NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A4924
SPONSOR: Meeks TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to parental notification
when charter schools receive a corrective action plan or are given a
short-term renewal
PURPOSE:
This bill requires charter schools to provide notice to parents of their
probationary status or received remedial action plan.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 adds a new Section 2855-A to the Education Law that requires
charter schools to notify the parents or legal guardians of enrolled
students or whom the charter schools are attempting to enroll students
when the charter school receives a corrective action plan or is given a
short-term renewal of less than 5 years from their charter authorizer.
Additionally, such notice must be provided to parents or legal guardians
within two weeks of actual notice of the charter school's status. Such
notice -shall be sent via postal mail to the parents or legal guardians,
and in the event of dual custody situations, written notice shall be
sent to both parents if their addresses are on file with the school.
Section 2 is the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
This legislation was created in response to incidents involving Citizens
of the World Charter School. That charter school continued to recruit
parents after they had been placed on probation without providing any
notification.
Non-notification is a purposeful omission and can deprive parents of
important information regarding charter schools. When charter schools
attempt to recruit students without informing their parents or legal
guardians that the charter school is on probation, they are jeopardizing
the student's futures especially if the school closes shortly thereaft-
er. Students could potentially be left with no school to go to if the
charter school closes and public schools they left are at capacity.. The
knowing omission of probationary status shows a disregard for the educa-
tion of children in this state, mandatory reporting on such status or
remedial action plan will allow families to make informed decisions on
school choice. This legislation will provide a database to ensure parent
notification, assisting informed choice across the state.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A7379A of 21-22: referred to education A5586 of 23-24: referred to
education
STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the State.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4924
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 10, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. MEEKS, BRONSON, KELLES -- read once and referred
to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to parental notification
when charter schools receive a corrective action plan or are given a
short-term renewal
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 2855-a
2 to read as follows:
3 § 2855-a. Parental notification. 1. Parents or legal guardians of
4 children who are enrolled in charter schools or whom the schools are
5 attempting to recruit shall be notified when such schools receive a
6 corrective action plan or are given a short-term renewal of less than
7 five years from their charter authorizer.
8 2. The term "charter school" shall have the same meaning as defined in
9 this chapter.
10 3. Such notice shall be provided within two weeks of actual notice of
11 such a school's status.
12 4. As schools provide notice, they shall disclose their corrective
13 action plan to remain open.
14 5. Such provided notice shall be written and sent via postal mail to
15 the parents or legal guardians. In the event of dual custody situations,
16 the schools shall provide written notice to both parents if their
17 addresses are on file with the school.
18 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08740-01-5
