STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6548 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY April 17, 2023 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. SOLAGES, MITAYNES, EPSTEIN, TAYLOR, GONZALEZ-RO- JAS, AUBRY, JACOBSON, SIMON, DAVILA, JACKSON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education AN ACT to establish a task force on educator diversity in New York state; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Task force on educator diversity in New York state. There 2 is hereby established a task force on educator diversity in New York 3 state. The purpose of the task force shall be to conduct a comprehensive 4 study on the presence of educator diversity, state actions taken to 5 promote educator diversity in New York state, and how New York state can 6 encourage new initiatives to enhance and promote educator diversity, 7 including but not limited to: 8 (a) barriers which prevent students of color from entering the teach- 9 ing profession, or remaining in the teaching profession; 10 (b) recruitment and retention efforts; 11 (c) mentorship programs for current educators of color; 12 (d) initiatives aimed at encouraging students of color to enter the 13 teaching profession, also known as 'grow your own' initiatives; 14 (e) scholarship opportunities for students of color who are interested 15 in entering the teaching profession, and other funding mechanisms to 16 assist such students; 17 (f) initiatives that encourage teachers of color to become school 18 leaders and administrators, and barriers that have prevented teachers of 19 color from becoming school leaders and administrators; and 20 (g) reviewing and commenting on reports issued by the state education 21 department related to educator diversity. 22 § 2. a. The task force shall consist of thirteen members to be 23 appointed as follows: (i) five people appointed by the governor; (ii) EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD03820-01-3A. 6548 2 1 four people appointed by the temporary president of the senate; and 2 (iii) four people appointed by the speaker of the assembly. 3 b. The members of the task force shall designate one of the appointees 4 as the chair of the task force. All appointments of members of the task 5 force shall be made no later than thirty days after the effective date 6 of this act. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. 7 The members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their 8 services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses 9 incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to this act. 10 § 3. The task force shall make a report to the governor and legisla- 11 ture of its findings, conclusions and recommendations on or before 12 December 31, 2024. 13 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately, and shall expire and be 14 deemed repealed January 31, 2025.