A2495-2011 Actions

• Apr 26, 2012: held for consideration in education
• Jan 4, 2012: referred to education
• Jan 19, 2011: referred to education

A2495-2011 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
 
                                         2495
 2011-2012 Regular Sessions
 I N  ASSEMBLY
 January 19, 2011
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of A. PERRY -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. CLARK,
 MENG, TOWNS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
 

AN ACT creating a task force  on  school  discipline  to  review  issues
 related  to suspension as a disciplinary tool, making an appropriation
 therefor 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:

 

Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature finds that the use of
 suspensions is a  common  tool  to  discipline  students;  however,  the
 removal of students from the school environment may be counterproductive
 in  many  instances.  Suspensions  may  cause students to fall behind in
 their classes and as a result further  behavioral  problems  may  arise.
 Removing  students  from the classroom deters the student and his or her
 problems for a short period of  time,  however,  the  actual  behavioral
 problem may not be addressed by suspension, and thus suspension may have
 little  impact  on the actual problem, and alternative approaches may be
 more effective.  Proposals to ease regulations governing the  suspension
 of  students  may result in greater use of suspensions as a disciplinary
 tool. The impact and effectiveness of suspensions along with alternative
 methods demands greater scrutiny.
 

S 2. Task force on school suspension. The commissioner of education is
 hereby directed to create a task force on school suspension.  Such  task
 force  shall  examine,  evaluate and make recommendations on the use and
 impact of suspensions on elementary and secondary school students  as  a
 disciplinary  tool  and  shall  determine  the most common behaviors for
 which students are suspended, the effect  of  such  suspensions  on  the
 student's  learning,  academic  progress  and  future  behavior; and the
 effect of such suspension on the classroom from which such  student  was
 removed.
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD02546-01-1
 
       A. 2495                             2
 

S  3.  Methodology.  The  task  force  shall  obtain  information from
 students and/or school districts from urban, suburban and  rural  areas.
 The task force may employ quantitative and/or qualitative research meth
 ods,  including  but  not limited to reviewing past and present policies
 regarding student suspensions; interviewing teachers, students, parents,
 administrators  and  other appropriate individuals; reviewing literature
 pertinent to suspension and its effects on students, teachers,  adminis
 trators,  and  parents. The task force shall protect the confidentiality
 of all information. Neither the task force nor the education  department
 shall  be  authorized  or  required  to  release personally identifiable
 information.
 

S 4. Public hearings. By April 1, 2013, the task force shall conduct a
 minimum of four public hearings in areas representative of the geograph
 ic diversity of the state and shall solicit information  from  students,
 parents, teachers, administrators, school support staff, community-based
 organizations,  local  probation departments and individuals who possess
 specialized knowledge in educational policy and behavior.
 

S 5. Composition. The task force shall consist of 15 members and shall
 be chaired by the commissioner of  education  or  his  designee.    Five
 members shall be appointed by the commissioner of education; two members
 shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the chancellor of the city
 school  district  of New York; three members shall be appointed upon the
 recommendation of the governor; two members shall be appointed upon  the
 recommendation  of the speaker of the assembly; and two members shall be
 appointed upon the recommendation of  the  temporary  president  of  the
 senate.  The  commissioner of education shall ensure that the task force
 includes parents, teachers, administrators, and other appropriate  indi
 viduals. The commissioner of education shall also ensure that the compo
 sition  of  the  task force is representative of the diversity of public
 school children in the state. The commissioner of education  may  invite
 appropriate  ad  hoc representatives from other state and/or local agen
 cies to serve on the task force. Vacancies on the task  force  shall  be
 filled in the manner provided for original appointments.
 

S  6. The task force shall report its findings, conclusions and recom
 mendations to the governor, temporary president of the  senate  and  the
 speaker  of  the  assembly by June 1, 2013, which findings shall include
 information related to the effectiveness of suspensions and  alternative
 disciplinary  measures, the most common behaviors for which students are
 suspended, the effect of such suspensions  on  the  student's  learning,
 academic progress and future behavior, and the effect of such suspension
 on the classroom from which such student was removed.
 

S  7.  The  sum  of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000), or so much
 thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the department of
 education from any moneys in the state treasury in the general  fund  to
 the credit of the state purposes account not otherwise appropriated, for
 its expenses in carrying out the provisions of this act.
 

S  8.  This act shall take effect immediately and shall remain in full
 force and effect until June 1, 2013 when upon such date  the  provisions
 of this act shall expire and be deemed repealed.

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