Establishes the SAT school day program and the SAT school day fund; directs the department of education to establish and maintain the SAT school day program to enter into contract with the college board to provide the annual administration of the SATs at all public secondary schools free of charge during one regular school day.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A6286
SPONSOR: Weprin
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the SAT
school day program; and to amend the state finance law, in relation to
establishing the SAT school day fund
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Establishes the SAT school day program and the SAT school day fund.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
The education law is amended by adding a new section 342-b to the Educa-
tion Department shall establish and maintain the SAT School Day program
whereby the department shall utilize funds made available from the SAT
school day fund, pursuant to section 89-I of the state finance law, to
enter into contract with the college board to provide the annual admin-
istration of the Scholastic Aptitude Test to all test subjects at all
public secondary schools free of charge during a regular school day.
Each test subject shall be permitted to take the SAT free of charge,
only once. SAT school day fund is established in the, joint custody of
the state comptroller and the commissioner of taxation and finance. This
fund shall consist of money deemed appropriate by the state. Grants and
similar fUnds are still allowed to benefit this fund. Money frbm this
fund can only be diverted to the administration of the SAT. Monies shall
be payable from.the fund on the audit and warrant of the comptroller on
vouchers approved by the commissioner of education.
 
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSION (IF APPLICABLE):
 
JUSTIFICATION:
By mandating the SAT to be held during the school week and having the
SAT school day fund cover the costs the college entry process is made
easier. Two of the profound barriers to taking the SAT are transporta-
tion, and the cost of the exam both of which are eliminated through this
legislation. Although individuals statewide benefit, low-income students
will gain the most out of this leading to higher number of these indi-
viduals enrolling in college. Normally students pay sixty dollars for
the test, but the College Board made an agreement with NYC-DOE to give a
discount rate at thirty-six dollars per student. When the NYC DOE
(2016-2017) held the free SAT day, the number of African-American
students taking the exam from the prior year (2015-2016) jumped almost
30%. Some students from the NYC Riker's Island were able to participate
in this program. Across the country ten states currently mandate the SAT
during a school day, seven of which are funded through the Department of
Education. This bill would further New York's position as a leader in
education.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
03/14/18 referred to education
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
Approximately 3.7 million dollars.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6286
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
April 3, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. WEPRIN, SEAWRIGHT, COLTON, HYNDMAN -- read once
and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the SAT
school day program; and to amend the state finance law, in relation to
establishing the SAT school day fund
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 342-b
2 to read as follows:
3 § 342-b. SAT school day program. 1. The department shall establish and
4 maintain the SAT school day program whereby the department shall utilize
5 funds made available from the SAT school day fund, pursuant to section
6 eighty-nine-k of the state finance law, to enter into contract with the
7 college board to provide the annual administration of the Scholastic
8 Aptitude Test to all test subjects at all public secondary schools free
9 of charge during a regular school day.
10 2. Each test subject shall be permitted to take the Scholastic Apti-
11 tude Test free of charge, as provided in subdivision one of this
12 section, only once.
13 § 2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 89-k to
14 read as follows:
15 § 89-k. SAT school day fund. 1. There is hereby established in the
16 joint custody of the state comptroller and the commissioner of taxation
17 and finance, a special fund to be known as the "SAT school day fund".
18 2. Such fund shall consist of any moneys appropriated to the fund by
19 the state in addition to all other moneys appropriated, credited or
20 transferred thereto from any other fund or source pursuant to law. Noth-
21 ing contained herein shall prevent the state from receiving grants,
22 gifts or bequests for the purposes of the fund as defined in this
23 section and depositing them into the fund according to law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06646-01-3
A. 6286 2
1 3. Monies of the fund shall be expended only for the administration of
2 the Scholastic Aptitude Test to test subjects in accordance with the
3 provisions of section three hundred forty-two-b of the education law.
4 4. Monies shall be payable from the fund on the audit and warrant of
5 the comptroller on vouchers approved by the commissioner of education.
6 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.