BILL NUMBER: S5067
SPONSOR: SEPULVEDA
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, the correction law, the administra-
tive code of the city of New York, the civil service law, the executive
law, the labor law, the parks, recreation and historic preservation law,
the social services law and the state finance law, in relation to chang-
ing the name of the general education development diploma to the Excels-
ior diploma
 
PURPOSE:
This bill directs the Commissioner of Education to change the name of
the New York state high school equivalency diploma to the Excelsior
Diploma.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. § 317 of the education law is amended to provide that no fee
shall be established for admission to the Excelsior diploma exam.
Section 2. § 305 of the education law is amended to direct the commis-
sioner to promulgate rules and regulations to change the name of the New
York high school equivalency diploma to the Excelsior diploma.
Section 3. The term "Vocational and skills training facility" as defined
in Subdivision 19 of § 2 of the correction law is amended to include the
Excelsior diploma.
Section 4. The term "high school equivalency diplomacy test" as defined
in the 7th undesignated paragraph of subdivision (a) of § 9-151 of the
administrative code of the city of New York is changed to Excelsior
diploma.
Section 5. The term "test assessing secondary completion (TASC)" as
defined in subdivision (a) of § 21-408 of the administrative code of the
city of New York is changed to the Excelsior diploma.
Section 6. Subdivision b and paragraph 4 of subdivision c of § 21-703 of
the administrative code of the city of New York is amended to include
the Excelsior diploma among eligible criteria to participate in educa-
tion, training or vocational rehabilitation.
Section 7. The term "test assessing secondary completion (TASC)" as
defined in the 20th undesignated paragraph of subdivision (a) of §
21-902.1 of the administrative code of the City of New York is changed
to the Excelsior diploma.
Section 8. The term "high school equivalency diplomacy test" as defined
in the 11th undersigned paragraph of subdivision (a) of § 21-924 of the
administrative code of the city of New York is changed to the Excelsior
diploma.
Section 9. Paragraph 5 of subdivision a of § 9-137 of the administrative
code of the city of New York is amended to include Excelsior diploma.
Section 10. Subparagraph (iv) of paragraph (d) of subdivision 1 of § 803
of the correction law is amended to include obtaining an Excelsior
diploma as among the criteria for granting merit time allowance for an
incarcerated individual who successfully participating in a work and
treatment program.
Section 11. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 of § 58 of the civil service
law is amended to include an Excelsior diploma.
Section 12. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 2 of § 352-a of the education
law is amended to include an Excelsior diploma as among the criteria to
be nominated and obtain a scholarship under this section.
Section 13. Clause (ii) of subparagraph 8 of subdivision 2 of § 355 of
the education law is amended to include an Excelsior diploma.
Section 14. Subdivision 2 of § 610 of the education law is amended to
include an Excelsior diploma among the eligibility criteria to obtain a
liberty scholarship.
Section 15. Subparagraph 7 of paragraph b of subdivision 1 of § 612 of
the education law is amended to include an Excelsior diploma.
Section 16. Clause (b) of subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (a) of subdivi-
sion 5 of § 661 of the education law is amended to include an Excelsior
diploma.
Section 17. Subdivision 2 of § 679-g of the education law is amended to
include an Excelsior diploma among the eligibility criteria to obtain an
award pursuant to this section.
Section 18. Subdivision 5 of § 3622-a of the education law is amended to
include an Excelsior diploma.
Section 19. Subdivision 1 of § 6451 of the education law is amended to
include an Excelsior diploma.
Section 20. Subdivision 1 of § 6452 of the education law is amended to
include an Excelsior diploma.
Section 21. Clause 2 of subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (a) of subdivi-
sion 3 of § 6455 of education law is amended to include an Excelsior
diploma.
Section 22. Subdivision 4 of § 532-d of the executive law is amended to
include an Excelsior diploma.
Section 23. Subdivision 15 of § 42 of the labor law is amended to
include the attainment of an Excelsior diploma within the annual report
prepared by the legislative commission on skills development and voca-
tional education.
Section 24. Subparagraph (iii) of paragraph t of subdivision 4 of § 3.23
of the parks, recreation and historic preservation law is amended to
include an Excelsior diploma.
Section 25. Subdivision 1 and paragraph (b) of subdivision 2 of § 335 of
the social services law is amended to include an Excelsior diploma.
