or  person,  in  the  development  of its report required under
 section seven of this act.
   § 7. On or before one year after the effective date of this  act,  the
 task  force shall submit to the governor, the temporary president of the
 senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority leader of  the  senate
 and  the  minority  leader  of the assembly a report containing, but not
 limited to:
   (a) A dual certification process for teachers to be certified in  both
 special education and language-based learning differences; and
   (b)  A  comprehensive  professional  development  training program for
 persons who are teachers and those who are studying to  be  teachers  to
 learn the basics of differentiated learning environments.
   § 8. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire 24 months
 after  it  shall have become a law when upon such date the provisions of
 this act shall be deemed repealed.

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Senate Bill S4966

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Higher Education Committee

2023-S4966 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S4966 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S4966 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S4966 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S4966

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Sponsored By

Robert Jackson

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Higher Education Committee

2023-S4966 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S4966 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S4966 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S4966 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments