Senate Bill S8212

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Relates to the creation of a pre-specialized high schools admissions test and preparation program

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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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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Apr 18, 2018	referred to education

co-Sponsors

2017-S8212 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A10539
Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §2590-h, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: A3981
2021-2022: A2665
2023-2024: A3377

2017-S8212 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Creates a pre-specialized high schools admissions test and preparation program for all sixth grade students in New York city.

2017-S8212 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S8212

SPONSOR: BAILEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the education law, in relation to the
creation of a pre-specialized high schools admissions test and prepara-
tion program

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To give students the opportunity to take a pre-specialized high school
admissions test (pre-SHSAT) in order to guide them as they prepare for
the specialized high school admissions test (SHSAT).

 
SUMMARY OF MAIN PROVISIONS:

Section 1 adds a new subdivision 54 to section 2590-h of the education
law, to establish in conjunction with the New York City department of
education officials, a test preparation program for students in the
sixth grade culminating in a pre-specialized high schools admissions
test to be administered in May or June of each year.

Section 2 adds a new subdivision 39 to section 2590-h of the education
law, to establish in conjunction with the New York City department of
education officials, a test preparation program for students in the
sixth grade culminating in a pre-specialized high schools admissions
test to be administered in May or June of each year.

Section 3 is the effective date.

 
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. Admittance of black and Latino students to specialized high
schools has been on the decline since the 1990's.

One way to level the playing field for these students is to establish a
pre-SHSAT, where students and families would receive an analysis of
their results to determine areas in need of improvement in advance of
the SHSAT given in eighth grade. This test will enable students, their
parents and the schools to concentrate on areas that need improvement at
a time when it is possible to do so. Too often, students and their
parents find out about the SHSAT too late to adequately prepare for the
rigors of the test. Knowing early enables students to participate in
test prep programs provided by the New York City Department of Educa-
tion, like the DREAM program.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
On the first of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have
become a law; provided that the amendments to 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.
Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule
or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effec-
tive date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such
effective date.

2017-S8212 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8212
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              April 18, 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  the  creation  of  a
   pre-specialized high schools admissions test and preparation program
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Section 2590-h of the education law is amended by adding  a
 new subdivision 55 to read as follows:
   55.  ESTABLISH,  IN  CONJUNCTION  WITH  THE  APPROPRIATE NEW YORK CITY
 DEPARTMENT OF  EDUCATION  OFFICIALS,  A  TEST  PREPARATION  PROGRAM  FOR
 STUDENTS  IN  THE  SIXTH  GRADE  CULMINATING  IN  A PRE-SPECIALIZED HIGH
 SCHOOLS ADMISSIONS TEST TO BE ADMINISTERED IN MAY OR JUNE OF EACH  YEAR.
 SUCH  TEST  PREPARATION  AND THE PRE-SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS ADMISSIONS
 TEST SHALL BE AVAILABLE TO ALL  SIXTH  GRADE  STUDENTS  FREE  OF  CHARGE
 DURING  THE  REGULAR  OPERATING  HOURS  OF THE SCHOOL DAY.   PARENTS MAY
 CHOOSE FOR THEIR STUDENT TO NOT  BE  A  PART  OF  THE  TEST  PREPARATION
 PROGRAM.  UPON  COMPLETION  OF THE PROGRAM, EACH STUDENT, THEIR PARENTS,
 AND THEIR SCHOOL SHALL RECEIVE A GAP ANALYSIS. SCHOOLS  SHALL  USE  EACH
 STUDENT'S  GAP  ANALYSIS TO TAILOR THE STUDENT'S INSTRUCTION TO MEET THE
 NEEDS OF THE STUDENT INCLUDING, BUT NOT  LIMITED  TO,  THE  USE  OF  THE
 SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS ADMISSIONS TEST INTENSIVE OR ANY OTHER NEW YORK
 CITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PROGRAM AVAILABLE.
   §  2.  Section  2590-h of the education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 39 to read as follows:
   39. ESTABLISH, IN CONJUNCTION  WITH  THE  APPROPRIATE  NEW  YORK  CITY
 DEPARTMENT  OF  EDUCATION  OFFICIALS,  A  TEST  PREPARATION  PROGRAM FOR
 STUDENTS IN THE  SIXTH  GRADE  CULMINATING  IN  A  PRE-SPECIALIZED  HIGH
 SCHOOLS  ADMISSIONS TEST TO BE ADMINISTERED IN MAY OR JUNE OF EACH YEAR.
 SUCH TEST PREPARATION AND THE PRE-SPECIALIZED  HIGH  SCHOOLS  ADMISSIONS
 TEST  SHALL  BE  AVAILABLE  TO  ALL  SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS FREE OF CHARGE
 DURING THE REGULAR OPERATING HOURS OF  THE  SCHOOL  DAY.    PARENTS  MAY
 CHOOSE  FOR  THEIR  STUDENT  TO  NOT  BE  A PART OF THE TEST PREPARATION
 PROGRAM. UPON COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM, EACH  STUDENT,  THEIR  PARENTS,
 AND  THEIR  SCHOOL  SHALL RECEIVE A GAP ANALYSIS. SCHOOLS SHALL USE EACH
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15438-02-8

 S. 8212                             2

 STUDENT'S GAP ANALYSIS TO TAILOR THE STUDENT'S INSTRUCTION TO  MEET  THE
 NEEDS  OF  THE  STUDENT  INCLUDING,  BUT  NOT LIMITED TO, THE USE OF THE
 SPECIALIZED HIGH SCHOOLS ADMISSIONS TEST INTENSIVE OR ANY OTHER NEW YORK
 CITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PROGRAM AVAILABLE.
   §  3.  This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law; provided that  the  amend-
 ments  to  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. Effective immediately, the addition,
 amendment and/or repeal of any rule  or  regulation  necessary  for  the
 implementation  of  this  act on its effective date are authorized to be
 made and completed on or before such effective date.

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Senate Bill S8212

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

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co-Sponsors

2017-S8212 (ACTIVE) - Details

2017-S8212 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2017-S8212 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2017-S8212 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

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Sponsored By

Jamaal T. Bailey

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Actions

co-Sponsors

Jesse Hamilton

Brian Kavanagh

Toby Ann Stavisky

2017-S8212 (ACTIVE) - Details

2017-S8212 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2017-S8212 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2017-S8212 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments