BILL NUMBER: S519
SPONSOR: PERSAUD
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the
underrepresented teachers of tomorrow teacher recruitment and retention
program
 
PURPOSE:
This bill establishes the Underrepresented Teachers of Tomorrow teacher
recruitment and retention program to provide awards to attract and
retain underrepresented teachers in underrepresented schools.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one adds a new section to the Education Law to establish the
underrepresented teachers of tomorrow's teacher recruitment and
retention program. An underrepresented teacher is defined as a teacher
who holds a permanent or professional state teaching certificate and
participated in a school district/post-secondary partnership "grow your
own" initiative. My Brother's Keeper, Teacher Opportunity Corps Program,
Higher Education Opportunity Program, Education Opportunity Program, or
other similar. program. Underrepresented schools are defined. as school
buildings which has an undcrrepresentation of certified teachers who
participated in a school district/post-secondary partnership "grow your
own" initiative, My Brother's Keeper, Teacher Opportunity Corps program,
higher education opportunity program, education opportunity program, or
other similar programs, as determined by the commissioner.
Section one also establishes the application process for districts,
awarding of grants, and eligibility for incentive awards to teachers.
Section two of the bill is the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
According to the New York State Education Department's December 2019
Educator Diversity Report, eighty percent or a little over 170,000 of
New York's approximately 210,000 teachers are White, and Latino and
Black educators are underrepresented.
The December 2019 report stated that "the number of Black or African
American teachers has remained steady at 18,000, while the number of
Hispanic or Latino teachers increased from 13,877 in 2011-12 to 16,078
in 2016-17". Eighty percent of New York State's in-service teachers
identify as white. The study also found that more than 200 public school
districts did not employ a single teacher of color.
The value of diversity in the teaching profession is widely known. For
students, especially students of color, the benefits are significant and
include increased test scores, higher graduation rates, and reduction in
absenteeism and dropouts:
This bill addresses Leacher who previously participateddiversity by
providing an incentive to teachers in programs such as My Brother's
Keeper, Grow Opportunity Corps to encourage individuals teaching profes-
sion.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: S1192 passed Senate, referred to Assembly Education Committee
2023: S1192 passed Senate, referred to Assembly Education Committee
2022: S342 passed Senate, referred to Assembly Education Committee
2021: S342 referred to Senate Education Committee
2020: S7647 Passed Senate, referred to Assembly Education Committee
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To he determined
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.