S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  7390--A
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 25, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. HYNDMAN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Higher Education -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to college admission  and
   financial  aid  for  students  who have received a high school diploma
   from certain online high school programs
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Paragraph f of subdivision 4 of section 661 of the educa-
 tion law, as amended by section 1 of part Z of chapter 58 of the laws of
 2011, is amended to read as follows:
   f. For students who first receive aid  pursuant  to  this  chapter  in
 academic year two thousand seven--two thousand eight or thereafter, must
 have  (i)  a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary
 education from a state within the United States; or (ii) the  recognized
 equivalent  of  such certificate; or (iii) received a passing score on a
 federally approved ability to benefit test that has been  identified  by
 the  board of regents as satisfying the eligibility requirements of this
 section and has been independently administered and evaluated as defined
 by the commissioner; OR (IV) RECEIVED A  HIGH  SCHOOL  DIPLOMA,  OR  THE
 EQUIVALENT  THEREOF,  FROM  AN ONLINE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM LOCATED WITHIN
 THE UNITED STATES THAT IS ACCREDITED IN ACCORDANCE WITH  PARAGRAPH  FOUR
 OF  APPENDIX  THREE HUNDRED TWO OF THE JOB CORPS POLICY AND REQUIREMENTS
 HANDBOOK (GUIDELINES FOR THE ONGOING QUALITY  MONITORING  OF  JOB  CORPS
 HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA (HSD) PROGRAMS), AS AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME;
   §  2. Paragraph h of subdivision 2 of section 355 of the education law
 is amended by adding a new subparagraph 11 to read as follows:
   (11) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY LAW, RULE OR REGULATION TO THE CONTRARY, SUCH
 REGULATIONS SHALL PROVIDE FOR ELIGIBILITY OF ADMISSION FOR STUDENTS  WHO
 HAVE  COMPLETED AN ONLINE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM WHICH (I) HAS IN EXCESS OF
 TEN THOUSANDS STUDENTS PER YEAR NATIONALLY COMPLETE SUCH  PROGRAM,  (II)
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11203-02-5
              

 A. 7390--A                          2
 
 IS  LOCATED WITHIN THE UNITED STATES, AND (III) IS ACCREDITED IN ACCORD-
 ANCE WITH PARAGRAPH FOUR OF APPENDIX THREE HUNDRED TWO OF THE JOB  CORPS
 POLICY  AND  REQUIREMENTS  HANDBOOK  (GUIDELINES FOR THE ONGOING QUALITY
 MONITORING  OF JOB CORPS HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA (HSD) PROGRAMS), AS AMENDED
 FROM TIME TO TIME;
   § 3. Section 6306 of the education law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 subdivision 3-b to read as follows:
   3-B.  THE  BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES  OF  EACH  COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND THOSE
 PROVIDED FOR IN THE CITY OF  NEW  YORK  BY  SUBDIVISION  THREE  OF  THIS
 SECTION,  SHALL  ADOPT  A  POLICY  FOR  ADMISSION  OF  STUDENTS WHO HAVE
 COMPLETED AN ONLINE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM LOCATED WITHIN THE UNITED STATES
 CONSISTENT WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SUBPARAGRAPH ELEVEN OF PARAGRAPH H  OF
 SUBDIVISION TWO OF SECTION THREE HUNDRED FIFTY-FIVE OF THIS CHAPTER.
   §  4.  Section  6206  of  the education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 13-a to read as follows:
   13-A. THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES SHALL PROVIDE STANDARDS FOR  ADMISSION  OF
 STUDENTS WHO HAVE COMPLETED AN ONLINE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM LOCATED WITHIN
 THE  UNITED STATES CONSISTENT WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SUBPARAGRAPH ELEVEN
 OF PARAGRAPH H OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF SECTION THREE HUNDRED FIFTY-FIVE OF
 THIS CHAPTER.
   § 5. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law. 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.