Allows school districts to schedule August conference days.

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S7718-2011 Actions

• Jul 18, 2012: SIGNED CHAP.260
• Jul 6, 2012: DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR
• Jun 21, 2012: returned to senate
• Jun 21, 2012: passed assembly
• Jun 21, 2012: ordered to third reading rules cal.130
• Jun 21, 2012: substituted for a10233a
• Jun 21, 2012: referred to education
• Jun 21, 2012: DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
• Jun 21, 2012: PASSED SENATE
• Jun 19, 2012: ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.1336
• Jun 18, 2012: PRINT NUMBER 7718A
• Jun 18, 2012: AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO RULES
• Jun 15, 2012: REFERRED TO RULES

S7718-2011 Votes

S7718-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S7718

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the education law, in relation to allowing school districts to
schedule August conference days

PURPOSE:
This bill would allow school districts to elect, subject to collective
bargaining agreements, to hold conference days during the last two
weeks of August and such conference days will count toward the 180
day requirement for state aid.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends Education Law � 3604 to permit school districts to
schedule conference days in the last two weeks of August, subject to
collective bargaining requirements pursuant to article fourteen of
the civil service law.

Section 2 makes this act effective on the first of July next
succeeding the date on which it shall become law.

JUSTIFICATION:
Under current law, up to four conference days are permitted and
counted toward the 180 day requirement for state aid. The 2012-13
school year calendar, however, presents challenges in meeting the 180
day requirements for state aid due to recognized holidays for school
closure. This bill, therefore, allows school districts to elect to
conduct superintendent conference days during the last two weeks of
August before students return to classes and such days will be
counted toward the 180 day requirement and eligible for state aid.
Such school district election is, however, subject to collective
bargaining agreements.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act effective on the first of July next succeeding the date on
which it shall become law.

S7718-2011 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                    7718

                              I N  SENATE

                                June 15, 2012
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by Sen. FLANAGAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
    printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules

  AN ACT to amend the  education  law,  in  relation  to  allowing  school
    districts to schedule August conference days

    THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
  BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


    Section 1. Subdivision 8 of section 3604  of  the  education  law,  as
  amended  by  section  46 of part H of chapter 83 of the laws of 2002, is
  amended to read as follows:

    8. No school shall be in session on a Saturday  or  a  legal  holiday,
  except  general election day, Washington's birthday and Lincoln's birth-
  day, and except that driver education classes  may  be  conducted  on  a
  Saturday. A deficiency not exceeding [three] FOUR days during any school
  year caused by teachers' attendance upon conferences held by superinten-
  dents  of  schools  of  city  school districts or other school districts
  employing superintendents of schools shall be excused by the commission-
  er, NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF LAW,  RULE  OR  REGULATION  TO  THE
  CONTRARY,  A  SCHOOL DISTRICT MAY ELECT TO SCHEDULE SUCH CONFERENCE DAYS
  IN THE LAST TWO  WEEKS  OF  AUGUST,  SUBJECT  TO  COLLECTIVE  BARGAINING
  REQUIREMENTS  PURSUANT TO ARTICLE FOURTEEN OF THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW, AND
  SUCH DAYS SHALL BE COUNTED TOWARDS THE REQUIRED ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY  DAYS
  OF  SESSION,  provided  however, [notwithstanding any other provision of
  law, that during the nineteen hundred  ninety-two--ninety-three  through
  the  two  thousand  two--two thousand three school years and thereafter,
  the] THAT SUCH SCHEDULING SHALL NOT ALTER THE OBLIGATION OF  THE  SCHOOL
  DISTRICT  TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION TO STUDENTS IN NON-PUBLIC ELEMENTARY
  AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS OR CHARTER SCHOOLS. THE commissioner shall  excuse
  a  deficiency  not exceeding four days during such school year caused by
  teachers' attendance upon  conferences  held  by  such  superintendents,
  provided  that at least two such conference days during such school year
  shall be dedicated to staff attendance upon conferences providing  staff
  development  relating  to implementation of the new high learning stand-
  ards and assessments, as adopted by the board of regents.  Notwithstand-
  ing  any  other  provision  of  law, rule or regulation to the contrary,

   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD15776-02-2

 S. 7718                             2

  school districts may elect to use one or more of such allowable  confer-
  ence  days  in  units  of  not  less than one hour each to provide staff
  development activities relating to implementation of the new high learn-
  ing  standards  and  assessments.  A  district  making such election may
  provide such staff development  during  the  regularly  scheduled  daily
  session  and  apply  such units to satisfy a deficiency in the length of
  one or more daily sessions of instruction for  pupils  as  specified  in
  regulations of the commissioner. The commissioner shall assure that such
  conference  days  include  appropriate  school  violence  prevention and
  intervention training, and may require that up to  one  such  conference
  day be dedicated for such purpose.
    S  2.  This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
  the date on which it shall have become a law.