What's happening
This bill repeals the law on school takeovers and requires priority schools to become community schools with expanded services, appropriating funds for conversion and operation.
Why it matters
Shifts the approach to struggling schools. from state-led takeovers and restructuring (which are often controversial and disruptive) to a model focused on community collaboration, support services, and local needs, which may foster more sustainable, positive changes.
Mandates comprehensive needs assessments. for each priority school, ensuring that expanded resources—like health and mental health services—are tailored to the unique challenges and contexts of individual school communities.
Provides significant, multi-year funding. ($175 million total over two years) to support both the initial conversion process and ongoing operations, signaling a longer-term investment in student and family well-being rather than short-term fixes.
Redefines the role of schools. in high-need areas, positioning them as community hubs that serve students and families holistically—not just as academic institutions—which could have broad impacts on local health, stability, and educational outcomes.
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Who cares
School districts with priority schools
They would have to convert those schools into community schools during 2017-2018, with $75 million in grants that year and $100 million in 2018-2019 for conversion and operating costs.
Students at priority schools and their families
They would gain expanded health, mental health and other services under plans based on comprehensive school and community needs assessments.
State Education Department
The department would administer the grants, while the education commissioner would approve conversion plans.
Health, mental health and other service agencies
Community schools would partner with one or more agencies to provide school-based and school-linked programs and services.
Headline styles
Turn Failing Schools Community Hubs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2025
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 17, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. FAHY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT relating to converting priority schools into community schools; to repeal section 211-f of the education law, relating to takeover and restructuring failing schools; and making an appropriation therefor
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 211-f of the education law is REPEALED.
§ 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, all schools identified by the commissioner of education of the state of New York as a priority school shall be converted into a community school to provide expanded health, mental health, and other services to the students and their families pursuant to a plan approved by the commissioner of education based on a comprehensive school and community needs assessment. Furthermore, a community school shall mean a school that partners with one or more agencies with an integrated focus on rigorous academics and the fostering of a positive and supportive learning environment, and a range of school-based and school-linked programs and services that lead to improved student learning, stronger families, and healthier communities. School districts shall convert priority schools into community schools pursuant to this act during the 2017-2018 school year.
§ 3. The sum of seventy-five million dollars ($75,000,000), is hereby appropriated to the state education department out of any monies in the state treasury in the general fund to the credit of the state purposes account not otherwise appropriated. Such monies shall be payable on the audit and warrant of the comptroller on vouchers certified or approved by the state education department to fund grants to school districts which are converting schools to community schools pursuant to section two of this act for the purpose of funding the costs of such conversion and the operating costs associated with a community school. Such funds
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02679-01-7
A. 2025 2
appropriated herein shall be used to pay grants to qualifying school districts in the 2017-2018 school year.
§ 4. The sum of one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000), is hereby appropriated to the state education department out of any monies in the state treasury in the general fund to the credit of the state purposes account not otherwise appropriated. Such monies shall be payable on the audit and warrant of the comptroller on vouchers certified or approved by the state education department to fund grants to school districts which are converting schools to community schools pursuant to section two of this act for the purpose of funding the costs of such conversion and the operating costs associated with a community school. Such funds appropriated herein shall be used to pay grants to qualifying school districts in the 2018-2019 school year.
§ 5. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.