Assembly Bill A6490A

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Requires instruction in arts and music education to be incorporated into curriculums for all public school students

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Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Assembly 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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Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

2025-A6490 - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S6318
Current Committee:
Assembly Education
Law Section:
Education Law
Laws Affected:
Add §819, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2019-2020: A9660
2021-2022: A1788
2023-2024: A1502

2025-A6490 - Summary

Requires instruction in arts and music education to be incorporated into curriculums for all public school students; requires school districts to ensure that appropriately certified teachers are providing such education; authorizes rules and regulations consistent with such provisions.

2025-A6490 - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6490
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               March 5, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. DAIS -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to adding arts and  music
   education into the curriculum for public school students
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Legislative intent. The legislature hereby finds that  arts
 and  music education exposure has developmental benefits to children and
 adolescents, and is an essential component to providing  a  well-rounded
 education to all of the state of New York's public school students. Past
 studies have shown that arts and music education has a significant posi-
 tive   impact  on  all  students,  including  traditionally  underserved
 students. It is the legislature's intent to ensure that arts  and  music
 education shall be incorporated into the public school curriculum.
   §  2. Subparagraphs 1 and 2 of paragraph a of subdivision 3 of section
 3204 of the education law, subparagraph 1 as amended by  chapter  14  of
 the  laws  of  1958  and subparagraph 2 as amended by chapter 124 of the
 laws of 1951, are amended to read as follows:
   (1) The course of study for the first eight years of full time  public
 day schools shall provide for instruction in at least the [twelve] THIR-
 TEEN  common  school branches of arithmetic, reading, spelling, writing,
 the English language, geography, United States history, civics, hygiene,
 ARTS AND MUSIC, physical training, the history of  New  York  state  and
 science.
   (2)  The courses of study and of specialized training beyond the first
 eight years of full time public day schools shall provide  for  instruc-
 tion  in  at least the English language and its use, in civics, hygiene,
 physical training, ARTS AND MUSIC, and American  history  including  the
 principles  of  government proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence
 and established by the constitution of the United States.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04108-01-5

co-Sponsors

2025-A6490A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S6318
Current Committee:
Assembly Education
Law Section:
Education Law
Laws Affected:
Add §819, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2019-2020: A9660
2021-2022: A1788
2023-2024: A1502

2025-A6490A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires instruction in arts and music education to be incorporated into curriculums for all public school students; requires school districts to ensure that appropriately certified teachers are providing such education; authorizes rules and regulations consistent with such provisions.

2025-A6490A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  6490--A
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               March 5, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. DAIS, KAY, JONES, SHRESTHA, BARRETT, KIM, BEEPHAN
   --  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 requiring  instruction
   in  arts  and  music education to be incorporated into curriculums for
   all public school students
 
   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.  INSTRUCTION  IN  ARTS  AND MUSIC EDUCATION.   1. THE BOARD OF
 REGENTS SHALL ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN STANDARDS FOR ARTS AND MUSIC EDUCA-
 TION, WHICH MAY INCLUDE DANCE, MUSIC, THEATER, MEDIA ARTS, VISUAL  ARTS,
 AND  STUDIO ARTS, TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE CURRICULUM FOR STUDENTS AT
 ALL GRADE LEVELS IN ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE. RULES AND REGU-
 LATIONS RELATED TO ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY  EDUCATION  SCHOOL  PROGRAMS
 SHALL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   2.  EACH  SCHOOL  DISTRICT  SHALL  ENSURE THAT INSTRUCTION IN ARTS AND
 MUSIC EDUCATION,  CONSISTENT  WITH  THE  STANDARDS  ESTABLISHED  BY  THE
 REGENTS  PURSUANT  TO  SUBDIVISION  ONE  OF THIS SECTION, IS PROVIDED BY
 APPROPRIATELY CERTIFIED TEACHERS, TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, IN  EACH  SUCH
 SCHOOL  DISTRICT.    ALL  STUDENTS  SHALL  HAVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO SUCH
 INSTRUCTION, WHICH SHALL BE INCORPORATED  INTO  THE  REGULAR  COURSE  OF
 STUDY AND CONSISTENT WITH STATE GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS.
   3.  THE  COMMISSIONER  OF EDUCATION, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE BOARD OF
 REGENTS, SHALL PROMULGATE ANY RULES OR REGULATIONS NECESSARY  TO  IMPLE-
 MENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION, ENSURING THAT ARTS AND MUSIC EDUCA-
 TION  REMAINS AN INTEGRAL AND REQUIRED PART OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CURRIC-
 ULUM FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES ONE THROUGH TWELVE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04108-02-5

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