Bill > A08971

This bill establishes the "New York Italian American Heritage Education Equity Act", which requires the Commissioner of Education to conduct a comprehensive survey of how Italian American heritage is currently being taught in New York schools. The survey will gather detailed information about instruction on Italian American heritage, including learning standards, grade levels of instruction, instructional time, curriculum sources, challenges in teaching this history, educator training, and methods of assessing student understanding. Additionally, the bill creates a four-member advisory committee composed of experts in Italian American heritage and education, appointed by the governor, senate president, assembly speaker, and commissioner. This committee will meet at least four times per year and develop recommendations for high-quality K-12 curricular resources and strategies to strengthen Italian American heritage education. The committee will submit their recommendations to the commissioner within two years and then be disbanded. The survey findings and committee recommendations will be reported to state leadership, with the goal of improving the representation and understanding of Italian American history in New York's educational system. The bill will take effect immediately and expire three years after its enactment.

Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A8971