NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8040
SPONSOR: Brown K TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the high
school peer mentoring pilot program; and providing for the repeal of
such provisions upon expiration thereof
PURPOSE:
Establishes the high school peer mentoring pilot program.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1: The education law is amended by adding a new section 115 to
read as follows: The high school peer mentoring pilot program. The
department is authorized and directed to establish a high school peer
mentoring pilot program. Such. pilot program shall be implemented in all
public high schools within the state and shall include, but not be
limited to: 1. prior to the two thousand twenty-four--two thousand twen-
ty-five school year:(a) a review of a high school's existing mentoring
program model; (b) the collection of resources and the solicitation of
recommendations to strengthen a peer mentoring model and ensure the best
outcomes for both the mentors and mentees utilizing evidence-based
research; (c) the collection of resources and the solicitation of recom-
mendations around elements of effective practice in mentoring, includ-
ing, but not limited to, recruitment, screening, training, matching and
initiating, monitoring and support, and closure;(d) a review of best and
emerging practices to recruit and onboard mentors, mentees and stake-
holders throughout the community; (e) the development of an articulated
recruitment and support outreach plan;(f) the implementation of a mentor
screening tool; (g) the creation of communication tools and marketing
collateral to support recruitment and communication efforts, including,
but not limited to: (i) position description; (ii) promotional materi-
als; (iii) letter to families; and (iv) information for faculty; (h) the
design and facilitation of onboarding training for mentors, mentees, and
all coordinators and liaisons; and (i) a determination and implementa-
tion of the best pre- and post-approach in evaluating the efficacy and
impact of the program on mentors and mentees; 2. during the two thousand
twenty-four--two thousand twenty-five school year: (a) the implementa-
tion of a peer mentoring program; (b) a two-hour virtual training for
all school staff to infuse mentor-like characteristics and employ
tactics to impact students positively; (c) the creation of a team of
trainers that can help quickly onboard future mentors as needed; (d) a
recorded training for mentors and volunteers to access at their conven-
ience; (e) the use of the search institutes developmental relationships
framework to reinforce existing strengths in the school's relationship-
centered culture, and encourage reflection in potential growth areas;
(f) the providing of continuous support and training including, but not
limited to: (i) enrichment trai ning in specific content areas includ-
ing, but not limited to: (A) improving listening skills; (B) identifying
youth sparks; (C) discovering our boundaries; (D) personal assumptions
and biases; (E) helping youth work through challenges; and (F) address-
ing challenging behaviors; (ii) peer sharing roundtables; and (iii)
additional resources for crucial practices to enhance and strengthen
mentoring relationships; and (g) a virtual relationship mapping exercise
which creates an intentional plan to ensure that all students graduate
with a meaningful adult-youth relationship; and 3. following the two
thousand twenty-four--two thousand twenty-five school year: (a) an
assessment of the pilot program 'which includes recommendations for
improvement; (b) submission of such assessment to the commissioner; (c)
the advocation by the department for the continuation of the pilot
program beyond the two thousand twentyfour--two thousand twenty-five
school year; and (d) the creation of a report on the high school peer
mentoring pilot program which shall be submitted to the governor, the
temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the
minority leader of the senate, and the minority leader of the assembly
no later than August thirty-first, two thousand twenty-five.
