STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2932 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY February 1, 2023 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. JENSEN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to continuing the New York State Pathways in Technology Early College High School Program in this state The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new article 107 2 to read as follows: 3 ARTICLE 107 4 NEW YORK STATE PATHWAYS IN TECHNOLOGY EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM 5 Section 5300. Grant awards for New York State pathways in technology 6 early college high school programs. 7 § 5300. Grant awards for New York State pathways in technology early 8 college high school programs. 1. For the purposes of this section: 9 a. "NYS Pathways in Technology Early College High School Program" or 10 "NYS P-TECH Program" means a program which provides eligible students 11 enrolled in such program with high school courses leading to the grant- 12 ing of a high school diploma, college-level courses leading to the 13 granting of a post-secondary degree at a partnering institution, and 14 career training with an eligible partnering employer operated by a New 15 York state school district or a board of cooperative educational 16 services that forms a partnership with: 17 (i) one or more New York state not-for-profit higher education insti- 18 tution or institutions registered with the department provided that at 19 least one institution offers an associate's degree (or other two-year 20 degree that is the industry standard for the targeted jobs) linked to 21 the goals of the NYS P-TECH program, and which awards the degree at no 22 cost to the student/family; EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD06275-01-3A. 2932 2 1 (ii) a regional New York state employer (or consortium of employers 2 from related sectors) and/or industry/entity/association that requires 3 highly skilled employees which will utilize the knowledge and skills 4 obtained from the secondary and post-secondary programs and agrees to 5 place students who successfully complete the program with the opportu- 6 nity to be first in line for a job; and 7 (iii) a regional New York state healthcare provider which employs and 8 supervises certified nursing assistants or licensed practical nurses 9 pursuant to article one hundred thirty-nine of this chapter, and 10 provides students a pathway to earn education credentials sufficient to 11 allow for his or her licensure in such professions. 12 b. "Approved NYS P-TECH Program" means a NYS P-TECH Program and such 13 program was approved by the commissioner in accordance with the regu- 14 lations of the commissioner and any request for proposals process under 15 this section. 16 c. "Eligible applicant" means a New York state school district, 17 including those districts with career and technical high schools, or a 18 board of cooperative educational services, either of which must serve as 19 the fiscal agent. The eligible applicant may work in cooperation with 20 other school districts, a board of cooperative educational services, or 21 any combination of these as a consortium applicant. 22 d. "Eligible student" means a student who: 23 (i) is a resident of the school district, or a resident of a component 24 district of a consortium, in which the NYS P-TECH Program is located and 25 is enrolled in such school district; and 26 (ii) is registered to attend such high school. 27 e. "Previously funded NYS P-TECH Program" means a NYS P-TECH Program 28 that was approved by the commissioner in any prior request for proposals 29 process before the effective date of this section. 30 2. a. Subject to an appropriation and the procedures established in 31 this section, the commissioner shall allocate the funds available for 32 NYS P-TECH Programs for the purposes of preparing eligible academically 33 at-risk and/or economically disadvantaged students for high-skill jobs 34 including, but not limited to those in science, technology, engineering, 35 manufacturing, healthcare, and finance through a six-year academic 36 program that combines high school, college, and career training. Funding 37 shall be available to previously funded, approved programs, and new 38 programs, with priority given to those programs that have already 39 received funding. 40 b. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a 41 program shall be eligible for funding under this section and shall not 42 have to apply for funding under this section if it was a previously 43 funded program or an approved NYS P-TECH Program that was funded under a 44 prior request for proposals process; and its contracts have been contin- 45 uously renewed by the department in accordance with all applicable laws 46 since the effective date of this section; provided that such program 47 shall meet certain benchmarks and program requirements as prescribed by 48 the department in order to demonstrate that it continues to be a 49 successful NYS P-TECH Program. If the program fails to meet such bench- 50 marks and program requirements, it may be subject to certain corrective 51 action as described in regulations of the commissioner, which may 52 include but not be limited to establishing timelines to meet program 53 standards, a limitation on enrollment, termination of the contract 54 and/or closure of the program and/or requiring a teach-out agreement 55 with an approved NYS P-TECH Program to describe how students will be 56 transferred to such program upon closure.A. 2932 3 1 c. Any NYS P-TECH Program approved pursuant to a prior request for 2 proposals process shall not be required to re-apply for funds under this 3 section unless they are offering a new NYS P-TECH Program, as determined 4 by the commissioner. 5 3. a. Subject to an appropriation the commissioner shall make awards 6 to eligible applicants for the establishment of new NYS P-TECH Programs 7 through a competitive request for proposals process. 8 b. The commissioner shall prioritize eligible applicants that demon- 9 strate the willingness and capacity to serve students who have been 10 identified as economically disadvantaged and/or academically at-risk for 11 not successfully completing high school or not enrolling in or succeed- 12 ing in college. 13 c. Eligible applicants shall file an application for approval by the 14 commissioner in a timeframe and manner prescribed by the commissioner, 15 demonstrating a need for such funding, including how the funding would 16 be used and how many students would be assisted with such funding. 17 Successful applicants will be funded in accordance with the regulations 18 of the commissioner. 19 4. a. Monies made available under this section shall be spent for the 20 following purposes, as further prescribed by the commissioner in regu- 21 lations of the commissioner: 22 (i) to provide additional staffing for the NYS P-TECH Program, includ- 23 ing but not limited to a program director and college liaison; 24 (ii) for an existing evidence-based and/or standards based curriculum 25 including but not limited to a focus on a career in science, technology, 26 engineering, or math-related career area within a NYS P-TECH Program; 27 (iii) for recruitment activities for eligible students; 28 (iv) to provide professional development to promote the NYS P-TECH 29 Program, including cross-curriculum development between partners and to 30 ensure curriculum alignment that prepares students to succeed in 31 college-level courses while in high school and during career training; 32 (v) up to ten percent of funds awarded under this section may be used 33 to purchase equipment needed to upgrade existing programs or new equip- 34 ment to start a program; provided that a program may seek permission 35 from the commissioner for a waiver of the ten percent cap, and such 36 request must include a justification for why equipment in excess of the 37 cap is necessary to accomplish the goals of the NYS P-TECH Program; 38 (vi) for workshops and planning meetings between partners, including 39 counselors, parents, and college faculty, and business leaders to 40 support program sustainability and build awareness in the district on 41 the benefits of having such programs; 42 (vii) for post-secondary curriculum development that facilitates 43 alignment and articulation with secondary programs leading to college 44 degrees and/or other industry recognized credentials that meet the needs 45 of employers; 46 (viii) for service contracts between members of the partnership; 47 (ix) for transportation for eligible students to take courses and 48 participate in activities at the NYS P-TECH site, at partner employers' 49 locations, and at the partner campus of the higher education partner; 50 and 51 (x) for tuition, books and fees; provided that tuition reimbursement 52 shall only be allowable for non-remedial, credit-bearing college cours- 53 es. 54 b. No funds pursuant to this section shall be made available to 55 support the regular academic programs of any school district or institu- 56 tion or institutions participating in this program, nor shall funds beA. 2932 4 1 provided for programs which are incompatible with the regents plans for 2 the expansion and development of higher education in this state. 3 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. Effective immediately 4 the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces- 5 sary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are 6 authorized to be made on or before such date.