What's happening
This bill requires New York schools to provide educational materials promoting understanding and acceptance of children with disabilities through grade twelve.
Why it matters
Expands disability education through high school. By requiring materials for grades K-12 instead of just K-6, the bill ensures that lessons on understanding and accepting children with disabilities continue through students' entire school experience, not just early years.
Aims to reduce bullying and foster inclusion. The legislative findings explicitly link the need for this education to decreasing bullying, suggesting a focus on changing school culture and peer interactions, which could benefit both students with and without disabilities.
Involves expert input and relevant organizations. The bill allows the Board of Regents to consult with disability providers, museums, and educational organizations, raising the likelihood that materials will be accurate, current, and sensitive to the real experiences of people with disabilities.
Applies to both public and private schools. By including all schools under the Board of Regents' purview, the bill ensures a broader, more consistent impact across New York's diverse educational environments.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Teach Disability History
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 55
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1019
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 6, 2017
Introduced by Sens. FUNKE, GALLIVAN, KENNEDY, LARKIN, YOUNG -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to instruction on the history of people with disabilities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature has determined that it is necessary and appropriate to take steps to encourage greater knowledge and to decrease bullying in our schools.
In this regard, many states have already enacted school-based programs to improve the understanding and acceptance of children with disabilities. The legislature now finds and declares that the New York Board of Regents should make available to students, teachers and administrators in public and private schools resources that will encourage greater understanding and acceptance of children with disabilities as defined in section forty-four hundred one of the education law.
§ 2. Subdivision 5 of section 801 of the education law, as added by chapter 265 of the laws of 2000, is amended to read as follows:
5. The regents shall make available to all elementary and secondary schools in the state [suitable curriculum materials to] educational materials to be distributed either by mail or electronically which aid in the instruction of pupils in grades kindergarten through [six] twelve in the understanding and acceptance of children with disabilities as defined in section forty-four hundred one of this chapter. The regents may consult with disability providers, the museum of disability, educational organizations or others as they may see fit.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law, and shall apply to all school years which commence on or after its effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04166-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to instruction on the history of people with disabilities
Purpose
This bill would expand the law to direct the New York State Board of Regents to make educational materials on the understanding and acceptance of children with disabilities available for the instruction of children in grades kindergarten through twelve. Currently the law only covers grades kindergarten through six.
Summary of provisions
Subdivision 5 of section 801 of the Education Law is amended to include grades seven to twelfth grade in the instruction in the understanding and acceptance of people with disabilities.
Justification
Chapter 265 of the laws of 2000 was enacted to promote the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act which requires a less restrictive educational environment for students with disabilities. As more students with disabilities are placed in mainstream classrooms, the need to promote tolerance and acceptance is a core component of teaching good citizenship.
Current law requires the NYS Board of Regents to create a curriculum that promotes mutual respect and understanding of people with disabilities to elementary school students. The intent of this legislation is to expand the current law to make the instructional materials available to instructors for children in seventh through twelfth grade.
It is the State's responsibility to provide a sound basic education to all students. Included in the learning standards of the NYS Board of Regents are goals to provide an educational framework that promotes citizenship and civic responsibility. Previous legislation made it possible for elementary schools (grades kindergarten through sixth grade) to promote better understanding of youth with disabilities, and this legislation serves as the next logical step.
Additionally, this bill authorizes the regents to consult with stakeholders in the disability field such as the Museum of Disability.
The Museum of Disability History located in Western New York has worked with teachers, special educators, advocates and parents of children with disabilities to establish educational materials for grades K-12 that highlights the history of people with disabilities, with a strong focus on awareness, sensitivity and diversity. Pilot programs in Western New York area schools have shown these educational materials are highly effective in the classroom.
These educational materials are free and readily accessible on the web, adding no cost to schools or the state.
Legislative history
S2962 of 2015-2016: Referred to Finance/ Referred to Education. S1703 of 2013-2014: Passed Senate. S.2352/A.8466 of 2011-2012: Passed Senate. S.7930/A.10652 of 2009-2010 died in Education.
Fiscal implications
None to the state.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law, and shall apply to all school years which commence on or after its effective date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.