Authorizes the use of school facilities by not-for-profit or charitable organizations for the operation of after-school programs

Section 2: Amends the Education Law section 414(2) to more clearly authorize trustees or boards of education to determine the terms and conditions for such use of school facilities after school by a not-for-profit or a charitable organization. The trustees or boards of education may provide that either no fee or a minimal fee be imposed upon the not-for-profit or charitable organization in order to encourage the use of such facilities for after school activities that can offer children the opportunity for physical activity, or other activities to stimulate their minds and social skills.

Sections 3 + 4: Amends the Education Law sections 2590-h (27) to promulgate regulations, in conjunction with each community superintendent, establishing a plan for providing access to school facilities in each community school district, when not in use for school purposes. Such plan may provided that no fee or a minimal fee is charged for the use by a not-for-profit or charitable organization that presents some form of education instruction or academic material, or provides physical education, arts instruction, community service or other activities that promote youth development. This is being done to encourage the use of such facilities so that more opportunities can be made available for children to engage in physical activity or other activities to stimulate their minds and social skills.

Section 5: Effective Date.

Justification

This bill helps to facilitate the ability of not-for-profit and charitable organizations to have better access to school facilities to carry out their after school programs. These programs offer young people a chance to improve their social development and promote physical fitness, arts instruction, and community service in a safe and stimulating environment. A number of after school programs operate within school facilities and they receive afterschool academic support, sports and cultural programs. This bill merely encourages more organizations, such as not-for-profit and charitable organizations, to become an additional source of sponsors to conduct such beneficial after school programs for our children.

This bill will authorize school districts to expand their capability to conduct more after school programs that can help keep children off the streets in an unsupervised manner and promote further academic progress and promote physical fitness. Encouraging the use of school facilities for physical education and exercise can help to reduce child obesity, which is a serious and growing public health problem. Child obesity can lead to the early onset of diabetes and respiratory problems. Further, child obesity can lead to a far lower quality of life for individuals as they get older. In addition, by encouraging more low cost after school programs for children, this can help to keep kids off the streets where they have higher likelihood to get in trouble.

Prior legislative history

2014 - S. 2327 - Referred to Education 2012 - S. 3647- Referred to Education 2010 - Referred to Education 2009 - Referred to Rules 2007 - A. 4356 Referred to Education, Reported to Rules 2006 - A. 11941 Referred to Education

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the 180th day after it shall have become law, with provisions.