Bill > S10715

This bill, known as "Raylee's law," amends New York's education laws to prohibit school districts from permitting currently enrolled public school students to switch to homeschooling under two specific safety-related circumstances: if there is an active, pending child abuse or neglect investigation involving a custodial parent or the person who would be teaching the child, or if either custodial parent or the instructor has ever been convicted of domestic violence, child abuse, or neglect. To ensure these restrictions can be effectively enforced, the legislation requires every local school board to establish a policy guaranteeing that the district superintendent is promptly notified whenever school staff report suspected child abuse or neglect. Furthermore, once a superintendent determines an investigation has been initiated, they must request case status confirmation from the state's Office of Children and Family Services—an agency responsible for child welfare and social services—which is then legally required to respond within 48 hours to prevent potentially at-risk children from slipping through the cracks when transitioning out of the public school system.