What's happening
This bill directs the commissioner of education to study and report on how caregiving responsibilities affect children's education in New York.
Why it matters
Brings visibility to a hidden student population. By requiring the state to study "caregiver children"—students who look after sick, disabled, or elderly relatives—this bill recognizes a group whose challenges often go unnoticed by schools and policymakers.
Data-driven approach to educational equity. The mandated study would gather specific data on how many children are caregivers, how much time they spend caregiving, and the educational impacts—enabling more informed, targeted interventions to support these students.
Focuses on actionable solutions. The commissioner is required not just to study the issue, but also to recommend ways to reduce negative educational impacts, potentially leading to new policies, school supports, or legislative changes that could improve outcomes for caregiver children.
Potential to influence broader social policy. By submitting findings and legislative proposals to state leaders, this bill could spark wider discussions about family caregiving, social supports, and how schools can respond to the diverse home lives of their students.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Study Kids Who Caregive
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to education
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 60–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.764
- Reported and committed to rules
- Print number 2170a
- Amend and recommit to education
- 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.
Study Kids Who Caregive
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor Latoya Joyner
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2170--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 23, 2019
Introduced by Sens. BAILEY, PERSAUD -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education -recommitted to the Committee on Education in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT authorizing and directing the commissioner of education to conduct a study on the number of children who are caregivers and how being a caregiver impacts their education
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The commissioner of education is hereby authorized and directed to conduct a study on the number of children who are caregivers and how being a caregiver impacts the child's education. "Caregiver children" shall be defined as students with sick, disabled, or elderly relatives that such students care for outside of school. The commissioner of education shall give recommendations based on the study's findings. Such study shall include, but not be limited to:
(a) the number of caregiver children within the state;
(b) the amount of time caregiver children spend caring for relatives;
(c) how being a caregiver child impacts the child's education;
(d) the circumstances that lead to a child becoming a caregiver child; and
(e) any recommendations on how to reduce the negative educational impacts of being a caregiver child.
§ 2. Within one year of the effective date of this act, the commissioner of education shall submit a report of his or her findings, conclusions and recommendations to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, and the chairs of the senate and assembly committees on education. Such report shall also include such legislative proposals as such commissioner deems necessary to implement his or her recommendations.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00491-02-0
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act authorizing and directing the commissioner of education to conduct a study on the number of children who are caregivers and how being a caregiver impacts their education
Purpose or general idea of bill
To study how many children are caregivers in their households and how this affects their education.
Summary of main provisions
Section 1 directs the commissioner of education to conduct a study on the number of children who are caregivers and how being a caregiver impacts their education and give recommendations based on the study's findings.
Section 2 establishes that the commissioner of education shall submit a report of his or her findings, conclusions and recommendation to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, and the chairs of the senate and assembly committees on educa- tion.
Section 3 is the effective date.
Justification
According to the American Psychological Association, approximately 1.3-1.4 million kids across the country serve as caregivers. Many of these children living in our state have sick, disabled, or elderly rela- tives that they take care of which adds a burden to their education. Understanding families and the totality of the circumstances adds value to the educational experience, allowing us to fully understand the whole child. Organizations such as Presbyterian Senior Services (PSS) and Caregivers Outreach Ministry Empowerment (COME) have conducted informal surveys by using a local sample size in order to bring awareness to this issue and the results were significant.
In 2006, a Gates Foundation survey found that approximately 22% of high school dropouts were related to providing care for a sick family member. This survey gave us insight on how impactful overall caregiving is on the performance of the student. Although this data provided us with useful information, it is over a decade old. In 2013, PSS conducted a survey at P.S. 212 in the South Bronx and found that 47% of middle school children in the sample size identified themselves as caregivers.
This is close to half of the middle school students surveyed, and this number is expected to be similar across the city of New York. Students are subjected to being caregivers as early as 8 years old and the responsibility can last a lifetime. Children are taking on adult prob- lems without proper psychological, physical, and academic support. The burden can become overwhelming, and could significantly harm their future development.
The education of our youth is being jeopardized because of a lack of resources that we are providing to our youth caregivers. This bill seeks to address this by assessing how many students in our state are caregiv- ers so that the proper resources can be deployed in their aid.
Prior legislative history
2017-16: S.8089 - Referred to Education
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.