S6825 — Enacts the "public education racial equity and diversity act"

Summary

Relates to promoting equity and diversity in educational leadership and prioritize the issuance of new charters to community-based organizations run by individuals from historically underrepresented communities.

Bill Text

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This bill amends 1 section(s) of the New York Consolidated Laws: Section 679-j of the education law.

• Section 679-j of the education law

  or . , , and . in or in or five , in excess of twenty thousand dollars → , generally, and the number of teachers serving in the state who meet the ethnic definition of minority group member, specifically ; or (iv) the applicant meets the ethnic definition of minority group member as defined in article fifteen-A of the executive law. : italics (a) ; (b) ; and (c) the term "minority group member" shall mean a United States citi- zen or permanent resident alien who is and can demonstrate membership in one of the following groups: (i) Black persons having origins in any of the Black African racial groups; (ii) Hispanic/Latino persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Cuban, Central or South American of either Indian or Hispanic origin, regardless of race; (iii) Native American or Alaskan native persons having origins in any of the original peoples of North America; (iv) Asian and Pacific Islander persons having origins in any of the Far East countries, South East Asia, the Indian subcontinent or the Pacific Islands. in in , or (iii) who meet the ethnic definition of minority group member in in , or (iii) who meet the ethnic definition of minority group member ten § 3004-d. Alternative teacher certification requirements. 1. Teacher certification compliance. An education corporation may submit to their charter authorizer and a district school may submit to its local educa- tion agency as defined in section three thousand thirty-two of this article, for approval of an instructional program as defined in subdivi- sion two of this section for teachers who meet the ethnic definition of minority group member set forth in article fifteen-A of the executive law as well as the requirements set forth in this section. The require- ments of an approved instructional program under this section shall be considered equivalent to the certification requirements applicable to other public schools of the state for the purposes of paragraph (a-1) of subdivision three of section twenty-eight hundred fifty-four of this chapter. For the purposes of this section the term "applicant" shall refer to any education corporation or district school who submits for approval of an instructional program pursuant to this section. 2. Instructional program. An applicant may at any time submit a proposed instructional program to its charter authorizer or local educa- tion agency for approval. If a charter authorizer has denied an applica- tion or revoked or closed an instructional program, the applicant may submit a revised proposed instructional program to its charter authoriz- er. In order to be eligible to apply, an applicant shall be approved to operate at least one school. An instructional program shall not be eligible for approval unless it meets the minimum requirements set forth in this section. 3. Academic success requirements. a. The applicant shall have a demon- strated record of academic success as follows: (i) For an education corporation, fifty percent of applicant's charter schools with students participating in grades three through eight state administered standardized English language arts and mathematic assess- ments examinations shall have performed better on such examinations than the district schools in the school districts in which the charter schools are located; (ii) For an education corporation that offers instruction in the high school grades, such charter schools shall have met sixty percent of their accountability plan pursuant to the performance agreement with their charter authorizer; or (iii) For an education corporation that offers instruction in grades three through eight and the high school grades, the applicant's charter authorizer shall weigh the grades accordingly; or (iv) For district schools that primarily offers education to a special population, including a student with disabilities or a student who is an English language learner, such schools shall have performed better than the students of the applicable special population in the school districts in which the charter school is located and at lea

  amended

Action History

1. January 07, 2026

   REFERRED TO EDUCATION

2. March 25, 2025

   REFERRED TO EDUCATION

Sponsors

• Leroy Comrie · Primary

Subjects