A07981 Summary:

BILL NO    A07981 

SAME AS    No same as

SPONSOR    Maisel

COSPNSR    Lancman, Millman, Kellner, O'Donnell, Englebright, Dinowitz, Barron,
           Jaffee, Espaillat, Fields, Hooper

MLTSPNSR   Brennan, McEneny, Reilly, Robinson, Schimel, Titus, Towns, Weisenberg

Amd S2854, Ed L

Requires charter schools to enroll children with disabilities and English
language learners in comparable numbers to those enrolled in public schools and
provides that failure to comply may result in revocation of the charter.

A07981 Actions:

BILL NO    A07981 

05/01/2009 referred to education
01/06/2010 referred to education

A07981 Votes:

A07981 Memo:

BILL NUMBER:A7981

TITLE  OF  BILL:    An  act  to  amend the education law, in relation to
requiring charter schools  to  enroll  children  with  disabilities  and
English  language  learners  in  comparable numbers to those enrolled in
public schools

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: This bill  will  make  charter  schools
enroll disabled children and English language learners in numbers compa-
rable to the school district which they serve.

SUMMARY  OF  SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:Paragraph a of subdivision 2 of section
2854 of the education law, as amended by section 5 of part 0-2 of  chap-
ter  57  of  the laws of 2007, is amended to read that "a charter school
must enroll the same or a greater percentage of students with  disabili-
ties  and  limited  English  proficient  students  when  compared to the
enrollment figures for such students in the school district in which the
charter school is located. Failure to comply for two  consecutive  years
shall be deemed grounds for revocation of the charter".

JUSTIFICATION:Charter  schools  are  often  given the "average cost" per
student from a school district. This "average cost"  includes  not  only
students  with  average  needs, but also those with special needs. These
students, such as disabled students or those requiring special  help  to
learn English as a second language cost more than ordinary students. For
this  reason,  it  is  often  a disincentive for charter schools to work
toward  providing  a  comfortable  environment  for  students  requiring
special help. Charter schools must be required to expend the same number
of  their  resources in order to help with students that require special
help.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: None.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:  None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:This act shall take effect immediately.