Assembly Bill A10645

                                BILL NUMBER:A10645

TITLE  OF BILL:  An act to direct the department of education to develop
a pilot program that maximizes the use of technology to allow parents to
keep track of their children's  academic  progress  toward  meeting  the
state's educational standards

PURPOSE  OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:  To direct the State Education Depart-
ment to establish and create  a  Statewide  Internet  Grade  Book  Pilot
Program  to provide teachers, parents and students with free access to a
more flexible and accessible system that  allows  for  the  tracking  of
individual  and  class  grades, the development of academic reports, and
the presentation of individual student academic performance  records  on
the Internet.

SUMMARY  OF  SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:  Section 1 establishes the Legislative
Intent of this bill. The Legislature finds  that  teachers  and  parents
deserve more flexibility in the recording and monitoring of grade infor-
mation to track individual and class grades and attendance. Furthermore,
the  Legislature  finds  that  this program will provide teachers with a
more flexible system that allows for  the  tracking  of  individual  and
class  grades, the development of academic reports, and the presentation
of individual student academic performance records on the  Internet.  In
addition,  the  Legislature finds that this program will provide parents
of middle and' high school grade level  students  with  secure  Internet
access, hosted by the State Education Department, to individual academic
              

performance and attendance records at no cost.

Section 2 establishes this bill as the "The Internet Grade Book Act".

Section  3 directs the State Education Department to create a state-wide
internet pilot program to be known as the "grade  book  program"  to  be
made  available  on a voluntary basis to all school districts for a two-
year period. This program must, at a minimum, allow  parents  of  middle
and  high  school  students  to  access, via the Internet, their child's
academic progress toward  meeting  the  state's  educational  standards.
Districts that choose to participate in the program' will be required to
provide  parents of all middle and high school students with, at a mini-
mum, their children's weekly updated  grades,  attendance  records,  and
upcoming homework assignments through the department's program.

The  State  Education  Department  is  directed  to create or to issue a
request for proposal for a Statewide Internet Grade Book  Pilot  Program
for  all  school districts. The criteria for awarding contracts for this
program must include, but not be limited to: the experience the  company
has  in  providing  Internet related academic support services to school
districts; the extent to which the program will be easily accessible  to
parents and teachers; and the cost of the provider's services.

Section  4  directs the State Education Department to conduct a study of
the program during its second year period. The study must  include,  but
not  be limited to: (1) an assessment of the extent to which the program

assists parents in tracking the academic  progress  of  their  children;
and(2)  assess  whether  and  how further investment into the program is
appropriate for the State. The State Education  Department  must  submit
their  study  and  recommendations  to the Legislature no later than one
year following the completion of the program's first year tenure.

Section 5 authorizes this act to take effect 180 days after  it  becomes
law.

JUSTIFICATION:    Under the leadership of Governor George E. Pataki, New
York State has invested billions in elementary and  secondary  education
funding  to assist students in achieving the State's learning standards.
In order to further strengthen the tools needed by teachers and  parents
to assist students in meeting those standards, this act creates a State-
wide  Internet Grade Book Pilot Program to provide parents of all middle
and high school students with, at a  minimum,  their  children's  weekly
updated  grades,  attendance  records, and upcoming homework assignments
through  the  department's  program.  Furthermore,  this  program  would
provide  teachers with a more flexible system that allows for the track-
ing of individual and class grades, the development of academic reports,
and the presentation of individual student academic performance  records
on the Internet.

PRIOR  LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:  A.1917 - 2005; A.9500 - 2006; A5648 - 2008;
A.9500 - 2006; A.5648 -2007, Education; A.3800 - 2009

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:  Undetermined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  Effective 180 days after enactment.