Directs the commissioner of education to establish and implement a museum education grant program

6 Co-sponsors

• Fredrick J. Akshar II
• Rich Funke
• George Latimer
• Robert Ortt
• Michael H. Ranzenhofer
• José M. Serrano

Title of bill

An act to amend the arts and cultural affairs law, in relation to providing educational services aid to eligible museums, historical societies and other cultural institutions chartered by the board of regents for the provision of curriculum-based educational programs for students and teachers in grades pre-kindergarten through twelve and adults enrolled in continuing education programs in low-income urban, suburban and rural communities

Purpose

Museums and other eligible institutions would have access to grant funding to conduct curriculum-based educational programs for students and teachers in grades pre-kindergarten through twelve and adults enrolled in continuing education programs. The grants are competitive in nature and can be used for the production of curricula, acquisition of specialized educational or interpretive skills, the acquisition of specialized educational technology, the preparation of specialized educational exhibition or public programming, the development and delivery of continuing education programs, the transportation of students to a museum, historical society, zoo, botanical garden or aquarium, and other programs that support the development and delivery of curriculum-based programs in museums and other eligible institutions with collections. The funding is broken down by the budget size of the applying institution so that institutions of the same size and capacity would be competing against each other.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 Statement of legislative findings and intent.

Section 2 Short Title "museum education act"

Section 3 Arts and cultural affairs law amended by adding a new section 61.15 to direct the commissioner of education to develop and implement a museum education grant program.

Section 4 Contains the effective date

Justification

New York State has more museums, historical societies, zoos, botanical gardens and aquariums than any other state, many of which are among the leading art, history, science, and natural history institutions in the world. As many as 60 million visitors, including over 6 million school children, visit New York's museums and institutions each year, the economic impact of which is well into the billions of dollars statewide. However, many of these major tourist and educational destinations are struggling financially to keep their doors open and provide the services students and adult learners need. Since 2008, school districts statewide have been forced to cut their budgets and many have unfortunately cut transportation budgets once used to transport students to their local and regional museums and institutions. This unfortunate reality has effectively cutoff many of New York's students from learning field trips and, in turn, harmed the museums and institutions they once visited. The MEA will help end this practice and get our students and adult learners back to the museums and institutions eager to serve them, all at no cost to local school districts. And in doing so, it will strengthen the educational competitiveness of New York's students and adult learners while strengthening the economy in the process.

Legislative history

New Bill FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

To be Determined

Effective date

The act takes effect one year after it becomes law.