NY State Senate Bill 2017-S7983

Senate Bill S7983

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Relates to expanding the discovery program to all of New York City's specialized high schools

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Mar 16, 2018	referred to education

co-Sponsors

2017-S7983 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §2590-h, Ed L
Versions Introduced in 2017-2018 Legislative Session:: S7983

2017-S7983 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Expands the discovery program to all of New York City's specialized high schools.

2017-S7983 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S7983

SPONSOR: BAILEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to expanding the discov-
ery program to all of New York City's specialized high schools

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To ensure that all students entering high school have an opportunity to
participate in the discovery program to gain access to specialized high
schools in the city of New York.

 
SUMMARY OF MAIN PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends paragraph b of subdivision 1 of section 2590-h of the
education law, as amended by chapter 345 of the laws of 2009 to include
the current roster of all specialized high schools as well as require
that the schools maintain a discovery program.

Section 2 amends paragraph b of subdivision 1 of section 2590-h of the
education law, as amended by chapter 720 of the laws of 1996 to include
the current roster of all specialized high schools as well as to require
that the schools maintain a discovery program.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The Calandra-Hecht bill enacted in the New York State Legislature in
1971 ensured that admittance to specialized high schools in New York
City was determined via a standardized test to minimize discrimination
and admit students based entirely on merit. However, over the years the
test has evolved to the point where many parents spend large sums of
money on special tutoring classes and test prep for their children, thus
creating a disadvantage for low-income students, predominantly black and
Latino. The Calandra-Hecht bill also gave schools the option to create a
discovery program to aid those with limited resources. The discovery
program takes students that scored just below the threshold for admit-
tance and puts them through a summer program that will prepare them to
be admitted to the school.

In the fall of 2017, 28,333 eighth graders sat for the test to qualify
for spots in Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech and five smaller
schools, representing an overall 2% increase from last year, the number
of black and Latino students taking the test fell 2%. The corresponding
results: Just 10 black students were admitted to a Stuyvesant class of
902, down from 13 admitted last year. The Latino results dipped from 28
to 27.

The lack of resources and information for black and Latino children to
prepare for this test clearly shows in the results. Since schools are
not mandated to offer this program, it is often offered for a period of
time then taken away due to unrelated circumstances. This bill seeks to
increase diversity in all specialized high schools by making sure that a
discovery program is offered at all times.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
One hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.

2017-S7983 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7983
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 16, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sens. BAILEY, STAVISKY -- read twice and ordered printed,
   and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to expanding the  discov-
   ery program to all of New York City's specialized high schools
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 of  section  2590-h  of  the
 education law, as amended by chapter 345 of the laws of 2009, is amended
 to read as follows:
   (b)  all  specialized  senior  high  schools. The special high schools
 shall include the present schools known as:
   The Bronx High School of Science,  Stuyvesant  High  School,  Brooklyn
 Technical  High  School,  Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and
 the Arts in the borough of Manhattan, THE BROOKLYN  LATIN  SCHOOL,  HIGH
 SCHOOL  FOR  MATHEMATICS  SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING AT THE CITY COLLEGE OF
 NEW YORK, HIGH SCHOOL OF AMERICAN STUDIES AT LEHMAN COLLEGE, QUEENS HIGH
 SCHOOL FOR THE SCIENCES AT YORK COLLEGE, STATEN  ISLAND  TECHNICAL  HIGH
 SCHOOL, and such further schools which the city board may designate from
 time  to  time.  The  special schools shall [be permitted to] maintain a
 discovery program in accordance with the  law  in  effect  on  the  date
 preceding  the effective date of this section; admissions to the special
 schools shall be conducted in accordance with the law in effect  on  the
 date preceding the effective date of this section;
   § 2. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 of section 2590-h of the education
 law,  as  amended by chapter 720 of the laws of 1996, is amended to read
 as follows:
   (b) all specialized senior high  schools.  The  special  high  schools
 shall include the present schools known as:
   The  Bronx  High  School  of Science, Stuyvesant High School, Brooklyn
 Technical High School, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School  of  Music  and
 the  Arts  in  the borough of Manhattan, THE BROOKLYN LATIN SCHOOL, HIGH
 SCHOOL FOR MATHEMATICS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING AT THE  CITY  COLLEGE  OF
 NEW YORK, HIGH SCHOOL OF AMERICAN STUDIES AT LEHMAN COLLEGE, QUEENS HIGH
 SCHOOL  FOR  THE  SCIENCES AT YORK COLLEGE, STATEN ISLAND TECHNICAL HIGH
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15078-03-8

 S. 7983                             2
 
 SCHOOL, and such further schools which the city board may designate from
 time to time. The special schools shall [be  permitted  to]  maintain  a
 discovery  program  in  accordance  with  the  law in effect on the date
 preceding  the effective date of this section; admissions to the special
 schools shall be conducted in accordance with the law in effect  on  the
 date preceding the effective date of this section;
   §  3.  This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a  law;  provided,  however,  the
 amendments  to  paragraph  (b) of subdivision 1 of section 2590-h of the
 education law made by section one of this act shall be  subject  to  the
 expiration  and  reversion of such section pursuant to subdivision 12 of
 section 17 of chapter 345 of the laws of 2009,  as  amended,  when  upon
 such date the provisions of section two of this act shall take effect.

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Senate Bill S7983

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Sponsored By

Jamaal T. Bailey