Section 2: Identifies effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
This bill would create a high school peer mentoring pilot program is
designed to support young people navigating academics, social-emotional
development, and career journeys and as an intervention to reduce the
consequences of substance abuse by minors and related problems, includ-
ing mental illness. Initiatives with school staff and faculty to infuse
a mentoring mindset and a relationship-centered school approach. The
Mentoring Program would be set up to have an existing 1 lth grader as a
mentor to an incoming 9th grader, such that they have something in
common: sports, the arts, music, academics. Following the 2024-2025
school year an assessment of the pilot program which includes recommen-
dations for improvement, the promotion of the pilot program to state-
wide partners, the advocation for funding to continue the pilot program
beyond the 2024-2025 school year, and the creation of a report on the
Northport high school peer mentoring pilot program will be submitted to
the Governor, the Temporary President of the Senate, the Speaker of the
Assembly, the Minority Leader of the Senate, and the Minority Leader of
the Assembly. The review and assessment of the Northport High School
peer mentoring pilot program can be utilized to create and implement an
exemplary mentoring program in all New York State high schools.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed
repealed January 1, 2026.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8040
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
September 13, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. K. BROWN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the high
school peer mentoring pilot program; and providing for the repeal of
such provisions upon expiration thereof
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 115 to
2 read as follows:
3 § 115. The high school peer mentoring pilot program. The department is
4 authorized and directed to establish a high school peer mentoring pilot
5 program. Such pilot program shall be implemented in all public high
6 schools within the state and shall include, but not be limited to:
7 1. prior to the two thousand twenty-four--two thousand twenty-five
8 school year:
9 (a) a review of a high school's existing mentoring program model;
10 (b) the collection of resources and the solicitation of recommenda-
11 tions to strengthen a peer mentoring model and ensure the best outcomes
12 for both the mentors and mentees utilizing evidence-based research;
13 (c) the collection of resources and the solicitation of recommenda-
14 tions around elements of effective practice in mentoring, including, but
15 not limited to, recruitment, screening, training, matching and initiat-
16 ing, monitoring and support, and closure;
17 (d) a review of best and emerging practices to recruit and onboard
18 mentors, mentees and stakeholders throughout the community;
19 (e) the development of an articulated recruitment and support outreach
20 plan;
21 (f) the implementation of a mentor screening tool;
22 (g) the creation of communication tools and marketing collateral to
23 support recruitment and communication efforts, including, but not limit-
24 ed to:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06292-02-3
A. 8040 2
1 (i) position description;
2 (ii) promotional materials;
3 (iii) letter to families; and
4 (iv) information for faculty;
5 (h) the design and facilitation of onboarding training for mentors,
6 mentees, and all coordinators and liaisons; and
7 (i) a determination and implementation of the best pre- and post-ap-
8 proach in evaluating the efficacy and impact of the program on mentors
9 and mentees;
10 2. during the two thousand twenty-four--two thousand twenty-five
11 school year:
12 (a) the implementation of a peer mentoring program;
13 (b) a two-hour virtual training for all school staff to infuse
14 mentor-like characteristics and employ tactics to impact students posi-
15 tively;
16 (c) the creation of a team of trainers that can help quickly onboard
17 future mentors as needed;
18 (d) a recorded training for mentors and volunteers to access at their
19 convenience;
20 (e) the use of the search institutes developmental relationships
21 framework to reinforce existing strengths in the school's relationship-
22 centered culture, and encourage reflection in potential growth areas;
23 (f) the providing of continuous support and training including, but
24 not limited to:
25 (i) enrichment training in specific content areas including, but not
26 limited to:
27 (A) improving listening skills;
28 (B) identifying youth sparks;
29 (C) discovering our boundaries;
30 (D) personal assumptions and biases;
31 (E) helping youth work through challenges; and
32 (F) addressing challenging behaviors;
33 (ii) peer sharing roundtables; and
34 (iii) additional resources for crucial practices to enhance and
35 strengthen mentoring relationships; and
36 (g) a virtual relationship mapping exercise which creates an inten-
37 tional plan to ensure that all students graduate with a meaningful
38 adult-youth relationship; and
39 3. following the two thousand twenty-four--two thousand twenty-five
40 school year:
41 (a) an assessment of the pilot program which includes recommendations
42 for improvement;
43 (b) submission of such assessment to the commissioner;
44 (c) the advocation by the department for the continuation of the pilot
45 program beyond the two thousand twenty-four--two thousand twenty-five
46 school year; and
47 (d) the creation of a report on the high school peer mentoring pilot
48 program which shall be submitted to the governor, the temporary presi-
49 dent of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority leader of
50 the senate, and the minority leader of the assembly no later than August
51 thirty-first, two thousand twenty-five.
52 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
53 deemed repealed January 1, 2026.
