Bill > A08156

This bill requires the New York State education commissioner to develop and implement new measures for assessing racial and socioeconomic integration in schools, with the goal of reducing school segregation and promoting equal access to educational resources. Specifically, the bill mandates the creation of a "proportionality score" for each school, which calculates how closely the school's demographic makeup matches the county's overall demographics. Schools will be designated as "highly proportional," "proportional," "somewhat disproportional," or "highly disproportional" based on this score. Additionally, the bill requires the department to track and report on equality of access for historically underserved student subgroups, measuring their participation in advanced programs, exposure to experienced teachers, and access to resources like counselors, nurses, and specialized instruction. These detailed measurements must be included in the annual school report card, allowing for easy comparison between schools and counties, and indicating whether schools are making progress in reducing segregation and providing equitable educational opportunities. The bill is grounded in research showing that school diversity benefits all students and aligns with federal education law requirements for meaningful accountability systems.

Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A8156