The New York State Senate

 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2325
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 14, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. SIMON -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ABBATE,
   COLTON, COOK, DICKENS, EPSTEIN, GALEF, GLICK, HEVESI, SAYEGH  --  read
   once and referred to the Committee on Education
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a model
   environmental curriculum in all elementary and secondary schools

   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 817 to
 read as follows:
   §  817.  MODEL  ENVIRONMENTAL  CURRICULUM.  1.  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL
 PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS  TO  ESTABLISH  A  MODEL  ENVIRONMENTAL
 CURRICULUM  ON  CLIMATE CHANGE TO BE TAUGHT IN ALL PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND
 SECONDARY SCHOOLS. SUCH MODEL ENVIRONMENTAL  CURRICULUM  SHALL  INCLUDE,
 BUT  NOT  BE  LIMITED  TO,  THE  PRINCIPLES  AND CONCEPTS RELATED TO THE
 FOLLOWING TOPICS:
   A. AIR;
   B. CLIMATE CHANGE;
   C. ENERGY;
   D. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE;
   E. ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY;
   F. FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES;
   G. FORESTRY;
   H. INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT;
   I. OCEANS;
   J. POLLUTION PREVENTION;
   K. PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT;
   L. RESOURCE CONSERVATION, WASTE REDUCTION, AND RECYCLING;
   M. TOXICS AND HAZARDOUS WASTE; AND
   N. WATER.
   2. THE MODEL ENVIRONMENTAL CURRICULUM  SHALL  BE  ALIGNED  WITH  OTHER
 COURSE  SUBJECT  STANDARDS OF INSTRUCTION AS SET FORTH BY THE DEPARTMENT
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD01133-01-1

 A. 2325                             2

 AND BE INCLUDED IN THE FOLLOWING COURSE SUBJECT'S STANDARDS OF  INSTRUC-
 TION, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   A. SCIENCE;
   B. HISTORY;
   C. SOCIAL STUDIES;
   D. HEALTH; AND
   E. MATHEMATICS.
   3.  ALL  PUBLIC  ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS SHALL BEGIN TEACHING
 THE MODEL ENVIRONMENTAL CURRICULUM ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THIS  SECTION
 IN  THE  FIRST  SCHOOL  YEAR FOLLOWING CERTIFICATION BY THE COMMISSIONER
 THAT SUCH CURRICULUM HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.
   4.  A.  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  DEVELOP  AGE-APPROPRIATE  CURRICULUM
 RESOURCES AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE TO STUDENTS IN
 ALL  ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO CARRYOUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS
 SECTION.
   B. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL MAKE THE MODEL CURRICULUM AND MODEL CURRICULUM
 RESOURCES PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY ON THE DEPARTMENT'S INTERNET
 WEBSITE.
   5. SCHOOL AUTHORITIES SHALL PROVIDE THE NEEDED  FACILITIES,  TIME  AND
 PLACE  FOR  THE  INSTRUCTION SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION AND SHALL PROVIDE
 LEARNING AIDS AND CURRICULUM  RESOURCE  MATERIALS  WHICH  CONTRIBUTE  TO
 EFFECTIVE  TEACHING  METHODS AND LEARNING IN EDUCATION IN REGARDS TO THE
 MODEL ENVIRONMENTAL CURRICULUM.
   6. A. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL UPDATE THE MODEL ENVIRONMENTAL CURRICULUM
 EVERY FOUR YEARS FOLLOWING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SUCH CURRICULUM.
   B. SUCH UPDATE SHALL BE BASED ON  CURRENT  SCIENTIFIC,  TECHNICAL  AND
 SOCIAL KNOWLEDGE.
   §  2.  This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law.