BILL NUMBER: S6273

SPONSOR: BAILEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act authorizing and directing the commissioner of education to
conduct a study on the number of children who are caregivers and how
being a caregiver impacts their education

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To study how many children are caregivers in their households and how
this affects their education.

 
SUMMARY OF MAIN PROVISIONS:

Section one of the bill directs the commissioner of education to conduct
a study on the number of children who are caregivers and how being a
caregiver impacts their education, and to give recommendations based on
the study's findings.

Section two establishes that the commissioner shall submit a report of
              

the findings, conclusions and recommendation to the governor, the tempo-
rary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, and the
chairs of the Senate and Assembly committees on education.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

According to the American Psychological Association, there are approxi-
mately 1.3 to 1.4 million child caregivers in the U.S. Many of the child
caregivers in New York State take care of sick, disabled, or elderly
relatives, which adds a burden to their education.  Understanding fami-
lies and the totality of the circumstances adds value to the educational
experience, allowing us to fully understand the whole child. Organiza-
tions such as Presbyterian Senior Services (PSS) and Caregivers Outreach
Ministry Empowerment (COME) have conducted informal surveys by using a
local sample size to bring awareness to this issue, and the results were
significant. In 2006, a Gates Foundation survey found that approximately
22 percent of young people who dropped out of high school did so because
they were providing care for a sick family member. This survey gave us
insight on how impactful caregiving is on the performance of the
student.  Although this data provided us with useful information, it is
almost 20 years old.

In 2013, PSS conducted a survey at P.S. 212 in the South Bronx that
found that 47 of middle school children in the sample size identified
themselves as caregivers. This is close to half of the students surveyed
in the study, and likely is representative of students across New York
City. Child caregivers take on adult problems without proper psycholog-
ical, physical and academic support. The burden can become overwhelming
and could significantly harm their future development.

The education of these youth is being jeopardized because of the lack of
resources we provide them. This bill seeks to address this by assessing
how many students in our state are caregivers so that the proper
resources can be deployed in their aid.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2017-18: Referred to Education

2019-20: Referred to Education

2021-22: Referred to Education

2023-24: Passed Senate

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.