Senate Bill S1904

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1904
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 16, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SKOUFIS -- 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 public  higher  educa-
   tion admissions and standardized testing
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section  340-a
 to read as follows:
   §  340-A. PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION ADMISSIONS AND STANDARDIZED TESTING.
 1. FOR ALL PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, EXCEPT  SUCH  INSTI-
 TUTIONS THAT ARE CONSIDERED STATUTORY COLLEGES UNDER THIS CHAPTER:
   (A)  THE USE OF CURRENT STANDARDIZED TEST REQUIREMENTS FOR UNDERGRADU-
 ATE ADMISSIONS OF NEW YORK RESIDENT APPLICANTS SHALL BE SUSPENDED  UNTIL
 THE TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX--TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SEVEN ACADEMIC YEAR.
   (B)  FOR  ENROLLMENT  DECISIONS FOR NEW YORK STATE RESIDENT APPLICANTS
 FOR THE TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-TWO--TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-THREE AND TWO THOU-
 SAND TWENTY-THREE--TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR ACADEMIC YEARS,  SHALL  HAVE
 THE  OPTION  TO USE THE SCHOLASTIC APTITUDE TEST AND ACT ASSESSMENT TEST
 SCORES IN SELECTION CONSIDERATION IF STUDENTS CHOOSE TO SUBMIT THEM.
   (C) FOR ENROLLMENT DECISIONS FOR NEW YORK  STATE  RESIDENT  APPLICANTS
 FOR THE TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR--TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE AND TWO THOU-
 SAND  TWENTY-FIVE--TWO  THOUSAND  TWENTY-SIX  ACADEMIC  YEARS, SHALL NOT
 CONSIDER STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES FOR  ADMISSIONS  SELECTION  AND  SHALL
 PRACTICE  TEST-BLIND  ADMISSIONS  SELECTION  FOR NEW YORK STATE RESIDENT
 APPLICANTS.
   2. (A) THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW  YORK  AND
 THE  BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES  FOR THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK SHALL EACH
 IDENTIFY AND CREATE A NEW TEST THAT ALIGNS WITH THE CONTENT THE  RESPEC-
 TIVE  INSTITUTIONS  EXPECT  STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE MASTERED TO DEMONSTRATE
 COLLEGE READINESS FOR STUDENTS ENTERING SUCH INSTITUTIONS.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06359-01-1
              

 S. 1904                             2
 
   (B) IF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW  YORK  AND
 THE  BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK ARE UNABLE TO
 EITHER MODIFY OR CREATE A TEST THAT MEETS  THESE  CRITERIA  AND  CAN  BE
 AVAILABLE  FOR  APPLICANTS FOR THE TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX--TWO THOUSAND
 TWENTY-SEVEN  ACADEMIC YEAR, THE RESPECTIVE INSTITUTIONS SHALL ELIMINATE
 ALTOGETHER THE USE OF THE SCHOLASTIC APTITUDE TEST  AND  ACT  ASSESSMENT
 FOR ADMISSIONS SELECTION FOR NEW YORK STATE RESIDENT APPLICANTS.
   (C)  THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AND THE
 BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK SHALL CONSULT WITH
 KINDERGARTEN THROUGH TWELFTH GRADE EDUCATORS, TEST EXPERTS, INSTITUTIONS
 WITHIN THE RESPECTIVE SYSTEMS AND FACULTY OF THOSE INSTITUTIONS TO EVAL-
 UATE HOW BEST TO CONSTRUCT A TEST BETTER SUITED FOR  THE  NEEDS  OF  THE
 SYSTEMS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.