Senate Bill S834

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Establishes a task force on pandemic learning loss in New York state; and provides for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 08, 2025	referred to education

2025-S834 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: S8571

2025-S834 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes the task force on pandemic learning loss in New York state to assess the impact of remote learning on children's progress in various disciplines; requires a report; provides for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof.

2025-S834 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S834

SPONSOR: TEDISCO
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to establish a task force on pandemic learning loss in New York
state; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon the expira-
tion thereof

 
PURPOSE:

Establishes a task force on pandemic learning loss in New York state;
and provides for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration ther-
eof

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

§ 1. 1. Task force on pandemic learning loss in New York state. There is
hereby established a task force on pandemic learning loss in New York
state. The purpose of the task force shall be to conduct a comprehensive
study on the impacts of remote learning on children enrolled in pre-kin-
dergarten, elementary, and secondary education during the COVID-19

pandemic, including but not limited to:

(a) how much regression in reading has occurred;

(b) how much regression in math has occurred;

(c) how much regression in science has occurred;

(d) how many students were disenrolled from schooling;

(e) the impact of masking on speech development;

(f) the impact of remote learning on children's mental health;

(g) the impact of remote learning on standardized test scores;

(h) the effectiveness of remote-learning compared to classroom-based
learning; and

(i) the disparity of the impact on minority communities compared to the
impact of remote learning on non-minority communities.

2. The task force shall consist of twelve remote members to be appointed
as follows:

(a) three members appointed by the Governor;

(b) the Commissioner of Education;

(c) one member appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly;

(d) one member appointed by the Temporary President of the Senate;

(e) one member appointed by the Assembly Minority Leader;

(f) one member appointed by the Senate Minority Leader;

(g) one member of New York State United Teachers;

(h) one member of the New York State School Boards Association; and

(i) two members, appointed by the Governor, representing charter
schools.

3. The members of the task force shall designate one of the members as
chair of the task force. All appointments of the members of the task
force shall be made no later than thirty days after the effective date
of this act. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority.

The members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their
services but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to this act.

4. The task force shall make a report to the Governor and the Legisla-
ture of its findings, conclusions, and recommendations on or before
December 31, 2024.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The COVID-19 pandemic generated many challenges for New York State's
student population as they navigated virtual learning, a disruption in
their routine and mental health impacts of isolation from teachers and
fellow classmates.

As a result, statistics show students are falling behind in the class-
room and are still playing catch up several years later. This measure
establishes a task force to study the impact of learning loss and
suggest policies to bring students up to grade level and mitigate simi-
lar negative outcomes in the event of a future outbreak.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

02/15/24: S.8571 REFERRED TO EDUCATION

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Minimal

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take efect immediately and shall expire and be deemed
repealed January 1, 2026.

2025-S834 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    834
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. TEDISCO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to establish a task force on pandemic learning loss in  New  York
   state;  and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon the expi-
   ration thereof

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. 1. Task force on pandemic learning loss in New York state.
 There is hereby established a task force on pandemic  learning  loss  in
 New  York  state.  The  purpose  of the task force shall be to conduct a
 comprehensive study on  the  impacts  of  remote  learning  on  children
 enrolled in pre-kindergarten, elementary, and secondary education during
 the COVID-19 pandemic, including but not limited to:
   (a) how much regression in reading has occurred;
   (b) how much regression in math has occurred;
   (c) how much regression in science has occurred;
   (d) how many students were disenrolled from schooling;
   (e) the impact of masking on speech development;
   (f) the impact of remote learning on children's mental health;
   (g) the impact of remote learning on standardized test scores;
   (h)  the  effectiveness of remote-learning compared to classroom-based
 learning; and
   (i) the disparity of the impact on minority  communities  compared  to
 the impact of remote learning on non-minority communities.
   2.  The  task force shall consist of twelve members to be appointed as
 follows:
   (a) three members appointed by the Governor;
   (b) the Commissioner of Education;
   (c) one member appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly;
   (d) one member appointed by the Temporary President of the Senate;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD02777-01-5
 S. 834                              2
 
   (e) one member appointed by the Assembly Minority Leader;
   (f) one member appointed by the Senate Minority Leader;
   (g) one member of New York State United Teachers;
   (h) one member of the New York State School Boards Association; and
   (i)  two  members,  appointed  by  the  Governor, representing charter
 schools.
   3. The members of the task force shall designate one of the members as
 chair of the task force. All appointments of the  members  of  the  task
 force  shall  be made no later than thirty days after the effective date
 of this act. Any vacancy shall be filled by  the  appointing  authority.
 The  members  of  the task force shall receive no compensation for their
 services, but shall be  allowed  their  actual  and  necessary  expenses
 incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to this act.
   4. The task force shall make a report to the Governor and the Legisla-
 ture  of  its  findings,  conclusions,  and recommendations on or before
 December 31, 2025.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall  expire  and  be
 deemed repealed January 1, 2026.

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Senate Bill S834

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Actions

2025-S834 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S834 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S834 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S834 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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Sponsored By

James Tedisco

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Actions

2025-S834 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S834 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S834 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S834 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments