Bill > S00589

This bill seeks to prohibit mandatory regionalization plans for school districts in New York, particularly targeting recent proposals by the state education department and board of regents. The legislation defines a "mandatory regionalization plan" as any rule requiring schools to share resources, administrative operations, or instructional services across multiple districts, BOCES (Boards of Cooperative Educational Services), charter schools, or private schools. The bill explicitly prevents the commissioner of education, the department, or the board of regents from requiring local school districts to develop, implement, or participate in such regionalization plans. It nullifies any existing or proposed regulations that mandate regional cooperation and emphasizes that school districts maintain full autonomy over their governance, budgeting, and operational decisions. However, the bill does not prevent school districts from voluntarily entering into shared service agreements or partnerships with other educational institutions. The legislative findings suggest that this bill aims to protect local control of education, particularly for school districts on Long Island, by blocking state-mandated efforts to consolidate or regionalize school district operations, which the legislators believe could undermine educational quality and impose unnecessary administrative burdens.

Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S589