What's happening
This bill changes how nonpublic schools qualify for state aid by allowing more flexibility in calculating eligible instructional days and hours.
Why it matters
Expands eligibility by allowing nonpublic schools to use either the standard 5.0/5.5-hour instructional day or an alternative workday certified by school officials,. potentially making it easier for schools with nontraditional schedules to qualify for state aid.
Restores a methodology from the 2012-2013 school year and before for calculating aid,. which could increase predictability and stability in funding for nonpublic schools compared to more recent calculation methods.
May encourage more nonpublic schools to participate in state-required testing and data reporting,. since broader eligibility for aid could help offset compliance costs and administrative burdens.
Could affect the distribution of limited state funds among nonpublic schools,. potentially shifting resources toward schools with flexible or alternative scheduling models.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Change Nonpublic School Aid
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Vetoed memo.236
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.680
- Substituted for A7833
- Referred to ways and means
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 63–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.2058
- Reported and committed to rules
- 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.
Change Nonpublic School Aid Rules
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Michael Cusick
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6089
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 11, 2017
Introduced by Sens. MARCELLINO, FUNKE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend chapter 507 of the laws of 1974, relating to providing for the apportionment of state monies to certain nonpublic schools, to reimburse them for their expenses in complying with certain state requirements for the administration of state testing and evaluation programs and for participation in state programs for the reporting of basic educational data, in relation to the calculation of nonpublic schools' eligibility to receive aid
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 3 of chapter 507 of the laws of 1974, relating to providing for the apportionment of state monies to certain nonpublic schools, to reimburse them for their expenses in complying with certain state requirements for the administration of state testing and evaluation programs and for participation in state programs for the reporting of basic educational data, as amended by section 17 of part YYY of chapter 59 of the laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:
§ 3. Apportionment. a. The commissioner shall annually apportion to each qualifying school, for school years beginning on and after July first, nineteen hundred seventy-four, an amount equal to the actual cost incurred by each such school during the preceding school year for providing services required by law to be rendered to the state in compliance with the requirements of the state's pupil evaluation program, the basic educational data system, regents examinations, the statewide evaluation plan, the uniform procedure for pupil attendance reporting, the state's immunization program and other similar state prepared examinations and reporting procedures.
b. Such nonpublic schools shall be eligible to receive aid based on the number of days or portion of days attendance is taken and either a 5.0/5.5 hour standard instructional day, or another work day as certi-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11545-01-7
S. 6089 2
fied by the nonpublic school officials, in accordance with the methodology for computing salary and benefits applied by the department in paying aid for the two thousand twelve--two thousand thirteen and prior school years.
c. The commissioner shall annually apportion to each qualifying school in the cities of New York, Buffalo and Rochester, for school years beginning on or after July first two thousand sixteen, an amount equal to the actual cost incurred by each such school during the preceding school year in meeting the recording and reporting requirements of the state school immunization program, provided that the state's liability shall be limited to the amount appropriated for this purpose.
§ 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 chapter 507 of the laws of 1974, relating to providing for the apportionment of state monies to certain nonpublic schools, to reimburse them for their expenses in complying with certain state requirements for the administration of state testing and evaluation programs and for participation in state programs for the reporting of basic educational data, in relation to the calculation of nonpublic schools' eligibility to receive aid
Purpose or general idea of bill
To clarify that the State Education Department may continue to utilize the instructional time standard as the basis for providing reimbursement to nonpublic schools for their participation in the mandated services aid program.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 3 of chapter 507 of the laws of 1974 is amended to clarify that schools will continue to be eligible for reimbursement based on the instructional time standard utilized historically by department. Section 2 provides for an immediate effective date in order that the department may process reimbursement claims currently being held.
Existing law
Except for 2016 appropriation language, existing law has been silent on the issue. Nonetheless, this legislation codifies the long-standing reimbursement standard.
Justification
For more than 30 years, the State Education Department has used the instructional time standard (an approx.180 day instructional school year and a 5 / 5.5 hour instructional day) as the basis for aid to most nonpublic schools under the Mandated Services Aid program. The "instructional time" standard, which is also used as the basis for aid to public schools, is tied to the provisions of the compulsory education law and helps to provide consistency and predictability in aid to schools.
In recent years, a number of nonpublic schools began receiving less aid based on the department having adjusted the reimbursement standards for those schools. Aid to most schools, however, continued without reductions. In the 2016-2017 State Budget, language was enacted to continue the historic practice of using "instructional hours" in the day but it did not address the number of "instructional days" in the year. Despite both houses having included the language relating to "instructional days" in their one-house budgets this session - it was not included in the final budget.
The proposed language clarifies that reimbursement may continue based on both the number of days as well as the number of hours of instructional time. By defining the days as those on which attendance is taken, schools will be required to also include days (or the portion of days) during which tests are being administered.
The legislation is necessary to avoid a reduction in reimbursement to nonpublic schools.
Legislative history
None STATE FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :
Up to $6 million if schools whose reimbursement was reduced in prior years are permitted to return to using the instructional time standard.
Local fiscal implications
Will help keep school reimbursement from being reduced.
Effective date
The act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.