What's happening
This bill creates a new career and practical education pathway to a high school diploma, offering alternative requirements focused on practical skills and work-based learning.
Why it matters
Expands diploma options. By allowing a new pathway based on practical and career education, this bill recognizes that not all students thrive under traditional academic requirements, potentially reducing dropout rates and increasing engagement for those more interested in hands-on or vocational learning.
Equity and inclusiveness. The CPE pathway must be made available to all students, including those with disabilities and English language learners, aiming to provide broader access to meaningful graduation options and future employment opportunities.
Alignment with workforce needs. By emphasizing work-based learning, employability profiles, and coursework in fields like agriculture, health, and technical education, the bill prepares students with skills directly relevant to local labor markets and industries, helping fill workforce gaps.
Local flexibility and oversight. The Board of Regents will set specific requirements and curricula, ensuring statewide standards while allowing districts some flexibility to tailor programs to community needs and student interests.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create Career Diploma Option
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to education
- Reported and committed to finance
- Notice of committee consideration - requested
- 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 Career Diploma Pathway
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor Thomas Abinanti
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
253
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 4, 2017
Introduced by Sen. KAMINSKY -- 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 creating the career and practical education pathway to a high school diploma
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 817 to read as follows:
§ 817. Career and practical education pathway to a high school diploma. 1. a. A career and practical education (CPE) pathway to a high school diploma is hereby established. A CPE pathway to a diploma, made available by a school district shall:
(i) result in a general diploma;
(ii) differ from the traditional requirements to a general diploma with respect to required assessments, except as otherwise required by federal law; and
(iii) be made available to all students, including students with disabilities and English language learners.
b. A CPE pathway to a diploma shall be based on a course of study designed to provide students with practical knowledge and skills and shall demonstrate that the student is ready for a career as determined by regulations of the board of regents. A CPE pathway to a diploma shall include, but not be limited to:
(i) completion of a CPE course of study;
(ii) completion of school given final exams;
(iii) completion of work-based learning experiences as provided by the state approved program; and
(iv) completion of a work-skills employability profile.
c. For purposes of this section, a career and practical education shall include, but not be limited to, a course of study in the following
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03963-01-7
S. 253 2
career fields: agriculture education, business and marketing education, family and consumer sciences education, health occupations education, technical education, technology education, practical arts education and trade and industrial education.
2. The board of regents shall promulgate such regulations to the commissioner as may be necessary to create the curriculum, assessments and any other criteria that students must achieve to earn a general diploma via a CPE pathway.
3. Students first entering twelfth grade in the two thousand sixteen- -two thousand seventeen school year and thereafter shall be eligible to earn a diploma via a CPE pathway.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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 creating the career and practical education pathway to a high school diploma
Purpose
To establish additional high school diploma options for our state's students who have been denied a diploma due to the state's gradual elimination of diploma options for students with disabilities and others who do not meet the narrow criteria remaining after these phase-outs.
Summary of provisions
Education Law is amended to add new section 817
Justification
Beginning in 2016, students who were unable to pass five Regents exams are being denied a recognized high school diploma. This is due to the final phase-out of a Regents Competency Test option that allowed students with disabilities to be granted a local diploma from their school district.
In addition to students with disabilities, there are many other children in our state who have otherwise succeeded throughout high school, but are being denied a diploma due solely to their inability to pass five standardized Regents tests in specific subjects. Most colleges and secondary schools require a high school diploma that is now out of reach for these students. They will also be unable to compete for entry level jobs that require a diploma. This is a tragedy.
This bill will require the creation of a career and practical education pathway to a high school diploma, ensuring options are offered and logic prevails in determining whether a student is prepared for secondary education and/or the workforce.
Legislative history
S.7541 of 2016
Fiscal implications
To be determined
Effective date
Immediate
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.