What's happening
This bill creates a city-wide council for New York City's District 75 to advise and report on special education services.
Why it matters
Direct parent and expert involvement. By requiring most council members to be parents of students receiving District 75 services, and including appointees with expertise in special education, the council ensures that decisions and recommendations are informed by lived experience and specialized knowledge.
Accountability and transparency. The council must issue annual reports assessing how well the city is serving District 75 students and make recommendations for improvement, providing a formal mechanism for oversight and public scrutiny of special education services.
Public engagement on special education. Monthly open meetings invite input from families and the public, creating a dedicated forum for community voices and concerns to be heard and addressed regarding the needs of students with significant disabilities.
New avenue for student representation. Including a non-voting high school senior as a council member gives students in District 75 a chance to represent their peers’ perspectives at the advisory level, helping ensure that policies consider student experiences directly.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Create Special Ed Parent Council
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Create Special Ed Parent Council
In Senate Committee · Education · Sponsor Kevin S. Parker
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6734
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 16, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. O'DONNELL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to creating a city-wide council for district seventy-five
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 2590-b of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 8 to read as follows:
8. (a) There shall be a city-wide council for district seventy-five created pursuant to this section. The city-wide council for district seventy-five shall consist of eleven voting members and one non-voting member, as follows:
(i) nine voting members who shall be parents of students receiving city-wide special education services in district seventy-five to be selected by parents of students who receive such services pursuant to a representative process developed by the chancellor. Such members shall serve a two year term;
(ii) two voting members appointed by the public advocate of the city of New York, who shall be individuals with extensive experience and knowledge in the areas of educating, training or employing individuals with handicapping conditions and will make a significant contribution to improving special education in the city district. Such members shall serve a two year term; and
(iii) one non-voting member who is a high school senior within district seventy-five appointed by the administrator designated by the chancellor to supervise special education programs. Such member shall serve a one year term.
(b) The city-wide council for district seventy-five shall have the power to:
(i) advise and comment on any educational or instructional policy involving the provision of district seventy-five services;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10586-01-7
A. 6734 2
(ii) issue an annual report on the effectiveness of the city district in providing services to district seventy-five students and making recommendations, as appropriate, on how to improve the efficiency and delivery of such services; and
(iii) hold at least one meeting per month open to the public and during which the public may discuss issues facing district seventy-five students.
(c) Vacancies shall be filled for an unexpired term by the city-wide council for district seventy-five, pursuant to a process developed by the chancellor that shall include consultation with district seventyfive parents; provided however, that where a vacancy occurs in a position appointed by the public advocate, the public advocate shall appoint a member to serve the remainder of the unexpired term.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately, provided, however, that the amendments to section 2590-b of the education law made by section one of this act shall not affect the expiration of such section and expire and be deemed repealed therewith.
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.