Establishes a career and technical education (CTE) diploma; establishes a CTE pathway to a diploma shall be based on a curriculum designed to provide students with technical skills and shall demonstrate that the student is ready for a career as determined by regulations of the commissioner.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A4903
SPONSOR: Buttenschon TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a career
and technical education diploma
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill would create a Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathway to
a diploma. The establishment of a CTE pathway would provide a new alter-
native to a high school graduation that incorporates career focused
education classes and curriculum into school programs thereby producing
more highly skilled workers for New York State's technical and manufac-
turing industries.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 817 to
read as follows: 818. Career and technical education pathway to a high
school diploma.
1.a. A career and technical education (CTE) pathway to a diploma is
hereby established. A CTE pathway to a diploma, if made available by a
school district shall:
(i) result in a regents or local diploma;
(ii) differ from the traditional requirements to a regents or local
diploma with respect to required assessments, except as otherwise
required by federal law;
(iii) be made available to all students, including, but not limited to
students with disabilities and English language learners.
b. A CTE pathway to a diploma shall be based on a course of study
designed to provide students with technical knowledge and skills and
shall demonstrate that the student is ready for a career as determined
by regulations. of the commissioner. A CTE pathway to a diploma shall
include, but not be limited to:
(i) completion of a CTE sequence;
(ii) completion of a three-part technical assessment;
(iii) completion of work-based learning experiences as provided by the
approved program; and,
(iv) completion of a work-skills employability profile.
c. For purposes of this section, a career and technical education shall
include, but are not limited to, a course of study in the following
career fields: agriculture education, business and marketing education,
family and consumer sciences education, health occupations education,
technical education, technology education, and trade and industrial
education.
2. The board of regents shall promulgate such regulations of the commis-
sioner as may be necessary to establish the curriculum, assessments and
any other criteria that students must achieve to earn a regents or local
diploma via a CTE pathway.
3. Students first, entering ninth grade in the two thousand fifteen-two
thousand sixteen school year and thereafter shall be eligible to earn a
diploma via a CTE pathway if made available by a school district.
Section 2. Establishes the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Today's manufacturing and technical jobs often require special skill
sets and can offer above average salaries and benefits; however, a shor-
tage of skilled applicants in technical and manufacturing applications
is becoming a burden to New York State business owners.
The creation of a specialized technical education pathway will chart a
new alternative pathway to high-school graduation. Creating a CTE path-
way to graduation would encourage students in welding, culinary, green
energy, health services, mechanical technology, computer systems and
networking and other technical education programs to advance to a two-
year institution or a certificate based program - decreasing overall
dropout rates and closing New York State's middle skills job gap. A CTE
diploma pathway will also teach the skills students need to attain jobs
in a variety of industries, including high-tech manufacturing, nanotech-
nology, cybersecurity, biosciences and more.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: A.1349-A - Amend and recommit to education
2019-2020: A.7181 - Referred to Education / S.5553 - Referred to Educa-
tion
2017-2018: A.3064 - Referred to Education
2015-2016: A.2244-A Referred to Education / S.623-A - Referred to Educa-
tion
2013-2014: A.8189-C - Referred to Education / S.5966-C - Passed Senate
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately; provided that effective imme-
diately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation
necessary for the timely implementation of this act on its effective
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4903
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 10, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BUTTENSCHON, BARRETT, BRAUNSTEIN, BRONSON,
COLTON, COOK, CRUZ, EPSTEIN, HUNTER, JACOBSON, JONES, LUNSFORD, LUPAR-
DO, OTIS, PAULIN, PHEFFER AMATO, REYES, ROSENTHAL, ROZIC, SANTABAR-
BARA, SAYEGH, STIRPE, WALKER, WEPRIN, WOERNER, WILLIAMS, DE LOS SANTOS
-- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a career
and technical education diploma
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 819 to
2 read as follows:
3 § 819. Career and technical education pathway to a high school diplo-
4 ma. 1. a. A career and technical education (CTE) pathway to a high
5 school diploma is hereby established. A CTE pathway to a diploma, if
6 made available by a school district shall:
7 (i) result in a regents or local diploma;
8 (ii) differ from the traditional requirements to a regents or local
9 diploma with respect to required assessments, except as otherwise
10 required by federal law;
11 (iii) be made available to all students, including, but not limited to
12 students with disabilities and English language learners.
13 b. A CTE pathway to a diploma shall be based on a course of study
14 designed to provide students with technical knowledge and skills and
15 shall demonstrate that the student is ready for a career as determined
16 by regulations of the commissioner. A CTE pathway to a diploma shall
17 include, but not be limited to:
18 (i) completion of a CTE course of study;
19 (ii) completion of a three-part technical assessment;
20 (iii) completion of work-based learning experiences as provided by the
21 state approved program; and
22 (iv) completion of a work-skills employability profile.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09113-01-5
A. 4903 2
1 c. For purposes of this section, a career and technical education
2 shall include, but not be limited to, a course of study in the following
3 career fields: agriculture education, business and marketing education,
4 family and consumer sciences education, health occupations education,
5 technical education, technology education, and trade and industrial
6 education.
7 2. The board of regents shall promulgate such regulations of the
8 commissioner as may be necessary to establish the curriculum, assess-
9 ments and any other criteria that students must achieve to earn a
10 regents or local diploma via a CTE pathway.
11 3. Students first entering ninth grade in the two thousand twenty-six-
12 -two thousand twenty-seven school year and thereafter shall be eligible
13 to earn a diploma via a CTE pathway if made available by a school
14 district.
15 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. Effective immediately,
16 the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces-
17 sary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are
18 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
