Bill Text: NY A01274 | 2025-2026 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishes the "Purple Star School Program" to assist military-connected students and to recognize the value of military service and civic responsibility.

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Republican 14-1)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-09 - referred to education [A01274 Detail]

Download: New_York-2025-A01274-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          1274

                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                     January 9, 2025
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by M. of A. SLATER, MAHER, GRAY, E. BROWN, BENDETT, DeSTEFA-
          NO, TAGUE, DURSO,  MORINELLO,  BRABENEC,  ANGELINO,  LEMONDES,  CHANG,
          BROOK-KRASNY,  NOVAKHOV  -- read once and referred to the Committee on
          Education

        AN ACT to amend the education  law,  in  relation  to  establishing  the
          "Purple  Star School Program" to emphasize the importance of assisting
          military-connected students and to recognize  the  value  of  military
          service and civic responsibility

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. This act shall be known and may be  cited  as  the  "Purple
     2  Star School Program Act".
     3    § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new article 66-A to read
     4  as follows:
     5                                ARTICLE 66-A
     6                         PURPLE STAR SCHOOL PROGRAM
     7  Section 3330. Purple star school program.
     8    §  3330. Purple star school program. 1. The commissioner, in consulta-
     9  tion with the state council  created  pursuant  to  subdivision  one  of
    10  section  thirty-three  hundred  eight of this title, shall establish the
    11  "Purple Star School Program" to recognize schools and  school  districts
    12  which  demonstrate a commitment to assisting military-connected students
    13  and their families.
    14    2. As used in  this  section,  "military-connected  student"  means  a
    15  school-aged  child enrolled in kindergarten through twelfth grade in the
    16  household of an active duty military member as that term is  defined  in
    17  subdivision  one  of  section  thirty-three hundred two of this title, a
    18  school-aged child enrolled in kindergarten through twelfth grade in  the
    19  household  of a member of the military reserves, or national guard, or a
    20  school-aged child in the household of a recently  discharged  member  of

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD02782-01-5
        A. 1274                             2

     1  the  military  who  is  enrolling  in kindergarten through twelfth grade
     2  within the state for the first time.
     3    3. The commissioner, or the commissioner's designee, shall designate a
     4  school  as a "Purple Star School" upon application of a school or school
     5  district which (a) has designated a staff member as a  military  liaison
     6  whose   duties   include  (i)  identifying  military-connected  students
     7  enrolled in the district and serving as the point of contact between the
     8  school and such students; (ii) determining appropriate  campus  services
     9  available to military-connected students; and (iii) assisting in coordi-
    10  nating campus programs relevant to military-connected students;
    11    (b)  maintains  on its website an easily accessible page that includes
    12  resources for military-connected students and their families,  including
    13  information  regarding:  (i)  relocation to, enrollment at, registration
    14  at, and transferring records to  the  campus;  (ii)  academic  planning,
    15  course  sequences,  and  advanced classes available at the campus; (iii)
    16  counseling and other support services available  for  military-connected
    17  students  enrolled  at  the campus; and (iv) the military liaison desig-
    18  nated under paragraph (a) of this subdivision, and the liaison's  duties
    19  under such paragraph;
    20    (c) maintains a transition program led by students, where appropriate,
    21  that  assists  military-connected  students  in  transitioning  into the
    22  campus;
    23    (d) offers  professional  development  for  staff  members  on  issues
    24  related to military-connected students; and
    25    (e) the board of education or other person or entity authorized to act
    26  on  behalf  of  the  school  or  school district has either (i) issued a
    27  resolution, proclamation, or other official  statement  of  support  for
    28  military-connected  students and their families; or (ii) issued a resol-
    29  ution, proclamation, or other official statement recognizing  the  month
    30  of April as the "Month of the Military Child" and/or the month of Novem-
    31  ber as "Military Family Month" and has hosted events on campus celebrat-
    32  ing  either  or  both;  or (iii) entered into a partnership with a local
    33  military installation that provides opportunities for active duty  mili-
    34  tary  members  to  volunteer at the campus, speak at an assembly, host a
    35  field trip, or participate in such other educational activities  as  the
    36  commissioner or the commissioner's designee deem appropriate.
    37    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.