BILL NUMBER: S1371
SPONSOR: SERRANO
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the
education equity act
 
PURPOSE:
The purpose of the bill is to encourage parental involvement and partic-
ipation by providing appropriate translation services to non-English
speaking parents with children enrolled in New York State schools.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 titles the act the "Education Equity Act."
Section 2 adds a new article 67 to the education law to require school
districts to create an annual language assistance plan to assess
language needs within the district. Districts are required to determine
the primary language of the parents of enrolled students, and provide
interpretation services for two languages spoken by more than two
percent of the population of the school district, or, for eight
languages in a community district of the City of New York. Addi-
tionally, school districts are required to provide translations of
certain documents sent to parents in regards to a child's education,
including report cards and permission slips and all documents pertaining
to a student's health, safety, 'placement, or discipline, and any docu-
ment prepared for broad distribution, or to provide translated cover
sheets detailing where and how to get a free translation. School
districts shall also provide a notice to parents and guardians of their
rights to translation services. This allows an employee to certify a
document affirming that translation services have been provided, and
that the employee believes each person understood the document. This
bill also requires the Department of Education to establish web pages
detailing the rights of parents to translation services in each covered
language. It also requires school districts to report on the utilization
of translation services to local school boards annually.
Section 3 provides that if one portion of the law is declared unconsti-
tutional or invalid, the remaining portion shall be unaffected.
Section 4 provides an effective date of 180 days after having become
law.
 
EXISTING LAW:
Under current law, school districts and the Department of Education
provide basic language assistance to parents and guardians, but is not
required to provide translation services for most documents such as
report cards and school notices.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Parental involvement in education is one of the most important factors
of a child's success in school. However, with more than 200 languages
spoken in New York state, many parents are prevented from meaningfully
participating in their children's education by their inability to speak
English. In New York City, for example, more than 43%, of students'
families speak a language other than English at home. For those who
speak limited English, the availability of translation and interpreta-
tion services is limited, and usually confined to legal documents and
notices. Therefore, it is necessary to increase access to free and
accessible translation services to parents who do not speak English in
schools. This legislation would require school districts to provide
basic translation services in two languages spoken by 2% or more of the
population of the district.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S.1516 - Referred to Education
2021-2022: S.1429 - Referred to Education
2019-2020: S.2939A - Referred to Education
2017-2018: S.3206 - Referred to Elections
2015-2016: S.711 - Referred to Education
2013-2014: S.923- Referred to Education
2011-2012: S.2718A - Referred to Education
2009-2010: Senate & Assembly Referred to Education
2007-2008: S.3131 Serrano - Referred to Education
2005-2006: S.8234 Serrano - Referred to Rules
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This local law shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall. have become law.