What's happening
This bill creates a commission to develop new state-specific educational standards and suspends the required use of Common Core tests and curriculum in New York.
Why it matters
Gives New York educators, parents, and stakeholders more direct influence. over the development of educational standards by requiring public hearings across the state and including representatives from teachers' unions, parent associations, school administrators, and psychologists on the commission.
Temporarily halts the use of Common Core tests and curriculum. , meaning schools would not be required to administer or follow these standards while the commission develops new ones, potentially reducing testing stress and shifting classroom focus in the interim.
Requires the creation of educational standards tailored to New York students’ needs. , rather than relying on national models, which could result in standards that better reflect local priorities, student populations, and educational challenges.
Mandates transparency and public input in the standards-setting process. , as commission meetings must follow open meeting laws and include public comment opportunities, increasing accountability and community involvement in shaping education policy.
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Who cares
Headline styles
End Common Core, New Standards
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
15 Co-sponsors
4 Multi-sponsors
History
- Held for consideration in education
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3644
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 30, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. RA, CURRAN, STEC, RAIA, LUPINACCI, MONTESANO, CROUCH, PALMESANO, HAWLEY, DiPIETRO, McDONOUGH, MURRAY, BRABENEC, WALTER, McKEVITT, GRAF, GARBARINO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BARCLAY, GIGLIO, McLAUGHLIN, THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to creating the commission on exceptional standards for New York state
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 115 to read as follows:
§ 115. Commission on exceptional standards for New York state. 1. Definitions. a. "Commission" shall mean the commission on exceptional standards for New York state.
b. "Common core curriculum" shall mean any curriculum developed in furtherance of the common core academic standards developed by the national governors association center for best practices and the council of chief state school officers, including those designed by any commercial entity pursuant to a contract with the New York state department of education.
c. "Common core state test" shall mean any state or consortium created, developed or administered test given in New York state to students in grades pre-kindergarten through twelve that tests a student's knowledge and skills relating to the common core curriculum.
2. Commission on exceptional standards for New York state. a. There is hereby created the commission on exceptional standards for New York state, which shall consist of the following twenty-three members who shall be appointed no less than thirty days after the effective date of this section:
(1) five members shall be appointed by the governor, one of whom shall be the commissioner;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06722-01-7
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(2) two members shall be appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
(3) two members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
(4) two members shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
(5) two members shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly;
(6) three members shall be appointed by the president of New York state united teachers, one of whom must have completed their special education certification and one of whom must provide instruction to English as a second language students;
(7) one member shall be appointed by the executive director of the school administrators association of New York state;
(8) two members shall be appointed by the president of the New York state parent teacher association, one of whom must be a parent of a student with a current individual education plan;
(9) one member shall be appointed by the executive director of the New York state council of school superintendents;
(10) one member shall be appointed by the president of the New York state school boards association;
(11) one member shall be appointed by the president of the New York state association of independent schools; and
(12) one member shall be appointed by the president of the New York state association of school psychologists. Such member shall have experience in a clinical setting.
b. No member of the commission shall be disqualified from holding any public office or employment, nor shall he or she forfeit any such office or employment by virtue of his or her appointment pursuant to this section. Members of the commission shall receive no compensation for their service, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their functions pursuant to this section. A member of the commission may be removed by the appointing authority only for good cause, after notice and opportunity to be heard. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as original appointments.
3. Powers and duties of the commission. a. The commission shall hold at least one public hearing in each of the following regions:
(1) Long Island;
(2) New York city;
(3) Hudson valley;
(4) Capital district;
(5) North country;
(6) Central New York;
(7) Finger lakes;
(8) Western New York; and
(9) Southern tier.
b. During the public hearings, the commission shall hear the testimony of voluntary witnesses, may compel the testimony of witnesses and may require the production of any documents the commission deems reasonably necessary to carry out its responsibilities.
c. The commission shall have the power to:
(1) appoint a chairperson by a majority vote;
(2) call upon any agency, department, office, division or public authority, or school district of this state to supply it with such information and assistance as the commission deems necessary to discharge its responsibilities. Each agency, department, office, division or school district of this state shall cooperate with the commis-
A. 3644 3
sion and furnish such information and assistance as it requests to accomplish its purposes;
(3) appoint a counsel and such other staff as the commission deems reasonably necessary to carry out its responsibilities;
(4) contract with any state or private entity for the provision of such services as the commission determines to be reasonably necessary; and
(5) take other actions not inconsistent with the purposes of this section as shall enable the commission to carry out its function.
d. Meetings of the commission shall be subject to the open meetings law established by article seven of the public officers law.
e. After review, study, and receipt of public comment, the commission shall issue a report and promulgate recommendations on a new set of state-wide educational standards for this state. Recommendations shall include, but shall not be limited to, development of a new set of statewide educational standards targeted specifically towards students of this state.
f. Recommendations issued by the commission shall be contained in a report to the governor and legislature. The report shall be issued no later than January thirty-first, two thousand eighteen.
4. Suspension of common core testing. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the department of education shall be prohibited from requiring any school or school district in the state to issue a common core state test as defined by subdivision one of this section.
5. Suspension of common core curriculum. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the department of education shall be prohibited from requiring any school or school district in the state to implement a common core curriculum as defined by subdivision one of this section.
§ 2. 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.