New York Assembly Bill A08040 Latest Draft

   
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8040 2023-2024 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY September 13, 2023 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. K. BROWN -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the high school peer mentoring pilot program; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof 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 115 to 2 read as follows: 3 § 115. The high school peer mentoring pilot program. The department is 4 authorized and directed to establish a high school peer mentoring pilot 5 program. Such pilot program shall be implemented in all public high 6 schools within the state and shall include, but not be limited to: 7 1. prior to the two thousand twenty-four--two thousand twenty-five 8 school year: 9 (a) a review of a high school's existing mentoring program model; 10 (b) the collection of resources and the solicitation of recommenda- 11 tions to strengthen a peer mentoring model and ensure the best outcomes 12 for both the mentors and mentees utilizing evidence-based research; 13 (c) the collection of resources and the solicitation of recommenda- 14 tions around elements of effective practice in mentoring, including, but 15 not limited to, recruitment, screening, training, matching and initiat- 16 ing, monitoring and support, and closure; 17 (d) a review of best and emerging practices to recruit and onboard 18 mentors, mentees and stakeholders throughout the community; 19 (e) the development of an articulated recruitment and support outreach 20 plan; 21 (f) the implementation of a mentor screening tool; 22 (g) the creation of communication tools and marketing collateral to 23 support recruitment and communication efforts, including, but not limit- 24 ed to: EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD06292-02-3 
 A. 8040 2 1 (i) position description; 2 (ii) promotional materials; 3 (iii) letter to families; and 4 (iv) information for faculty; 5 (h) the design and facilitation of onboarding training for mentors, 6 mentees, and all coordinators and liaisons; and 7 (i) a determination and implementation of the best pre- and post-ap- 8 proach in evaluating the efficacy and impact of the program on mentors 9 and mentees; 10 2. during the two thousand twenty-four--two thousand twenty-five 11 school year: 12 (a) the implementation of a peer mentoring program; 13 (b) a two-hour virtual training for all school staff to infuse 14 mentor-like characteristics and employ tactics to impact students posi- 15 tively; 16 (c) the creation of a team of trainers that can help quickly onboard 17 future mentors as needed; 18 (d) a recorded training for mentors and volunteers to access at their 19 convenience; 20 (e) the use of the search institutes developmental relationships 21 framework to reinforce existing strengths in the school's relationship- 22 centered culture, and encourage reflection in potential growth areas; 23 (f) the providing of continuous support and training including, but 24 not limited to: 25 (i) enrichment training in specific content areas including, but not 26 limited to: 27 (A) improving listening skills; 28 (B) identifying youth sparks; 29 (C) discovering our boundaries; 30 (D) personal assumptions and biases; 31 (E) helping youth work through challenges; and 32 (F) addressing challenging behaviors; 33 (ii) peer sharing roundtables; and 34 (iii) additional resources for crucial practices to enhance and 35 strengthen mentoring relationships; and 36 (g) a virtual relationship mapping exercise which creates an inten- 37 tional plan to ensure that all students graduate with a meaningful 38 adult-youth relationship; and 39 3. following the two thousand twenty-four--two thousand twenty-five 40 school year: 41 (a) an assessment of the pilot program which includes recommendations 42 for improvement; 43 (b) submission of such assessment to the commissioner; 44 (c) the advocation by the department for the continuation of the pilot 45 program beyond the two thousand twenty-four--two thousand twenty-five 46 school year; and 47 (d) the creation of a report on the high school peer mentoring pilot 48 program which shall be submitted to the governor, the temporary presi- 49 dent of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority leader of 50 the senate, and the minority leader of the assembly no later than August 51 thirty-first, two thousand twenty-five. 52 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be 53 deemed repealed January 1, 2026.