New York Assembly Bill A06708 Latest Draft

   
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6708 2023-2024 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY May 5, 2023 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. BRONSON, GONZALEZ-ROJAS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to culturally responsive lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender education standards 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 804-e 2 to read as follows: 3 § 804-e. Culturally responsive lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender 4 education curriculum and standards. 1. Culturally responsive education 5 rules and regulations. (a) The commissioner shall promulgate rules and 6 regulations for the implementation of culturally responsive lesbian, 7 gay, bisexual and transgender education curriculum for all schools 8 including elementary schools, junior high schools and senior high 9 schools. In formulating such regulations, the commissioner shall seek 10 input of parents, students and other stakeholders. 11 (b) In formulating the rules and regulations required by paragraph (a) 12 of this subdivision, the commissioner shall recognize that: many 13 students in New York state's public school system are lesbian, gay, 14 bisexual and transgender, and education that makes a cultural connection 15 with students has been shown to improve educational outcomes. 16 (c) All school districts, charter schools and private schools shall 17 integrate culturally responsive lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender 18 education throughout the education of all students at all grade levels 19 in accordance with the commissioner's rules and regulations promulgated 20 pursuant to this subdivision. 21 (d) The commissioner's rules and regulations shall include, but not be 22 limited to, curriculum standards for the role of oppression and inequity 23 in treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender in the history of 24 New York state and the United States. The commissioner shall also 25 develop model curricula for use by schools. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD01463-01-3 
 A. 6708 2 1 2. Graduation standards. The commissioner shall promulgate rules and 2 regulations requiring all high school students to pass a course in a 3 subject area that meets the culturally responsive lesbian, gay, bisexual 4 and transgender education standards established by this section as a 5 prerequisite for graduation. 6 3. Teacher certification. The commissioner shall promulgate rules and 7 regulations to include completion of at least one college course in 8 effective teaching for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students 9 as a prerequisite for teacher certification. 10 4. Professional development. The commissioner shall promulgate rules 11 and regulations requiring lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender compe- 12 tency and responsive education to be incorporated into the ongoing 13 professional development standards for all pre-kindergarten through 14 grade twelve educators. 15 5. Culturally responsive school climate assessment. The commissioner 16 shall create a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender culturally respon- 17 sive school climate assessment which school districts may utilize in 18 assessing the cultural responsiveness of the educational climate in 19 their schools and district. This assessment shall be consistent with the 20 purposes of this section. 21 6. Pilot program. Within amounts appropriated therefor, the commis- 22 sioner shall establish a pilot program in lesbian, gay, bisexual and 23 transgender culturally responsive education and shall make funds avail- 24 able to school districts through a request for proposal. The award of 25 such funds shall be based on criteria to be developed by the commission- 26 er and approved by the board of regents. 27 § 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall 28 have become a law.