Bill > A00604

This bill amends the New York education law to establish comprehensive guidelines for food, agriculture, and nutrition education in elementary and secondary schools. The legislation requires schools to include instruction on food, agriculture, and nutrition as an integral part of health education, with the goal of promoting healthy eating behaviors and developing students' knowledge, attitudes, and problem-solving skills. For elementary schools, the instruction will be taught by classroom teachers or health education-certified teachers, tailored to students' needs and abilities at different grade levels. In high schools, the instruction will be part of a required health education course, taught by certified health teachers, with related courses designed to support this educational objective. The commissioner of education is granted authority to prescribe regulations for this instruction, with flexibility for school districts to adapt the curriculum to their specific needs, provided they use either the commissioner-prescribed curriculum or a commissioner-approved course that meets established criteria. Additionally, school authorities are required to provide necessary facilities, time, learning aids, and resources to support effective teaching of food, agriculture, and nutrition education. The bill will take effect on the first of July following its enactment.

Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A604