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

                                  2151

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 15, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced by M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT, LIFTON, LUPARDO, ARROYO -- read once
  and referred to the Committee on Education

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to courses of instruction
  in the aging process, issues related to aging, understanding and plan-
  ning for long-term care and intergenerational programming

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

  Section 1. Legislative intent. America's future is  in  the  hands  of
today's youth who, as adults, will face a challenge unique to the histo-
ry  of  mankind: a "graying society".  Today's youth will need to become
educated and prepare to care for aging parents at an increasing personal
cost, understand and invest in long-term care health insurance  as  part
of  their  own long-range family planning, develop healthy lifestyles to
ensure their own successful aging, and work to eliminate negative  views
about aging. Despite the "graying" of our society, children at all grade
levels  have  negative  images  of  older  people. This is reiterated in
AARP's IMAGES IN AMERICA (1995), which included a national random sample
of teens and a survey of children ages  6-11.  This  study  showed  that
children  form  negative  stereotypes  about the elderly at a very early
age. This should not be surprising given the media's portrayal of  older
adults  as  well  as  the  disconnect  between the generations. Children
perceive growing older as a process of decline,  without  potential  for
growth  and fulfillment. Images of aging as depicted in children's draw-
ings emphasize disabilities,  isolation  and  dependency.  Missing  from
children's images is the vision of physical and mental wellness in later
life,  involvement  with  others,  independent  living, productivity and
connection with the larger community. Despite  the  knowledge  of  chil-
dren's  negative attitudes about older people, very little is being done
to prepare our youth to meet these  challenges,  and  most  high  school
graduates  receive  little  information  on  the  physiological, social,
psychological or economic effects of aging.   Several  researchers  have

