Bill Text: NY S06087 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Relates to continuing the early college high school programs and the pathways in technology early college high school programs in this state.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2018-01-03 - REFERRED TO EDUCATION [S06087 Detail]
Download: New_York-2017-S06087-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6087 2017-2018 Regular Sessions IN SENATE May 11, 2017 ___________ Introduced by Sen. MARCELLINO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to continuing the early college high school program and the 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. Legislative intent. The legislature hereby finds and 2 declares it necessary to preserve and continue the New York state early 3 college high school program and the New York state pathways in technolo- 4 gy early college high school program (P-TECH program) in this state 5 which provide various students, including those traditionally underrep- 6 resented in post-secondary education, with the opportunity to access 7 college-level courses and college degree credits at the high school 8 level with the combined support of high school and college staff and 9 resources, and for P-TECH programs, career training and employment in a 10 highly skilled job upon completion of the program. 11 The early college high school program not only increases students' 12 access to higher education, but also reduces potential costs for 13 students in completing college degrees by allowing them to either 14 complete a degree upon graduation from high school or to apply their 15 earned college credits towards an associate's or baccalaureate's degree. 16 This innovative program provides incentives to high school students to 17 proceed to college and to earn a college degree by accelerating their 18 overall completion of a degree. It also better prepares them for 19 college-level coursework, which, will in turn, increase their academic 20 performance. Ultimately, this program increases graduation rates both at 21 the high school and college levels, especially for academically at-risk 22 students. 23 The P-TECH program, through a public-private partnership, prepares 24 thousands of New York students for high-skill jobs of the future in EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD11589-01-7S. 6087 2 1 technology, manufacturing, healthcare and finance. The P-TECH program 2 provides students with a rigorous, relevant and cost-free high school 3 and college education and a workplace learning environment with ongoing 4 mentoring by professionals in the chosen career sector to better prepare 5 these students for successful careers. Students also receive a commit- 6 ment from the participating employer to be first in line for consider- 7 ation for a job following completion of the program. Ultimately, this 8 program increases graduation rates both at the high school and college 9 levels and provides essential career training for academically at-risk, 10 disadvantaged students, which at the completion of the program leads 11 these students to a skilled job. 12 The legislature hereby finds and declares it necessary to provide 13 funding for these programs to ensure that they continue in operation and 14 continue to provide students with these valuable services. 15 The legislature also finds and declares it necessary to provide addi- 16 tional funding for the state education department to administer and 17 evaluate these critical programs. These funds will support program staff 18 to supplement the oversight already being provided to these programs, 19 and ensure the timely and accurate analysis of data to further enhance 20 and validate these programs. 21 § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6457 to read 22 as follows: 23 § 6457. Grant awards for New York state early college high school 24 programs. 1. Subject to an appropriation, the commissioner shall allo- 25 cate funds available for early college high school programs for the 26 purposes of increasing high school graduation rates for academically 27 at-risk, disadvantaged and/or economically disadvantaged students and to 28 increase their participation in post-secondary education through a 29 network of early college high school partnerships in the state. 30 2. For the purposes of this section: 31 a. "approved early college high school program" means a formal part- 32 nership between a school district and at least one institution of higher 33 education, approved by the commissioner in accordance with the regu- 34 lations of the commissioner and the request for proposals process, which 35 provides eligible students enrolled in such program with high school 36 courses leading to the granting of a high school diploma and college- 37 level courses leading to the granting of at least twenty-four college 38 credits and up to a post-secondary degree or diploma from a partner 39 institution of higher education at no cost to the student or student's 40 family. 41 b. "early college high school" means a public high school that offers 42 an approved early college high school program to its students; 43 c. "eligible applicant" means a New York state school district with an 44 approved early college high school program which partners with a not- 45 for-profit higher education institution to offer college-level courses 46 leading to the granting of at least twenty-four college credits and up 47 to a post-secondary degree or diploma, or a not-for-profit higher educa- 48 tion institution registered with the department which partners with a 49 New York state school district to offer an approved early college high 50 school program; 51 d. "eligible student" means a student who: 52 (i) is a resident of the school district in which the early college 53 high school is located and is enrolled in such school district; and 54 (ii) is registered to attend such high school for the academic years 55 for which the grant award is being sought.S. 6087 3 1 3. Monies made available under this section shall be spent for the 2 following purposes as further prescribed by the commissioner in the 3 request for proposals process: 4 a. to provide additional staffing for the early college high school 5 program, including a program director and college liaison; 6 b. student recruitment activities; 7 c. to provide professional development to promote the early college 8 high school program, including cross-curriculum development between 9 secondary and post-secondary education partners to ensure curriculum 10 alignment that prepares students to succeed in college level courses 11 while in high school; 12 d. academic and social support services to promote college readiness 13 and a college-going culture; 14 e. transportation for students to take courses and participate in 15 activities at the partner campus of the higher education partner; and 16 f. tuition, books and fees; provided however that tuition reimburse- 17 ment shall only be allowable for non-remedial, credit-bearing college 18 courses. 19 4. The commissioner shall make awards to eligible applicants for an 20 approved early college high school program through a competitive request 21 for proposals process. The funding cycle for this program shall be for 22 five years commencing with the two thousand eighteen--two thousand nine- 23 teen academic year, with a new grant cycle commencing every five years. 24 The program cycle shall be September first to August thirty-first annu- 25 ally. 26 a. The commissioner shall prioritize partnerships that demonstrate the 27 willingness and capacity to serve students who have been identified as 28 economically disadvantaged and/or academically at-risk for not success- 29 fully completing high school or not enrolling in or succeeding in 30 college. 