S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    199
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sens. MARTINEZ, BORRELLO, CLEARE, GALLIVAN, MURRAY, OBER-
   ACKER, O'MARA, PALUMBO, ROLISON, TEDISCO, WALCZYK, WEIK -- read  twice
   and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee
   on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to home instruction

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Paragraphs (iv) and (v) of subdivision 2 of section 3204 of
 the education law are renumbered paragraphs (v) and (vi) and a new para-
 graph (iv) is added to read as follows:
   (IV) (A) FOR PURPOSES OF CONSIDERING SUBSTANTIAL EQUIVALENCE  PURSUANT
 TO  THIS  SUBDIVISION  FOR  INSTRUCTION  PROVIDED AT HOME TO STUDENTS OF
 COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AGE, THE LOCAL SCHOOL AUTHORITY SHALL  DEEM
 HOME INSTRUCTION TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT IN AMOUNT AND QUALITY TO
 THE  INSTRUCTION  GIVEN  TO  STUDENTS OF LIKE AGE AND ATTAINMENTS AT THE
 PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF THE CITY OR DISTRICT WHERE THE  STUDENT  RESIDES  WHEN
 THE  PARENT  OR  PERSON  IN  A  PARENTAL  RELATION  WITH THE STUDENT HAS
 COMPLIED WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS ARTICLE AND THE HOME  INSTRUCTION
 REQUIREMENTS  PRESCRIBED IN THE COMMISSIONER'S REGULATIONS THROUGH GRADE
 TWELVE.
   (B) ONCE A PARENT OR PERSON IN PARENTAL  RELATION  HAS  FULFILLED  THE
 OBLIGATIONS OF HOME INSTRUCTION AS SET FORTH IN SUBPARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS
 PARAGRAPH  TO  COMPLETE  HIGH SCHOOL, SUCH PERSON SHALL REQUEST FROM THE
 SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS OF THE STUDENT'S SCHOOL DISTRICT OF RESIDENCE,
 AND SUCH SUPERINTENDENT SHALL PROVIDE, WITHIN THIRTY DAYS, TO THE PARENT
 OR PERSON IN PARENTAL RELATION, OR STUDENT, WHERE THE STUDENT  IS  EIGH-
 TEEN  YEARS  OR  OLDER, A LETTER, IN A FORM AND MANNER PRESCRIBED BY THE
 COMMISSIONER, CERTIFYING THE STUDENT'S  SUCCESSFUL  COMPLETION  OF  HOME
 INSTRUCTION  THAT  WAS SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF
 SUCH CITY OR DISTRICT, AND PROVIDED FURTHER THAT, UPON REQUEST  FROM  AN
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD00878-01-5
 S. 199                              2
 
 INSTITUTION  OF  HIGHER EDUCATION OR LICENSED PRIVATE CAREER SCHOOL, THE
 SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS SHALL PROVIDE, WITHIN THIRTY DAYS, AN OFFICIAL
 COPY OF SUCH LETTER OF SUBSTANTIAL EQUIVALENCE  TO  THE  INSTITUTION  OF
 HIGHER EDUCATION OR LICENSED PRIVATE CAREER SCHOOL.
   (C)  (1)  AS USED IN THIS PARAGRAPH, "INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION"
 SHALL MEAN ANY INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION RECOGNIZED  AND  APPROVED
 BY THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WHICH PROVIDES
 A  COURSE OF STUDY LEADING TO THE GRANTING OF A POST-SECONDARY DEGREE OR
 DIPLOMA.
   (2) AS USED IN THIS PARAGRAPH, "LICENSED PRIVATE CAREER SCHOOL"  SHALL
 HAVE  THE  SAME  MEANING AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPH A OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF
 SECTION FIVE THOUSAND ONE OF THIS CHAPTER.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.