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD06819-01-5
              

A. 2151                             2

found  that  when  schools  have  initiated  programs at different grade
levels to teach about aging, the results have been very positive on  how
children view older people and the aging. In addition, interactions with
older people were found to be a factor in forming positive images of the
elderly  and  reducing  stereotyping.  Furthermore,  this knowledge will
enable students to better prepare themselves for planning for their  own
retirement  and  long-term  care  needs.  For  all of these reasons, the
legislature is prescribing the inclusion of  instruction  on  the  aging
process,  issues  related to aging, understanding and planning for long-
term care and intergenerational programming in the New York state school
curriculum.
  S 2. The education law is amended by adding a  new  section  804-e  to
read as follows:
  S  804-E.  COURSES OF INSTRUCTION IN THE AGING PROCESS, ISSUES RELATED
TO AGING, UNDERSTANDING AND PLANNING FOR LONG-TERM CARE, AND INTERGENER-
ATIONAL PROGRAMMING. 1.  A.  THE  REGENTS  SHALL  PRESCRIBE  COURSES  OF
INSTRUCTION ON THE AGING PROCESS, ISSUES RELATED TO AGING, UNDERSTANDING
AND PLANNING FOR LONG-TERM CARE, AND INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAMMING TO BE
MAINTAINED  AND  FOLLOWED IN ALL THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF THE STATE. THE
BOARDS OF EDUCATION AND TRUSTEES OF THE SEVERAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF  THE
STATE  SHALL  REQUIRE  INSTRUCTION  TO  BE  GIVEN IN SUCH COURSES BY THE
TEACHERS EMPLOYED IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS THEREIN. ALL PUPILS ATTENDING
SUCH SECONDARY SCHOOLS SHALL ATTEND UPON SUCH INSTRUCTION.
  B. SIMILAR COURSES OF INSTRUCTION SHALL BE PRESCRIBED  AND  MAINTAINED
IN  PRIVATE  SECONDARY  SCHOOLS  IN  THE  STATE,  AND ALL PUPILS IN SUCH
SECONDARY SCHOOLS SHALL ATTEND UPON SUCH COURSES. IF  SUCH  COURSES  ARE
NOT SO ESTABLISHED AND MAINTAINED IN A PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOL, ATTEND-
ANCE  UPON  INSTRUCTION  IN  SUCH  SECONDARY  SCHOOL SHALL NOT BE DEEMED
SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT TO INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO PUPILS OF LIKE  AGE  IN
THE PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN WHICH SUCH PUPILS
RESIDE.
  2.  THE  REGENTS,  IN CONSULTATION WITH THE STATE OFFICE FOR THE AGING
SHALL DETERMINE THE SUBJECTS, TOPICS AND PROGRAMMING TO BE  INCLUDED  IN
SUCH  COURSES  OF  INSTRUCTION  ON  THE AGING PROCESS, ISSUES RELATED TO
AGING, UNDERSTANDING AND PLANNING FOR LONG-TERM CARE,  AND  INTERGENERA-
TIONAL  PROGRAMMING, IN ADDITION TO THE PERIOD OF INSTRUCTION IN EACH OF
THE SECONDARY GRADES IN SUCH SUBJECTS, TOPICS AND PROGRAMMING.    INTER-
GENERATIONAL  PROGRAMMING  MAY  INCLUDE  BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO UTILIZING
SENIOR CITIZEN VOLUNTEERS TO MENTOR STUDENTS AND TEACH LESSONS, ENGAGING
STUDENTS IN INTERGENERATIONAL SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS,  CONGREGATE  OR
HOME DELIVERED MEALS PROGRAMS, AND NURSING HOME VISITS.
  3.  THE  REGENTS  SHALL ADOPT RULES PROVIDING FOR ATTENDANCE UPON SUCH
INSTRUCTION AND FOR SUCH OTHER MATTERS AS ARE REQUIRED FOR CARRYING INTO
EFFECT THE OBJECTS AND PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION. THE COMMISSIONER  SHALL
BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF THIS SECTION AND SHALL CAUSE TO BE
INSPECTED AND SUPERVISE THE INSTRUCTION TO BE GIVEN IN SUCH SUBJECTS AND
TOPICS.  THE  COMMISSIONER MAY, IN HIS OR HER DISCRETION, CAUSE ALL OR A
PORTION OF THE PUBLIC  SCHOOL  MONEY  TO  BE  APPORTIONED  TO  A  SCHOOL
DISTRICT  TO  BE  WITHHELD FOR FAILURE OF THE SCHOOL AUTHORITIES OF SUCH
DISTRICT TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTION IN SUCH COURSES AND TO COMPEL ATTENDANCE
UPON SUCH INSTRUCTION, AS PRESCRIBED IN THIS SECTION, AND FOR A NON-COM-
PLIANCE WITH THE RULES OF  THE  REGENTS  ADOPTED  AS  PROVIDED  IN  THIS
SECTION.
  S  3. Paragraph h of subdivision 2 of section 355 of the education law
is amended by adding a new subparagraph 10 to read as follows:

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  (10) IN FORMULATING THE CURRICULUM FOR EACH COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY  OF
THE  STATE  UNIVERSITY,  THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES SHALL REQUIRE AND INCLUDE
INSTRUCTION IN THE AGING PROCESS, ISSUES RELATED TO AGING, UNDERSTANDING
AND PLANNING FOR LONG-TERM CARE, AND INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAMMING.  THE
BOARD  OF TRUSTEES, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE STATE OFFICE FOR THE AGING,
SHALL FURTHER ESTABLISH AND DISTRIBUTE GUIDELINES,  PERTAINING  TO  SUCH
INSTRUCTION,  INCLUDING  CREDIT  HOURS, TO THE PRESIDENT OF EACH COLLEGE
AND UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY.
  S 4. Section 6206 of the education law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
subdivision 18 to read as follows:
  18. IN FORMULATING THE CURRICULUM FOR EACH COLLEGE OF THE CITY UNIVER-
SITY, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES SHALL REQUIRE AND INCLUDE INSTRUCTION IN THE
AGING  PROCESS,  ISSUES RELATED TO AGING, UNDERSTANDING AND PLANNING FOR
LONG-TERM CARE, AND INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAMMING. THE  BOARD  OF  TRUS-
TEES, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE STATE OFFICE FOR THE AGING, SHALL FURTHER
ESTABLISH  AND  DISTRIBUTE  GUIDELINES,  PERTAINING TO SUCH INSTRUCTION,
INCLUDING CREDIT HOURS, TO THE PRESIDENT OF EACH  COLLEGE  OF  THE  CITY
UNIVERSITY.
  S  5.  This  act  shall  take  effect  on  the first of September next
succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.