The New York State Senate

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

                                 7914--A

                       2019-2020 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                              May 28, 2019
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  MAGNARELLI,  STIRPE, HUNTER -- read once and
  referred to the Committee on Education -- committee  discharged,  bill
  amended,  ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
  tee

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the Syra-
  cuse city school  district  regional  STEAM  high  school  to  provide
  instruction  to  students in the Onondaga, Cortland and Madison county
  BOCES and the central New York region in the areas of  science,  tech-
  nology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) areas

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

  Section 1. Legislative intent. The purpose of this act is to establish
the Syracuse city school district regional STEAM high school. The  STEAM
high school shall provide a high school course of instruction for grades
nine  through  twelve, dedicated to providing expanded learning opportu-
nities to students residing in the Onondaga, Cortland and Madison county
board of cooperative educational services region and central  New  York,
in  the  areas of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics
as well as the core academic areas required for  the  issuance  of  high
school diplomas in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated
by  the board of regents. The legislature hereby finds and declares that
the establishment of the STEAM high school is a necessary  component  to
the development of the greater central New York region of New York state
and a necessary link to fostering the development and advancement of the
arts  and  emerging technologies. This school will advance the interests
of the central New York region and New York state by  engaging  students
in  rigorous  and  enriching educational experiences focused on the arts
and emerging technologies, project-based learning and collaboration  and
by providing that experience within the context of a business and learn-
ing  community  for  the purpose of directly connecting student learning
with real world experience in the arts and  advanced  technical  facili-

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

                                                           LBD11786-04-9

A. 7914--A                          2

ties. It is expressly found that the establishment and operation of such
school pursuant to this act is a public purpose.
  §  2.  Establishment  of  Syracuse city school district regional STEAM
high school.
  1. A regional science, technology, engineering, arts  and  mathematics
("STEAM")  high  school  may be established by the board of education of
the Syracuse city school district pursuant to this section for  students
in grades nine through twelve.
  2.  Such  school  shall  be  governed by the board of education of the
Syracuse city school district. The school shall be subject to all  laws,
rules  and  regulations  which  are  applicable  to a public high school
unless otherwise provided for in this act. The school shall  be  subject
to the oversight of the board of regents and the program shall be audit-
ed  in  a  manner consistent with provisions of law and regulations that
are applicable to other public schools.
  3. The board of education of the Syracuse city school  district  shall
have  the  responsibility for the operation, supervision and maintenance
of the school and shall be responsible for  the  administration  of  the
school, including curriculum, grading, discipline and staffing.
  4.  The  board of education of the Syracuse city school district shall
be authorized to enter into contracts  as  necessary  or  convenient  to
operate such school.
  5.  Students  attending  such  school shall continue to be enrolled in
their school district of residence. The Syracuse  city  school  district
shall  be  responsible  for  the  issuance  of  a high school diploma to
students who attended the school  based  on  such  students'  successful
completion of the school's educational program.
  6.  For  purposes  of  all state aid calculations made pursuant to the
education law, students attending  such  school  shall  continue  to  be
treated and counted as students of their school district of residence.
  7.  The  public  school  district  of  residence shall be obligated to
provide transportation,  without  regard  to  any  mileage  limitations,
provided  however,  for  aid reimbursements pursuant to subdivision 7 of
section 3602 of the education law, expenses associated with  the  trans-
portation  of  students to and from the STEAM school up to a distance of
thirty miles shall be included.
  8. It shall be the duty of the student's district of residence to make
payments as calculated in this act directly to the school  district  for
each  student  enrolled in the school.  No costs shall be apportioned to
school districts that elect not to participate in such school.
  9. The trustees or the board of education of  a  school  district  may
enter  into a memorandum of understanding with the board of education of
the Syracuse city school district to participate in such school  program
for  a  period not to exceed five years upon such terms as such trustees
or board of education and the board of education of  the  Syracuse  city
school  district  may mutually agree.   Such memorandum of understanding
shall set forth a methodology for the calculation of per  pupil  tuition
costs that shall be subject to review and approval by the commissioner.
  10.  Any student eligible for enrollment in grades nine through twelve
of a public school entering into a memorandum of understanding with  the
board  of  education  of  the  Syracuse  city  school district to enroll
students in the STEAM high school shall be eligible for admission to the
STEAM high school. To the extent that the number of qualified applicants
may exceed the number of available spaces, the school shall grant admis-
sion on a random selection basis, provided that an enrollment preference
shall be provided to pupils returning to the school in the second or any

A. 7914--A                          3

subsequent year.  The criteria for admission shall not be limited  based
on  intellectual  ability, measures of academic achievement or aptitude,
athletic aptitude, disability, race,  creed,  gender,  national  origin,
religion,  ancestry,  or location of residence.  The school shall deter-
mine the tentative enrollment roster, notify the parents,  or  those  in
parental  relations  to those students, and the resident school district
by April first of the school year preceding the school  year  for  which
the admission is granted.
  11.  Notwithstanding  any  other provision of law to the contrary, the
Syracuse city school district is authorized to transfer ownership of the
Syracuse city school district regional STEAM high school facility to the
county of Onondaga and the county of Onondaga is  authorized  to  assume
such  ownership  and  to  enter  into a lease for such facility with the
Syracuse city school district.  The county of Onondaga may contract  for
indebtedness  to  renovate such facility and any related financing shall
be deemed a county purpose.   The  county  of  Onondaga  shall  transfer
ownership  of  the  regional  STEAM  high school facility to the city of
Syracuse upon the expiration of the lease.
  § 3. Paragraph a of subdivision 6 of section 3602 of the education law
is amended by adding a new subparagraph 8 to read as follows:
  (8) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW TO  THE  CONTRARY,  FOR
THE PURPOSE OF COMPUTATION OF BUILDING AID FOR THE RENOVATION AND EQUIP-
PING  OF  A  REGIONAL  STEAM HIGH SCHOOL AUTHORIZED FOR OPERATION BY THE
SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT THE BUILDING AID UNITS  ASSIGNED  TO  THIS
PROJECT SHALL REFLECT A BUILDING AID ENROLLMENT OF ONE THOUSAND STUDENTS
AND  MULTI-YEAR COST ALLOWANCES FOR THE PROJECT SHALL BE ESTABLISHED AND
UTILIZED TWO TIMES IN THE FIRST FIVE-YEAR PERIOD. SUBSEQUENT  MULTI-YEAR
COST  ALLOWANCES  SHALL  BE  ESTABLISHED  NO SOONER THAN TEN YEARS AFTER
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FIRST MAXIMUM COST ALLOWANCE AUTHORIZED PURSUANT TO
THIS SUBPARAGRAPH.
  § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.