S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
6204
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
March 10, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. RAMOS -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to school district diver-
sity officers
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 2101 of the education law, as
amended by chapter 107 of the laws of 1976, is amended to read as
follows:
1. Each common school district shall have one or three trustees as the
district determines, a collector except in first class towns and except
as may be otherwise provided by law, A DIVERSITY OFFICER, and if the
district so decides a treasurer.
§ 2. Section 2102 of the education law, as amended by chapter 737 of
the laws of 1992, is amended to read as follows:
§ 2102. Qualifications of officers. Every school district officer
must be able to read and write and must be a qualified voter of the
district; and each member of a board of education of a union free school
district, common school district or a central school district shall have
been a resident of the school district, or in the case of a person qual-
ified by subdivision three of section twenty hundred twelve of this
chapter to vote in a district election, a resident of the district or
reservation, for at least one year prior to the election. Notwithstand-
ing the provisions of any other general or special law to the contrary,
a school district treasurer, collector, DIVERSITY OFFICER or clerk need
not be a resident of the school district to hold such office in such
district.
§ 3. Subdivision 1 of section 2103 of the education law is amended to
read as follows:
1. No district superintendent or supervisor is eligible to the office
of trustee or member of a board of education, and no trustee or member
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09161-03-1
A. 6204 2
of a board of education can hold the office of district clerk, collec-
tor, DIVERSITY OFFICER, treasurer or librarian, except as otherwise
provided by section twenty-one hundred thirty.
§ 4. Section 2103 of the education law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 5 to read as follows:
5. AN ADMINISTRATIVE EMPLOYEE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL BE
APPOINTED AS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DIVERSITY OFFICER.
§ 5. The part heading of part 2 of article 43 of the education law is
amended to read as follows:
DISTRICT CLERK; TREASURER; DIVERSITY OFFICER; COLLECTOR
§ 6. The education law is amended by adding a new section 2131 to
read as follows:
§ 2131. DUTIES OF DIVERSITY OFFICER. IT SHALL BE THE DUTY OF THE
DIVERSITY OFFICER OF EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT TO DEVELOP METHODS TO DIVERSI-
FY THE PERSONNEL OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON DIVERSIFY-
ING TEACHING STAFF. THE DIVERSITY OFFICER SHALL ANNUALLY REVIEW RACIAL
AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SHALL ENCOURAGE
AND ASSIST IN THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF A MORE RACIALLY AND
ETHNICALLY DIVERSE STAFF. THE DIVERSITY OFFICER SHALL ALSO REVIEW
SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICIES AND PRACTICES AND RECOMMEND CHANGES TO SUCH
POLICIES AND PRACTICES TO REDUCE RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES IN HIRING
SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES, PARTICULARLY TEACHERS. THE DIVERSITY OFFICER
SHALL PUBLISH AN ANNUAL REPORT ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S PLANS, PROCESSES
AND PROGRESS IN HIRING AND RETAINING EDUCATORS OF COLOR. SUCH REPORT
SHALL BE PRESENTED TO THE LOCAL BOARD OF EDUCATION AND SHALL BE AVAIL-
ABLE TO THE PUBLIC
§ 7. Section 1709 of the education law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 44 to read as follows:
44. TO PREPARE A REPORT IN RESPONSE TO THE ANNUAL REPORT PRESENTED TO
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION BY THE DIVERSITY OFFICER PURSUANT TO SECTION
TWENTY-ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-ONE OF THIS TITLE RELATING TO THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT'S PLANS, PROCESSES AND PROGRESS IN HIRING AND RETAINING EDUCA-
TORS OF COLOR AND TO SUBMIT SUCH REPORT TO THE DEPARTMENT.
§ 8. Section 1804 of the education law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 13 to read as follows:
13. THE BOARD SHALL PREPARE A REPORT IN RESPONSE TO THE ANNUAL REPORT
PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION BY THE DIVERSITY OFFICER PURSUANT TO
SECTION TWENTY-ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-ONE OF THIS TITLE RELATING TO THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT'S PLANS, PROCESSES AND PROGRESS IN HIRING AND RETAINING
EDUCATORS OF COLOR AND TO SUBMIT SUCH REPORT TO THE DEPARTMENT.
§ 9. Section 2503 of the education law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 22 to read as follows:
22. SHALL PREPARE A REPORT IN RESPONSE TO THE ANNUAL REPORT PRESENTED
TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION BY THE DIVERSITY OFFICER PURSUANT TO SECTION
TWENTY-ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-ONE OF THIS TITLE RELATING TO THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT'S PLANS, PROCESSES AND PROGRESS IN HIRING AND RETAINING EDUCA-
TORS OF COLOR AND TO SUBMIT SUCH REPORT TO THE DEPARTMENT.
§ 10. Section 2554 of the education law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 29 to read as follows:
29. TO PREPARE A REPORT IN RESPONSE TO THE ANNUAL REPORT PRESENTED TO
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION BY THE DIVERSITY OFFICER PURSUANT TO SECTION
TWENTY-ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-ONE OF THIS TITLE RELATING TO THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT'S PLANS, PROCESSES AND PROGRESS IN HIRING AND RETAINING EDUCA-
TORS OF COLOR AND TO SUBMIT SUCH REPORT TO THE DEPARTMENT.
§ 11. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 59 to read as follows:
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59. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PREPARE AN ANNUAL REPORT BASED ON THE
REPORTS SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT BY LOCAL BOARDS OF EDUCATION ON
SCHOOL DISTRICTS' PLANS, PROCESSES AND PROGRESS IN HIRING AND RETAINING
EDUCATORS OF COLOR AND SHALL SUBMIT SUCH REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE ANNU-
ALLY.
§ 12. This act shall take effect immediately.