STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 9934 IN ASSEMBLY April 26, 2024 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. MAGNARELLI -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education AN ACT to amend the education law and part B of chapter 56 of the laws of 2020, amending the education law relating to establishing the Syra- cuse Comprehensive Education and Workforce Training Center focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math to provide instruc- tion to students in the Onondaga, Cortland and Madison county BOCES and the central New York region in the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics, and the education law, in relation to renaming the Syracuse Comprehensive Education and Workforce Train- ing Center as the Syracuse Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics high school The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Syracuse 2 STEAM school act". 3 § 2. Sections 1 and 2 of part B of chapter 56 of the laws of 2020, 4 amending the education law relating to establishing the Syracuse Compre- 5 hensive Education and Workforce Training Center focusing on Science, 6 Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math to provide instruction to 7 students in the Onondaga, Cortland and Madison county BOCES and the 8 central New York region in the areas of science, technology, engineer- 9 ing, arts and mathematics, is amended to read as follows: 10 Section 1. Legislative intent. The purpose of this act is to establish 11 the Syracuse [Comprehensive Education and Workforce Training Center 12 focusing on] Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts[,] and [Math] Math- 13 ematics high school. The Syracuse Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts 14 and Mathematics high school [within the Syracuse Comprehensive Education 15 and Workforce Training Center] shall provide a high school course of 16 instruction for grades nine through twelve, dedicated to providing 17 expanded learning access and career opportunities to students residing 18 in the Onondaga, Cortland and Madison county board of cooperative educa- 19 tional services region and central New York, in the areas of science, 20 technology, engineering, arts and mathematics as well as the core EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD15181-01-4
A. 9934 2 1 academic areas required for the issuance of high school diplomas in 2 accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the board of 3 regents. The legislature hereby finds and declares that the establish- 4 ment of the Syracuse [Comprehensive Education and Workforce Training 5 Center] Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics high 6 school is a necessary component to the development of the greater 7 central New York region of New York state and a necessary link to 8 fostering the development and advancement of the arts and emerging tech- 9 nologies. This high school [and workforce training center] will advance 10 the interests of the central New York region and New York state by 11 engaging students in rigorous and enriching educational experiences 12 focused on the arts and emerging technologies, project-based learning 13 and collaboration and by providing that experience within the context of 14 a business and learning community for the purpose of directly connecting 15 student learning with real world experience in the arts and advanced 16 technical facilities. It is expressly found that the establishment and 17 operation of the Syracuse [Comprehensive Education and Workforce Train- 18 ing Center] Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics high 19 school pursuant to this act is a public purpose. 20 § 2. Establishment of the Syracuse [Comprehensive Education and Work- 21 force Training Center] Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math- 22 ematics high school. 1. The Syracuse [Comprehensive Education and Work- 23 force Training Center] Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and 24 Mathematics high school may be established by the board of education of 25 the Syracuse city school district pursuant to this section for students 26 in grades nine through twelve. 27 2. Such high school shall be governed by the board of education of the 28 Syracuse city school district. The high school shall be subject to all 29 laws, rules and regulations which are applicable to a public high school 30 unless otherwise provided for in this act. The high school shall be 31 subject to the oversight of the board of regents and the program shall 32 be audited in a manner consistent with provisions of law and regulations 33 that are applicable to other public schools. 34 3. The board of education of the Syracuse city school district shall 35 have the responsibility for the operation, supervision and maintenance 36 of the high school and shall be responsible for the administration of 37 the high school, including curriculum, grading, discipline and staffing. 38 The high school may partner with a certified institution of higher 39 education to offer an early college high school program. The high school 40 [and workforce training center] may also partner with a certified insti- 41 tution of higher education to offer apprenticeship training and 42 programs. [The workforce training center, in collaboration with educa- 43 tional opportunity centers, shall provide career connection programs and 44 opportunities including, but not limited to, workforce preparation and 45 training, industry certifications and credentials including advanced 46 technical certifications and high school equivalency programs, and 47 educational opportunity center programs at the Syracuse Comprehensive 48 Education and Workforce Training Center at night. The State University 49 of New York Empire State College may also partner with the New York 50 State Department of Labor. The workforce training center is also 51 authorized to partner with other local entities including, but not 52 limited to, businesses, non-profit organizations, educational opportu- 53 nity centers, state and local governments, and other organizations 54 focused on closing the skills gap and increasing employment opportu- 55 nities through training. The workforce training center programs shall be 56 available to students as well as members of the community.]
