S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2987
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 23, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  RICHARDSON  -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a comput-
   er coding and basic programming course for secondary schools
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 56 to read as follows:
   56.  A.  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD OF
 REGENTS RELATING TO THE ADOPTION OF INSTRUCTION IN COMPUTER  CODING  AND
 BASIC PROGRAMMING IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.
   B.  PRIOR  TO  MAKING THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD OF REGENTS, THE
 COMMISSIONER SHALL:
   (I) SEEK  THE  RECOMMENDATIONS  OF  TEACHERS,  SCHOOL  ADMINISTRATORS,
 TEACHER  EDUCATORS AND OTHERS WITH EDUCATIONAL EXPERTISE IN THE PROPOSED
 CURRICULUM;
   (II) SEEK COMMENT FROM PARENTS, STUDENTS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES;
   (III) CONSIDER THE AMOUNT OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME SUCH  CURRICULUM  WILL
 REQUIRE  AND WHETHER SUCH TIME WOULD DETRACT FROM OTHER MANDATED COURSES
 OF STUDY;
   (IV) CONSIDER THE FISCAL IMPACT, IF  ANY,  ON  THE  STATE  AND  SCHOOL
 DISTRICTS; AND
   (V) CONSIDER ANY ADDITIONAL FACTORS THE COMMISSIONER DEEMS RELEVANT.
   C.  NO  LATER THAN ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF
 THIS SUBDIVISION, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE
 BOARD OF REGENTS TO EITHER ADOPT AND PROMULGATE  APPROPRIATE  RULES  AND
 REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTING SUCH CURRICULUM OR REJECT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
 SUCH  CURRICULUM. UPON RECEIVING A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMISSIONER,
 PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION, THE BOARD OF REGENTS SHALL VOTE TO  EITHER
 ACCEPT  OR  REJECT THE COMMISSIONER'S RECOMMENDATION NO LATER THAN SIXTY
 DAYS AFTER RECEIVING SUCH RECOMMENDATION.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD00705-01-7

 A. 2987                             2
 
   D. IF THE BOARD OF REGENTS  ADOPTS  SUCH  CURRICULUM,  THE  CURRICULUM
 REQUIREMENT  SHALL  TAKE EFFECT NO LATER THAN THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR AFTER
 SUCH CURRICULUM HAS BEEN ADOPTED.
   E.  IF  THE BOARD OF REGENTS REJECTS SUCH CURRICULUM, THE COMMISSIONER
 SHALL PROVIDE A REPORT AS TO THE  DETERMINATION  OF  THE  BOARD  TO  THE
 GOVERNOR,  THE  TEMPORARY  PRESIDENT  OF  THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE
 ASSEMBLY AND THE CHAIRS OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY COMMITTEES ON  EDUCA-
 TION PROVIDING THE REASONS FOR SUCH REJECTION NOT LATER THAN THIRTY DAYS
 AFTER THE BOARD OF REGENTS REJECTS SUCH CURRICULUM.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.