Permits a parent or guardian of twins or higher order multiples to request that such children be placed in the same classroom or separate classrooms

4 Co-sponsors

• Liz Krueger
• William J. Larkin Jr.
• George D. Maziarz
• Thomas P. Morahan

Title of bill

An act to amend the education law, in relation to permitting parents or guardians of twins or higher order multiples to request placement of such children in the same classroom or separate classrooms

Purpose

To allow parents to request that their children be placed in the same classroom or in separate classrooms if the children are in the same grade level at the same school.

Summary of provisions

Adds a new section 3210-a to the education law to:

1. Allow a parent or guardian of twins or higher order multiples to request the children be placed in the same classroom. A school must provide the placement requested by the children's parent or guardian, unless the school board makes a classroom placement determination following the school principal's request. The parent/guardian must request placement no later than 14 days after the first day of school each year; or by 14 days after the first day of attendance of the children during a school year if enrollment occurs after commencement of the school year.

2. At the end of the initial grading period if the school principal in consultation with the children's classroom teacher determines the placement to be disruptive to the school, the principal may request the school board to determine the children's placement.

Justification

Recent studies in the Netherlands, and another joint project of the Institute of Psychiatry at Kings College, London and the University of Wisconsin compared 878 pairs of twins from age 5 to 7 and found that twins separated early were observed to be more anxious and emotionally distressed than those who remained in the same class. The British/American study further noted this was especially true for identical twins. This study also found that twins separated had lower reading scores.

In 2005, Minnesota became the first state to allow parents to decide how children of multiple births would be educated. A similar bill has been introduced in Illinois and Texas, Massachusetts and North Carolina are on the verge of introducing legislation in this area.

Legislative history

S.2074 of 2007-08 (Passed Senate); S.7191/A.11012 of 2006

Fiscal implications

None.

Local fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

Immediately, provided however that the Commissioner of Education has 90 days from the date on which it shall have become a law, to add, amend and/or repeal any rules or regulations necessary for the implementation of this act.