Relates to the establishment of various programs for students in pre-kindergarten through third grade including programs for literacy, career readiness and financial literacy.
Includes policies and procedures for responding to students having mental health crises in a manner that does not include contacting law enforcement unless implied or direct threats of violence or other criminal activity is involved in school safety plans.
Creates a state-wide literacy education advocacy program modelled after the Newburgh Armory Unity Center Literacy Education Advocacy Partnership to study the viability of the Newburgh Armory Unity Center Literacy Education Advocacy Partnership.
Requires school districts to have diversity, equity and inclusion officers to develop methods to diversify the personnel of the school district and to recommend changes to district policies and practices to reduce racial disparities in hiring school district employees, particularly teachers; requires boards of education to annually report information regarding such policies and practices to the department of education; requires the department of education to annually report such information to the legislature.
Requires the commissioner of education, in consultation with the commissioner of health, to develop a bleeding control kit program which requires bleeding control kits to be installed in easily accessible areas of schools; requires training of personnel to use bleeding control kits in the event of an injury to another person.
Requires the commissioner of education to make a report on the extent of all existing resources and best practices available for swimming instruction classes in public schools and establish a working group on swimming education.
Enacts the "making equitable and alternative lunches (MEAL) act"; requires a public school to offer a plant-based food option, a halal food option and a kosher food option as an alternative to every meal or snack offered in food service to any student who chooses such alternative meal or snack as an option.
Enacts the "Drink Up Act"; requires every public school to offer water in a sealed bottled container as an additional drink option to any student during lunch at no cost to such student.
Provides that a school district vote on a bond resolution shall take place on the third Tuesday in May in conjunction with the school budget vote; provides that such bond resolution vote may only be resubmitted to the voters of the school district one time subsequent to such vote.
Establishes the gifted education reinforcement act to establish statewide standards for gifted education programs; requires school districts to be accountable for providing such programs.