A. 9934 3 1 4. [Such workforce training center shall be governed by the State 2 University of New York Empire State College in consultation with the 3 board of education of the Syracuse city school district. 4 5. The Syracuse City School District shall develop a comprehensive 5 safety policy that includes a requirement that workforce training center 6 programs offered at the Syracuse Comprehensive Education and Workforce 7 Training Center shall be offered at night. 8 6.] The board of education of the Syracuse city school district shall 9 be authorized to enter into contracts as necessary or convenient to 10 operate such high school. 11 [7.] 5. Students attending such high school shall continue to be 12 enrolled in their school district of residence. The Syracuse city school 13 district shall be responsible for the issuance of a high school diploma 14 to students who attended the high school based on such students' 15 successful completion of the high school's educational program. 16 [8.] 6. For purposes of all state aid calculations made pursuant to 17 the education law, students attending such high school shall continue to 18 be treated and counted as students of their school district of resi- 19 dence. 20 [9.] 7. The public school district of residence shall be obligated to 21 provide transportation, without regard to any mileage limitations, 22 provided however, for aid reimbursements pursuant to subdivision 7 of 23 section 3602 of the education law, expenses associated with the trans- 24 portation of students to and from the high school up to a distance of 25 thirty miles shall be included. 26 [10.] 8. It shall be the duty of the student's district of residence 27 to make payments as calculated in this act directly to the school 28 district for each student enrolled in the high school. No costs shall 29 be apportioned to school districts that elect not to participate in such 30 high school. 31 [11.] 9. The trustees or the board of education of a school district 32 may enter into a memorandum of understanding with the board of education 33 of the Syracuse city school district to participate in such high school 34 program for a period not to exceed five years upon such terms as such 35 trustees or board of education and the board of education of the Syra- 36 cuse city school district may mutually agree. Such memorandum of under- 37 standing shall set forth a methodology for the calculation of per pupil 38 tuition costs that shall be subject to review and approval by the 39 commissioner of education. 40 [12.] 10. Any student eligible for enrollment in grades nine through 41 twelve of a public school entering into a memorandum of understanding 42 with the board of education of the Syracuse city school district to 43 enroll students in the high school shall be eligible for admission to 44 the high school. To the extent that the number of qualified applicants 45 may exceed the number of available spaces, the high school shall grant 46 admission on a random selection basis, provided that an enrollment pref- 47 erence shall be provided to pupils returning to the high school in the 48 second or any subsequent year. The criteria for admission shall not be 49 limited based on intellectual ability, measures of academic achievement 50 or aptitude, athletic aptitude, disability, race, creed, gender, 51 national origin, religion, ancestry, or location of residence. The high 52 school shall determine the tentative enrollment roster, notify the 53 parents, or those in parental relations to those students, and the resi- 54 dent school district by April first of the school year preceding the 55 school year for which the admission is granted.
A. 9934 4 1 [13.] 11. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, 2 the Syracuse city school district is authorized to transfer ownership of 3 the Syracuse [Comprehensive Education and Workforce Training Center] 4 Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics high school 5 facility to the county of Onondaga and the county of Onondaga is author- 6 ized to assume such ownership and to enter into a lease for such facili- 7 ty with the Syracuse city school district. The county of Onondaga may 8 contract for indebtedness to renovate such facility and any related 9 financing shall be deemed a county purpose. The county of Onondaga shall 10 transfer ownership of the Syracuse [Comprehensive Education and Work- 11 force Training Center] Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math- 12 ematics high school facility to the city of Syracuse upon the expiration 13 of the lease. 14 [14.] 12. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, 15 the county of Onondaga shall submit estimated project costs for the 16 renovation and equipping of the Syracuse [Comprehensive Education and 17 Workforce Training Center] Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and 18 Mathematics high school after the completion of schematic plans and 19 specifications for review by the commissioner of education. If the total 20 project costs associated with such project exceed the approved cost 21 allowance of such building project pursuant to section three of this 22 act, and the county has not otherwise demonstrated to the satisfaction 23 of the New York state education department the availability of addi- 24 tional local shares for such excess costs from the city of Syracuse 25 and/or the Syracuse city school district, then the county shall not 26 proceed with the preparation of final plans and specifications for such 27 project until the project has been redesigned or value-engineered to 28 reduce estimated project costs so as not to exceed the above cost 29 limits. 30 [15.] 13. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, 31 the county of Onondaga shall submit estimated project costs for the 32 renovation and equipping of the Syracuse [Comprehensive Education Work- 33 force and Training Center] Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and 34 Mathematics high school after the completion of fifty percent of the 35 final plans and specifications for review by the commissioner of educa- 36 tion. If the total project costs associated with such project exceed the 37 approved cost allowance of such building project pursuant to subpara- 38 graph (8) of paragraph a of subdivision 6 of section 3602 of the educa- 39 tion law, and the county has not otherwise demonstrated to the satisfac- 40 tion of the New York state education department the availability of 41 additional local share for such excess costs from the city of Syracuse 42 and/or the Syracuse city school district, then the county shall not 43 proceed with the completion of the remaining fifty percent of the plans 44 and specifications for such project until the project has been rede- 45 signed or value-engineered to reduce estimated project costs so as to 46 not exceed the above cost limits. 47 § 3. Subparagraph 8 of paragraph a of subdivision 6 of section 3602 of 48 the education law, as added by section 3 of part B of chapter 56 of the 49 laws of 2020, is amended to read as follows: 50 (8) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, for 51 the purpose of computation of building aid for the renovation and equip- 52 ping of the Syracuse [Comprehensive Education and Workforce Training 53 Center] Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics high 54 school authorized for operation by the Syracuse city school district the 55 building aid units assigned to this project shall reflect a building aid 56 enrollment of one thousand students and multi-year cost allowances for
A. 9934 5 1 the project shall be established and utilized two times in the first 2 five-year period. Subsequent multi-year cost allowances shall be estab- 3 lished no sooner than ten years after establishment of the first maximum 4 cost allowance authorized pursuant to this subparagraph. 5 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.