Section 26. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 2 of § 335-a of the social
services law is amended to include an Excelsior diploma.
Section 27. Paragraphs (j) and (k) of subdivision 1 of § 336 of the
social services law is amended to include an Excelsior diploma.
Section 28. Subdivisions 1 and 2 and the opening paragraph and paragraph
(a) of subdivision 4 of § 336-a of the social services law is amended to
include an Excelsior diploma in relation to vocational education train-
ing and educational activities in social services districts.
Section 29. § 97-hhh of the state finance law is amended to be referred
to as the Excelsior diploma account.
Section 30. Subdivision 3 of § 97-jjj of the state finance law is
amended to include the Excelsior diploma examination among services and
expenses related to state assessments of elementary and second school
students.
Section 31. Subparagraph 1 of paragraph d of subdivision 1 of § 3602 of
the education law is amended to include the Excelsior diploma.
Section 32. Paragraphs a, a-1 and e of subdivision 11 of § 3602 of the
education law is amended to include an Excelsior diploma.
Section 33. Effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
One way that a person in New York may obtain their high school equiv-
alency (HSE) diploma is by passing the General Educational Development
(GED) test, according to the New York State Department of Education, a
test that includes sections in Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA),
Mathematical Reasoning, Science and Social Studies and takes approxi-
mately 7.5 hours to complete. Earning a high school equivalency diploma
has given New Yorkers an educational foundation to put them on a pathway
to success and just like other academic diplomas, should be viewed as an
accomplishment by the recipient of their hard work and deserves to be
celebrated.
However, the societal stigma associated with the GED test and earning a
high school equivalency diploma has become deeply engrained over time.
This has resulted in harmful perceptions about the GED test, the quality
of a high school equivalency diploma when compared to a high school
diploma, the test takers, their intellectual capabilities, their moti-
vations to obtain a high school equivalency diploma, and how having a
HSE diploma will impact their career or future educational opportu-
nities.
While these inaccurate assumptions only lead to continued stigmatization
about the high school equivalency diploma, this negative perception can
be changed over time, but it requires us to respond in innovative ways.
This bill would change the name of the name of the New York state high
school equivalency diploma to the Excelsior Diploma while leaving the
diploma requirements unchanged.
This name change may be viewed as small, but the impact of this stigma
is seen beyond New York. Starting in 2023, Illinois changed the name of
the state's high school equivalency certificate to the Illinois High
School Diploma, accurately reflecting the diploma holder as a high
school graduate. The Excelsior Diploma will build upon this movement to
end the stigma so that no New Yorker ever feels diminished by society's
perception of their achievements and instead move ever upward through
life with the knowledge, support, and self- ò confidence to achieve
their dreams.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law; provided, however, that the amendments to section 803 of
the correction law made by section ten of this act shall not affect the
expiration of such section and shall be deemed repealed therewith.
Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule
or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effec-
tive date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such
effective date.

Statutes affected:
S5067: 317 education law, 305 education law, 2 correction law, 2(19) correction law, 9-151 administrative code of the city of New York as added by local law, 9-151(a) administrative code of the city of New York as added by local law, 21-408 administrative code of the city of New York as added by local law, 21-408(a) administrative code of the city of New York as added by local law, 21-902.1 administrative code of the city of New York as amended by local law, 21-902.1(a) administrative code of the city of New York as amended by local law, 21-924 administrative code of the city of New York as added by local law, 21-924(a) administrative code of the city of New York as added by local law, 803 correction law, 803(1) correction law, 58 civil service law, 58(1) civil service law, 355 education law, 355(2) education law, 610 education law, 610(2) education law, 612 education law, 612(1) education law, 661 education law, 661(5) education law, 679-g education law, 679-g(2) education law, 3622-a education law, 3622-a(5) education law, 6451 education law, 6451(1) education law, 6452 education law, 6452(1) education law, 532-d executive law, 532-d(4) executive law, 42 labor law, 42(15) labor law, 3.23 parks recreation and historic preservation law, 3.23(4) parks recreation and historic preservation law, 335-a social services law, 335-a(2) social services law, 97-hhh state finance law, 97-jjjj state finance law, 97-jjjj(3) state finance law, 3602 education law, 3602(1) education law