31 b. Priority shall also be given to early college high school programs 32 that were funded by the department under a prior request for proposals 33 process, based upon demonstration of successful student outcomes as 34 determined by the commissioner in regulations. 35 5. Eligible institutions shall file an application for approval by the 36 commissioner in a timeframe and manner prescribed by the commissioner, 37 demonstrating a need for such funding, including how the funding would 38 be used and how many students would be assisted with such funding. 39 Successful applicants will be funded as provided in accordance with the 40 request for proposals process. 41 6. No funds pursuant to this section shall be made available to 42 support the regular academic programs of any institution participating 43 in this program, nor shall funds be provided for programs which are 44 incompatible with the regents plan for the expansion and development of 45 higher education in this state. 46 § 3. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6458 to read 47 as follows: 48 § 6458. Grant awards for pathways in technology early college high 49 school (P-TECH) programs. 1. Subject to an appropriation, the commis- 50 sioner shall allocate the funds available for P-TECH programs for the 51 purposes of preparing eligible academically at-risk and/or economically 52 disadvantaged students for high-skill jobs including, but not limited to 53 those in science, technology, engineering, manufacturing, healthcare and 54 finance through a six-year academic program that combines high school, 55 college and career training. 56 2. For the purposes of this section:S. 6087 4 1 a. "approved pathways in technology early college high school (P-TECH) 2 program" means a New York state P-TECH program, approved by the commis- 3 sioner in accordance with the regulations of the commissioner and the 4 request for proposals process, which provides eligible students enrolled 5 in such program with high school courses leading to the granting of a 6 high school diploma and college-level courses leading to the granting of 7 a post-secondary degree or diploma at a partnering college approved by 8 the department and career training with an eligible partnering employer; 9 b. "eligible applicant" means a New York state school district, which 10 must serve as the fiscal agent. The eligible applicant may work in coop- 11 eration with other school districts, a board of cooperative educational 12 services, or any combination of these entities with a partnership that 13 includes: 14 (i) one or more New York state not-for-profit higher education insti- 15 tutions provided that at least one institution offers an associate's 16 degree (or other two-year degree that is the industry standard for the 17 targeted jobs) linked to the goals of the approved P-TECH program, and 18 which awards the degree at no cost to the student/family; and 19 (ii) a regional New York state employer (or consortium of employers 20 from related sectors) and/or industry/entity/association that requires 21 highly skilled employees which will utilize the knowledge and skills 22 obtained from the secondary and post-secondary programs proposed under 23 the application and agrees to place students who successfully complete 24 the program first in line for a job; and 25 c. "eligible student" means a student who: 26 (i) is a resident of the school district, or a resident of a component 27 district of a consortium applicant, in which the P-TECH program is 28 located and is enrolled in such school district; and 29 (ii) is registered to attend such high school for the academic years 30 for which the grant award is being sought. 31 3. Monies made available under this section shall be spent for the 32 following purposes, as further prescribed by the commissioner in the 33 request for proposals process: 34 a. existing evidence-based and/or standards based curriculum that 35 focuses on a career in science, technology, engineering or math-related 36 career area within a P-TECH program; 37 b. recruitment activities for eligible students; 38 c. to provide professional development to promote the P-TECH program, 39 including cross-curriculum development between partners and to ensure 40 curriculum alignment that prepares students to succeed in college level 41 courses while in high school and during career training; 42 d. up to ten percent of funds awarded under this section may be used 43 for eligible applicants to purchase equipment needed to upgrade existing 44 programs or new equipment to start a program; 45 e. workshops and planning meetings between partners, including counse- 46 lors, parents, and college faculty, and business leaders to support 47 program sustainability and build awareness in the regions on the bene- 48 fits of having such programs; 49 f. post-secondary curriculum development that facilitates alignment 50 and articulation with secondary programs leading to college degrees 51 and/or other industry recognized credentials that meet the needs of 52 employers; 53 g. service contracts between members of the partnership; 54 h. transportation for eligible students to take courses and partic- 55 ipate in activities at the partner campus of the higher education part- 56 ner; andS. 6087 5 1 i. tuition, books and fees; provided that tuition reimbursement shall 2 only be allowable for non-remedial, credit-bearing college courses. 3 4. The commissioner shall make grant awards to eligible applicants for 4 an approved P-TECH program. 5 a. Funds must first be set aside for those approved P-TECH programs 6 that were funded under the previous request for proposals process for 7 any cohort of students in such program so they can obtain a cost-free 8 associate's degree. 9 b. The commissioner may also make awards to eligible applicants for an 10 approved P-TECH program through a competitive request for proposals 11 process. The funding cycle for this program shall be for seven years 12 commencing with the two thousand twenty-one--two thousand twenty-two 13 academic year, subject to an appropriation, with a new grant cycle 14 commencing every seven years. 15 c. The commissioner shall prioritize partnerships that demonstrate the 16 willingness and capacity to serve students who have been identified as 17 economically disadvantaged or academically disadvantaged and at-risk for 18 not successfully completing high school or not enrolling in or succeed- 19 ing in college. 20 d. For awards made under a new request for proposals process, priority 21 shall also be given to P-TECH programs that were funded by the depart- 22 ment under a prior request for proposals process, based upon demon- 23 stration of successful student outcomes as determined by the commission- 24 er in regulations. 25 5. Eligible applicants shall file an application for approval by the 26 commissioner in a timeframe and manner prescribed by the commissioner, 27 demonstrating a need for such funding, including how the funding would 28 be used and how many students would be assisted with such funding. 29 Successful applicants will be funded as provided in accordance with 30 regulations of the commissioner and the request for proposals process. 31 6. No funds pursuant to this section shall be made available to 32 support the regular academic programs of any institution participating 33 in this program, nor shall funds be provided for programs which are 34 incompatible with the regents plan for the expansion and development of 35 higher education in this state. 36 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
