Senate Standing Committees on Education and New York City Education Hold Hearing on School Discipline and Solutions not Suspensions (S.1040)

(ALBANY, NY) - The Senate Standing Committees on Education and New York City Education will hold the first of two hearings on school discipline and the Judith Kaye Solutions not Suspensions Act (S1040/ Jackson) on Wednesday, May 3, beginning at 1:00 PM in Hearing Room A. 

There has been growing attention to school discipline and suspension policies around our state, which can have life changing consequences for students subject to discipline, have a disparate impact on at-risk students, affect the safety of our students and school staff, and impact the ability of teachers and administrators to effectively serve students. As a recent report by NYSED’s Safe Schools Task Force makes clear, there are troubling disparities in the application of existing school discipline policies. Black students, Native American students, students with disabilities, and LGBTQ students are all subject to disproportionate disciplinary measures.

These hearings will provide a wide range of stakeholders including students, teachers, administrators, and parents the opportunity to share their experiences and feedback on Senator Jackson’s proposed legislation. 

Senator Shelley B. Mayer said, “It is clear that we need to review our approach to school discipline to improve equity and ensure students who are most in need of interventions receive the tools they need to learn from their mistakes and take positive steps forward. I look forward to hearing from students, parents, teachers, school administrators, and others about their experiences with school discipline –– both good and bad. I am optimistic these hearings will help us identify steps we can take in the legislature to reduce the use of exclusionary discipline and promote student growth, while ensuring safety for all.” 

Senator John Liu said, “Isolating students from their school can be extremely detrimental to their future academic performance, and lead to even greater problems later in life. These hearings will give legislators an opportunity to thoroughly reexamine exclusionary discipline from the perspective of those it affects most: students, parents, teachers, and school staff, and provide for new ways to improve student outcomes across the board while keeping our schools safe and secure for all.”

Senator Robert Jackson said, “It's time to end the use of suspensions as a primary disciplinary tool and to create an educational environment where all students are respected and supported. We must push forward on this issue to ensure schools use alternative approaches to foster a positive school atmosphere and that no student is discriminated against based on race, disability, sexuality, or gender identity. I am honored to be the lead sponsor of this important legislation, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to make this dream possible – let's make it happen!"

The Judith Kaye Solutions not Suspensions Act would require school districts to revise their codes of conduct to incorporate restorative approaches to school discipline, limit the use of suspension in Pre-K through 3rd grade, shorten the length of maximum suspension to 20 days, except as required by federal law, ensure students who are suspended continued to receive instruction and have the opportunity to participate in assessments, and apply state law on school discipline to charter schools.