Bill Text: NY S05960 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Authorizes the commissioner of education to implement a purple star schools program to recognize schools and school districts which demonstrate a commitment to assisting military-connected students and their families.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - REFERRED TO EDUCATION [S05960 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S05960-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          5960

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                     March 23, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by Sen. SCARCELLA-SPANTON -- read twice and ordered printed,
          and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education

        AN ACT to amend the  education  law,  in  relation  to  authorizing  the
          commissioner of education to implement a purple star schools program

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

     1    Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new
     2  subdivision 60 to read as follows:
     3    60. The commissioner shall establish a "purple star  schools  program"
     4  to recognize schools and school districts which demonstrate a commitment
     5  to assisting military-connected students and their families.
     6    a.  The commissioner, or his or her designee, shall designate a school
     7  as a "purple star  school"  upon  application  of  a  school  or  school
     8  district which:
     9    (i)  has  designated a staff member as a military liaison whose duties
    10  include: (A) identifying military-connected  students  enrolled  in  the
    11  district;  (B)  serving  as  the  point of contact between the school or
    12  school district and such students; (C)  determining  appropriate  campus
    13  services  available to military-connected students; and (D) assisting in
    14  coordinating campus programs relevant to military-connected students;
    15    (ii) maintains on its website an easily accessible page that  includes
    16  resources  for military-connected students and their families, including
    17  information regarding: (A) relocation to,  enrollment  at,  registration
    18  at,  and  transferring  records  to  the  campus; (B) academic planning,
    19  course sequences, and advanced classes  available  at  the  campus;  (C)
    20  counseling  and  other support services available for military-connected
    21  students enrolled at the campus; (D)  the  military  liaison  designated
    22  under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph, and the liaison's duties under
    23  such  subparagraph;  and (E) the state military family education liaison
    24  designated pursuant to section thirty-three hundred eight of this  chap-
    25  ter;

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD01126-01-3
        S. 5960                             2

     1    (iii)  maintains a transition program led by students, where appropri-
     2  ate, that assists military-connected students in transitioning into  the
     3  campus;
     4    (iv)  offers  professional  development  for  staff  members on issues
     5  related to military-connected students;
     6    (v) for purposes of monitoring academic progress of military-connected
     7  students, includes an identifier on the student record  of  a  military-
     8  connected  student  and  include  in  the  basic educational data system
     9  reports (BEDS), the number of military-connected  students  enrolled  in
    10  such school or school district; and
    11    (vi)  the  board  of education or other person or entity authorized to
    12  act on behalf of the school or school district has either: (A) issued  a
    13  resolution,  proclamation,  or  other  official statement of support for
    14  military-connected students and their families; or (B) issued  a  resol-
    15  ution,  proclamation,  or other official statement recognizing the month
    16  of April as the "month of the military child" and/or the month of Novem-
    17  ber as "military family month" and has hosted events on campus celebrat-
    18  ing either or both; or (C) entered into a partnership  with  a  military
    19  installation,  national  guard  armory  or  reserve center that provides
    20  opportunities for military members to volunteer at the campus, speak  at
    21  an assembly, host a field trip, or participate in such other educational
    22  activities as the commissioner or his or her designee deem appropriate.
    23    b.  A  school  or  school  district  may partner with a third party to
    24  provide those services and initiatives specified under  paragraph  a  of
    25  this subdivision.
    26    c. The commissioner may promulgate rules to effectuate the purposes of
    27  this subdivision.
    28    d.  As  used in this subdivision, "military-connected student" means a
    29  school-aged child enrolled in kindergarten through twelfth grade in  the
    30  household  of  an  active  duty  member of the United States military, a
    31  reserve force of the United States military, the  organized  militia  of
    32  this state or any other state.
    33    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.