What's happening
This bill requires a study of literacy advocacy programs, including Newburgh Armory Unity Center, and creates a statewide literacy education advocacy program for grades 3-8.
Why it matters
Promotes evidence-based literacy initiatives. By requiring a formal study of existing literacy advocacy programs (including NAUC LEAP), the bill aims to identify which approaches are most successful in helping students read at grade level and perform well on state assessments, ensuring future investments are data-driven.
Supports expansion of effective programs. Recommendations and best practices developed from the study could lead to the replication of successful literacy models in underserved or struggling communities, potentially reducing educational disparities.
Encourages community partnerships. The bill explicitly seeks to foster collaboration between schools and not-for-profit organizations, leveraging community resources to enhance literacy interventions, particularly for urban children, youth, and families.
Provides flexibility and local control. Participation in the new advocacy program is optional for school districts, allowing them to adopt or adapt these supports based on local needs and priorities, rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all mandate.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Boost Literacy Education Statewide
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 39
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to education
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 60–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.838
- Reported and committed to rules
- Print number 7995a
- Amend (t) and recommit 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.
Launch State Literacy Program
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor Aileen Gunther
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7995--A
IN SENATE
March 6, 2020
Introduced by Sen. SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to creating a state-wide literacy education advocacy program and to study the viability of the Newburgh armory unity center literacy education advocacy partnership
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 57 to read as follows:
57. (a) The commissioner of education shall conduct a study on literacy advocacy programs in the state, including the Newburgh Armory Unity Center Literacy Education Advocacy Partnership (NAUC LEAP). The purpose of such study shall be to determine the successes and effectiveness of these programs in achieving their goals, with the intent of understanding effective practices that support students being able to read at grade level and score proficient on the grade three through eight English language arts state assessment. The commissioner of education shall then develop recommendations and best practices for replicating literacy advocacy programs in areas throughout the state.
(b) The commissioner of education shall, within one year of the effective date of this subdivision, report the findings, conclusions and recommendations of such study to the governor, temporary president of the senate and speaker of the assembly.
(c) Within one year of the effective date of this subdivision, the commissioner shall develop a literacy education advocacy program to provide additional literacy instruction for grade three through eight students. Such program shall:
(i) foster collaborative relationships among not-for-profit organizations that increase the capacity for programming aimed at urban children, youth, and families;
(ii) make available a list of participating organizations to better implement programs of value to the community;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15742-03-0
S. 7995--A 2
(iii) be optional for school districts across New York state; and
(iv) utilize the study performed by the commissioner pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subdivision.
§ 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 a state-wide literacy education advocacy program and to study the viability of the Newburgh armory unity center literacy education advocacy partnership
Purpose
To study the effectiveness of the literacy education program at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center and evaluate whether it may serve as a model for other programs to increase childhood literacy rates.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 57, directing the Commissioner of Education to conduct a study on literacy advocacy programs in the state, including the Newburgh Armory Unity Center Literacy Education Advocacy Program (NAUC LEAP). The purpose of such study is to determine the successes and effectiveness of these programs in achieving their goals, with the intent of understand- ing effective practices that support students being able to read at grade level and score proficient on the grade three through eight English language arts state assessment. Within one year of the effective date, the commissioner shall report the findings, conclusions and recom- mendations of such study to the governor, temporary president of the senate and speaker of the assembly. Within one year of the effective date, the commissioner is required to develop a literacy education advo- cacy program to provide additional literacy instruction for grade three through eight students. Such program shall be optional for school districts across New York State.
Section 2: Effective date.
Justification
Ensuring that children obtain the literacy skills they need to succeed in life is critical. While local schools are the primary place that students learn to read and write, extracurricular programs such as the Newburgh Armory Unity Center Literacy Education Advocacy Partnership (LEAP) can be a vital tool to provide students with targeted and effec- tive literacy education. This innovative program improves the literacy performance of elementary students in the school district by providing personalized, direct, one-on-one literacy instruction to identified students and integrates family and community involvement through required, defined tasks and responsibilities connected to specified goals for each child. A 2016 study by the Benjamin Center at SUNY New Paltz found measurable increases in literacy scores for students involved in the LEAP program; if a study by the Department of Education finds similar positive results, the LEAP program could serve as a state- wide model for other districts looking to provide a comprehensive liter- acy education to high-needs students.
Legislative history
New bill
Fiscal implications
To be determined, but minimal.
Effective date
This 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.