New York Assembly Bill A05535 Latest Draft

   
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 5535 2023-2024 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY March 16, 2023 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. K. BROWN -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Education AN ACT establishing the Northport high school peer mentoring pilot program; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expira- tion thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The Northport-East Northport union free school district is 2 authorized and directed to establish a Northport high school peer 3 mentoring pilot program. Such pilot program shall include, but not be 4 limited to: 5 1. prior to the 2023-2024 school year: 6 (a) a review of Northport High School's existing mentoring program 7 model; 8 (b) the collection of resources and the solicitation of recommenda- 9 tions to strengthen a peer mentoring model and ensure the best outcomes 10 for both the mentors and mentees utilizing evidence-based research; 11 (c) the collection of resources and the solicitation of recommenda- 12 tions around elements of effective practice in mentoring, including, but 13 not limited to, recruitment, screening, training, matching and initiat- 14 ing, monitoring and support, and closure; 15 (d) a review of best and emerging practices to recruit and onboard 16 both mentors, mentees and stakeholders throughout the community; 17 (e) the development of an articulated recruitment and support outreach 18 plan; 19 (f) the implementation of a mentor screening tool; 20 (g) the creation of communication tools and marketing collateral to 21 support recruitment and communication efforts, including, but not limit- 22 ed to: 23 (i) position description; 24 (ii) promotional materials; EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD06292-01-3 
 A. 5535 2 1 (iii) letter to families; and 2 (iv) information for faculty; 3 (h) the design and facilitation of onboarding training for mentors, 4 mentees, and all coordinators and liaisons; and 5 (i) a determination and implementation of the best pre-and-post-ap- 6 proach in evaluating the efficacy and impact of the program on mentors 7 and mentees; 8 2. during the 2023-2024 school year: 9 (a) the implementation of a peer mentoring program; 10 (b) a 2-hour virtual training for all school staff to infuse mentor- 11 like characteristics employ tactics to impact students positively; 12 (c) the creation of a team of trainers that can help quickly onboard 13 future mentors as needed; 14 (d) a recorded training for mentors and volunteers to access at their 15 convenience; 16 (e) the use of the search institutes developmental relationships 17 framework to reinforce existing strengths in the school's relationship- 18 centered culture, and encourage reflection in potential growth areas; 19 (f) the providing of continuous support and training including, but 20 not limited to: 21 (i) enrichment training in specific content areas including, but not 22 limited to: 23 (A) improving listening skills; 24 (B) identifying youth sparks; 25 (C) discovering our boundaries; 26 (D) personal assumptions and biases; 27 (E) helping youth work through challenges; and 28 (F) addressing challenging behaviors; 29 (ii) peer-sharing roundtables; and 30 (iii) additional resources for crucial practices to enhance and 31 strengthen mentoring relationships; and 32 (g) a virtual relationship mapping exercise which creates an inten- 33 tional plan to ensure that all students graduate with a meaningful 34 adult-youth relationship; and 35 3. following the 2023-2024 school year: 36 (a) an assessment of the pilot program which includes recommendations 37 for improvement; 38 (b) the promotion of the pilot program to state-wide partners; 39 (c) the advocation for funding to continue the pilot program beyond 40 the 2023-2024 school year; and 41 (d) the creation of a report on the Northport high school peer mentor- 42 ing pilot program which shall be submitted to the governor, the tempo- 43 rary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority 44 leader of the senate, and the minority leader of the assembly no later 45 than August 31, 2024. 46 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be 47 deemed repealed January 1, 2025.