Authorizes a comprehensive study on the fiscal implications, benefits and consequences of providing year round public schooling

BILL NUMBER:A9729

Title of bill

An act in relation to authorizing a comprehensive study on the fiscal implications, benefits and consequences of providing year round public schooling for grades kindergarten through twelve; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

Purpose or general idea of bill

Authorizes a comprehensive study on the fiscal implications, benefits and consequences of providing year round public schooling.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1: Directs the New York State Department of Education to conduct a study on the financial impact, benefits and consequences of implementing year round public school in New York State.

Section 2: Stipulates the findings of the study will be delivered to the Governor, the Senate President Pro Tem, Speaker of the Assembly within one year of the effective date of this act.

Section 3: Effective Date

Justification

There are a multitude of opinions on what education action is needed to best serve students across the state. But one thing is undeniable, New York State, particularly our urban centers, is not living up to its standards in terms of ensuring every able child has access to high quality education and the opportunity to achieve. This legislation, through the Department of Education, will examine and report whether some sort of year round schooling or alternative scholastic calendar is feasible and whether it has the potential to produce the desired results everyone seeks in New York's education system.

New York State currently spends more per pupil than any other state in the United States, with a negligible return on our investment in terms of student achievement. American Students are continually trailing foreign students who attend some form of year round schooling in most measurable academic categories, particularly math and sciences, While those two examples highlight both the financial and educational impetus to conduct this feasibility study, there is also an important social aspect many students in New York confront daily that inhibits their ability to excel academically. In our most economically challenged cities and neighborhoods where academic underperformance is the most common too often New York's students have a weak family or 'social structure to compliment formal schooling when school is recessed. A year round academic calendar will provide some degree of constant educational influence in every New York student's lives.

Prior legislative history

This is a new bill.

Fiscal implications

None

Effective date

This Act shall take effect immediately and shall remain in effect until the ninetieth day after submission of the report specified in section two of this act, when upon such date the provisions of this act shall expire and be deemed repealed.