S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2184
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 15, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. CUNNINGHAM, R. CARROLL, JACKSON, MEEKS, FORREST
   -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education  law,  in  relation  to  establishing  the
   commission on African American history and achievement
 
   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 819 to
 read as follows:
   § 819. AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENT. 1.  THE COMMISSION ON
 AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENT; ESTABLISHED. (A)  THE  COMMIS-
 SION  ON  AFRICAN  AMERICAN HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENT, REFERRED TO IN THIS
 SECTION AS THE  COMMISSION,  IS  HEREBY  CREATED  AND  ESTABLISHED.  THE
 COMMISSION  SHALL CONSIST OF THIRTEEN MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE COMMISSION-
 ER, OR THEIR DESIGNEE, THE CHANCELLOR OF NEW YORK CITY SCHOOLS, OR THEIR
 DESIGNEE, THE CHANCELLOR OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK,  OR  THEIR
 DESIGNEE, AND THE CHANCELLOR OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS, OR THEIR DESIGNEE,
 THREE  MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR, THREE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE
 TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, AND THREE MEMBERS  APPOINTED  BY  THE
 SPEAKER  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY.   APPOINTED MEMBERS SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE
 LIMITED TO TEACHERS, INCLUDING KINDERGARTEN  THROUGH  TWELVE  EDUCATORS,
 HISTORIANS,  AND  THOSE  WITH  A BACKGROUND IN AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY,
 ARTS, OR CULTURE.
   (B) EACH MEMBER SHALL SERVE FOR A TERM OF THREE  YEARS  AND  SHALL  BE
 ELIGIBLE FOR REAPPOINTMENT. A VACANCY OCCURRING OTHER THAN BY EXPIRATION
 OF  TERM  SHALL BE FILLED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE ORIGINAL APPOINTMENT
 FOR THE UNEXPIRED TERM.
   (C) THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION SHALL SERVE WITHOUT COMPENSATION BUT
 SHALL BE ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALL NECESSARY  EXPENSES  INCURRED
 IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES.
   (D)  THE COMMISSIONER, OR THEIR DESIGNEE, SHALL SERVE AS THE CHAIR AND
 THE CHANCELLOR OF NEW YORK CITY SCHOOLS, OR THEIR DESIGNEE, SHALL  SERVE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01959-01-5
              

 A. 2184                             2
 
 AS  THE  VICE-CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION. THE PRESENCE OF A MAJORITY OF THE
 AUTHORIZED MEMBERSHIP OF  THE  COMMISSION  SHALL  BE  REQUIRED  FOR  THE
 CONDUCT OF OFFICIAL BUSINESS.
   (E)  THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND DATA TO THE
 COMMISSION AS MAY BE NECESSARY FOR  THE  COMMISSION  TO  CARRY  OUT  ITS
 RESPONSIBILITIES PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
   2.  DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMMISSION.  (A) THE COMMISSION
 SHALL BE TASKED WITH DEVELOPING AND RECOMMENDING CURRICULUM THAT  INCOR-
 PORATES  THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS MADE BY AFRICAN AMERICANS AS
 PART OF NEW YORK'S EDUCATION CURRICULUM, INCLUDING BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO
 THE  WOMEN'S  ABOLITIONIST MOVEMENT, THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE, THE BUFFALO
 ANTI-SLAVERY MOVEMENT, AND THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT  FOR  AFRICAN  AMERICAN
 LONG  ISLANDERS.  IN FURTHERANCE OF THIS GOAL, THE COMMISSION SHALL HAVE
 THE FOLLOWING DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
   (I) TO SURVEY AND REVIEW CURRENT ELEMENTARY  AND  SECONDARY  EDUCATION
 CURRICULUM  AS  IT  RELATES TO CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF AFRICAN
 AMERICANS THROUGHOUT AMERICAN AND STATE HISTORY;
   (II) TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS ON ADDITIONAL CURRICULUM AND  INSTRUC-
 TION  FOR  GRADES  KINDERGARTEN  THROUGH  TWELVE  THAT  INCORPORATE  THE
 CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS  MADE  BY  AFRICAN  AMERICANS  THROUGHOUT
 AMERICAN AND NEW YORK STATE HISTORY; AND
   (III)  PREPARE  REPORTS FOR THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE REGARDING ITS
 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON  CURRENT  CURRICULUM  AND  INCORPORATING
 ADDITIONAL  INSTRUCTION  ON  THE  CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS MADE BY
 AFRICAN AMERICANS THROUGHOUT AMERICAN AND NEW YORK STATE HISTORY.
   (B) THE COMMISSION SHALL SUBMIT AN  ANNUAL  REPORT,  BEGINNING  AUGUST
 FIRST,  TWO  THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX, TO THE GOVERNOR, THE COMMISSIONER, THE
 TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE  SPEAKER  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY,  THE
 CHAIR  OF  THE SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE, AND THE CHAIR OF THE ASSEMBLY
 EDUCATION COMMITTEE ON ITS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
   3. AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENT CURRICULUM OR INSTRUCTION.
 (A) THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONJUNCTION WITH  OTHER  APPROPRIATE  AGENCIES,
 SHALL  ESTABLISH  AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENT CURRICULUM OR
 INSTRUCTION FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS BASED ON  THE  RECOMMENDATIONS  OF  THE
 COMMISSION.  THE CONTENT SHALL BE AGE APPROPRIATE AND SHALL BE DEVELOPED
 ACCORDING TO THE NEEDS AND  ABILITIES  OF  PUPILS  AT  SUCCESSIVE  GRADE
 LEVELS  IN ORDER TO PROVIDE MATERIALS, AND INFORMATION IN AFRICAN AMERI-
 CAN HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENT. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ANNUALLY REVIEW  THE
 COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND MAKE UPDATES TO CURRICULUM AS APPROPRI-
 ATE.
   (B)  SCHOOLS  MAY  INCLUDE  THE  ABOVE MATERIALS AS A COMPONENT OF ITS
 HISTORY CURRICULUM OR ANY OTHER WAY THE SCHOOL DEEMS APPROPRIATE.
   § 2.  Section 2590-h of the education law is amended by adding  a  new
 subdivision 57 to read as follows:
   57. ENSURE THAT ALL STUDENTS IN THE CITY DISTRICT, THE CHARTER SCHOOLS
 IN  THE  CITY OF NEW YORK AUTHORIZED BY ARTICLE FIFTY-SIX OF THIS TITLE,
 AND THE NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK PROVIDING  INSTRUCTION
 IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH SECTION THIRTY-TWO HUNDRED FOUR OF THIS CHAPTER, AS
 PART OF THE INSTRUCTION IN AWARENESS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN  HISTORY  SINCE
 THE  YEAR  SIXTEEN  HUNDRED  NINETEEN  PURSUANT TO SECTION EIGHT HUNDRED
 NINETEEN OF THIS CHAPTER, SHALL VISIT SITES WHICH  EDUCATE  ABOUT  THESE
 HISTORICAL EVENTS.
   §  3.  This act shall take effect immediately, provided, however, that
 the amendments to section 2590-h of the education law  made  by  section
 two  of  this  act shall not affect the expiration and reversion of such
 section and shall expire and be deemed repealed therewith.