NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A9751
SPONSOR: Taylor TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to authorizing high
school students to vote on city-wide education councils regardless of
age
PURPOSE:
To allow students to vote on community education councils.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
This bill would increase the number of student members on the community
education councils and give them voting power.
JUSTIFICATION:
Currently, students are permitted to serve on the council but lack
voting rights, resulting in only 2 student representatives across the 32
community education councils in the 5 boroughs. Expanding the number of
students on the Community Education Council (CEC) and granting them
voting privileges could significantly improve the council's effective-
ness and inclusivity. By allowing students to vote, the CEC ensures
direct representation of student perspectives and needs in decision-mak-
ing, fostering a student-centered approach to education governance.
Student members, equipped with firsthand experiences and diverse view-
points, would actively shape educational policies, encouraging a sense
of ownership and responsibility among their peers. If enacted this also
will help with civic engagement because at a smaller scale, students
would be able to help create policy and correct false narratives and
this would allow them to see that their voice matters.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill
STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9751
IN ASSEMBLY
April 3, 2024
___________
Introduced by M. of A. TAYLOR -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to authorizing high
school students to vote on city-wide education councils regardless of
age
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The opening paragraph and subparagraph 3 of paragraph a of
2 subdivision 4 of section 2590-b of the education law, as amended by
3 chapter 345 of the laws of 2009, are amended to read as follows:
4 There shall be a city-wide council on special education created pursu-
5 ant to this section. The city-wide council on special education shall
6 consist of [eleven] thirteen voting members [and one non-voting member],
7 as follows:
8 (3) [one non-voting member] two voting members who [is a] are high
9 school [senior] students with an individualized education program,
10 appointed by the administrator designated by the chancellor to supervise
11 special education programs. Such member shall serve a one year term.
12 § 2. The opening paragraph and subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (a) of
13 subdivision 5 of section 2590-b of the education law, as added by chap-
14 ter 345 of the laws of 2009, are amended to read as follows:
15 There shall be a city-wide council on English language learners
16 created pursuant to this section. The city-wide council on English
17 language learners shall consist of [eleven] thirteen voting members [and
18 one non-voting member], as follows:
19 (iii) [one non-voting member] two voting members who [is a] are high
20 school [senior] students who [is] are or [has] have been in a bilin-
21 gual or English as a second language program, appointed by the adminis-
22 trator designated by the chancellor to supervise such programs. Such
23 member shall serve a one year term.
24 § 3. The opening paragraph and subparagraph (v) of paragraph (a) of
25 subdivision 6 of section 2590-b of the education law, as added by chap-
26 ter 345 of the laws of 2009, are amended to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14965-01-4
A. 9751 2
1 There shall be a city-wide council on high schools created pursuant to
2 this section. The city-wide council on high schools shall consist of
3 [thirteen] fifteen voting members [and one non-voting member], as
4 follows:
5 (v) [one non-voting member] two voting members who [is a] are public
6 high school [senior] students, appointed by the chancellor pursuant to
7 a process developed by the chancellor. Such member shall serve a one
8 year term.
9 § 4. The opening paragraph and subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (a) of
10 subdivision 7 of section 2590-b of the education law, as added by chap-
11 ter 364 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
12 There shall be a city-wide council on district seventy-five created
13 pursuant to this section. The city-wide council for district seventy-
14 five shall consist of [eleven] thirteen voting members [and one non-vot-
15 ing member], as follows:
16 (iii) [one non-voting member] two voting members who [is a] are high
17 school [senior] students appointed by the administrator designated by
18 the chancellor to supervise district seventy-five schools and programs.
19 Such member shall serve a one year term.
20 § 5. The opening paragraph and paragraph (d) of subdivision 1 of
21 section 2590-c of the education law, as amended by chapter 364 of the
22 laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
23 Each community district shall be governed by a community district
24 education council. The community councils shall consist of [twelve]
25 fifteen voting members [and two non-voting members], as follows:
26 (d) [Two non-voting] three voting members who are high school [seniors
27 residing] students attending a high school in the district, shall be
28 appointed by the superintendent from among the [elected] student [lead-
29 ership] body. Such members shall serve for a one year term.
30 § 6. The opening paragraph of subdivision 1 of section 2590-c of the
31 education law, as amended by chapter 385 of the laws of 1998, is amended
32 to read as follows:
33 Each community district shall be governed by a community board to
34 consist of nine members to be elected for a term of three years, and two
35 members who shall be students chosen by the board, and to serve without
36 compensation. Each such board shall select one of its members to serve
37 as chairman.
38 § 7. Subdivisions 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 of section 2590-c of
39 the education law are renumbered subdivisions 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and
40 13 and a new subdivision 5 is added to read as follows:
41 5. Every student attending any high school under the jurisdiction of
42 the community board of such district shall be eligible for membership as
43 a student on such community board. The community board shall fill both
44 student positions within forty-five days of the community board's
45 election.
46 § 8. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that:
47 (a) the amendments to section 2590-b of the education law made by
48 sections one, two, three and four of this act shall not affect the expi-
49 ration of such section and shall expire and be deemed repealed there-
50 with; and
51 (b) the amendments to section 2590-c of the education law made by
52 section five of this act shall be subject to the expiration and rever-
53 sion of such section when upon such date the provisions of section six
54 and seven of this act shall take effect.
