Creates the task force on early childhood education in public education to study the feasibility of incorporating younger age levels into the state public education system and extending the public education system to start at the age of six months and incorporate aspects of childcare and early childhood education into the existing public education system.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4551
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 4, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. JENSEN -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Education
AN ACT in relation to enacting the "task force on early childhood educa-
tion in public education" to create a task force to study the feasi-
bility of incorporating younger age levels into the state public
education system and extending the public education system to start at
the age of six months and incorporate aspects of childcare and early
childhood education into the existing public education system
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
2 the "task force on early childhood education in public education".
3 § 2. Task force on early childhood education in public education;
4 establishment and duties. There is hereby created the task force on
5 early childhood education in public education. Such task force shall
6 study the state of public education, options and challenges for incorpo-
7 rating younger students into the public education system, at grade
8 levels prior to pre-kindergarten, and examine how the state can better
9 meet the existing and projected needs of childcare and special education
10 for New Yorkers at a younger age then is currently provided for in the
11 public education system in ways that address educational needs, staffing
12 levels and availability, available resources, physical infrastructure
13 needs, and affordability, and enhance the quality of education and
14 childcare for those above the age of six months. In carrying out its
15 task, the task force shall consider the full continuum of educational
16 and childcare services available to New Yorkers, including, but not
17 limited to, community-based services, culturally and linguistically
18 relevant education and childcare providers, community and school-based
19 early intervention services and providers. The task force shall study
20 the limitations currently hampering childcare, both in home-based and
21 facility-based settings, and consider potential models for improvement
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07702-01-5
A. 4551 2
1 though incorporation into the public education system. In addition, the
2 task force shall study the challenges and issues generated by adding
3 more students and younger grade levels to the public education system,
4 including, but not limited to, staffing levels, availability of physical
5 space, costs to school districts, taxpayers and New York state, and
6 other factors that affect the delivery of educational services to
7 students at younger ages. The task force shall utilize the findings of
8 its study on the impact of early childhood education, public education
9 and childcare to determine feasibility and formulate recommendations on
10 if and how such incorporation of young age and grade levels into the
11 public education system can address concerns related to access and
12 affordability of childcare, educational outcomes of students throughout
13 the continuum of education, and access to early intervention and special
14 education services.
15 § 3. Membership. (a) The task force on early childhood education in
16 public education shall consist of 25 members as follows:
17 (i) the commissioner of education, or their designee;
18 (ii) the commissioner of the office of children and family services,
19 or their designee;
20 (iii) the commissioner of the office for people with developmental
21 disabilities, or their designee;
22 (iv) the executive director of the council of children and families,
23 or their designee;
24 (v) the budget director of the division of budget, or their designee;
25 (vi) two members appointed by the governor;
26 (vii) two members appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
27 (viii) two members appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
28 (ix) one member appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
29 (x) one member appointed by the minority leader of the assembly;
30 (xi) one member appointed by the state comptroller;
31 (xii) the chancellor of the New York city department of education, or
32 their designee;
33 (xiii) one representative of the New York state council of school
34 superintendents;
35 (xiv) one representative of the New York state school boards associ-
36 ation;
37 (xv) one representative of the New York state parent teacher associ-
38 ation;
39 (xvi) one representative of New York state united teachers;
40 (xvii) one representative of the united federation of teachers;
41 (xviii) one representative of the conference of big 5 school
42 districts;
43 (xix) one representative of the early care & learning council;
44 (xx) one representative of the New York association for the education
45 of young children;
46 (xxi) one representative of the day care council of New York; and
47 (xii) one representative of the ECE on the move.
48 (b) Members of the task force shall broadly represent educational,
49 early childhood, and childcare interests, including persons with exper-
50 tise in public education, persons with expertise in addressing dispari-
51 ties based on race, ethnicity, and disability in education and child-
52 care, childcare and special education service providers, teachers and
53 education workers, community-based services, and/or representatives of
54 public education, including school administrators, elected school board
55 representatives, and parents.
A. 4551 3
1 (c) The commissioner of education, or their designee, shall serve as
2 chairperson of the task force.
3 (d) No member of the task force shall be disqualified from holding any
4 other public office or employment, nor shall they forfeit any such
5 office or employment by reason of their appointment pursuant to this
6 act, notwithstanding the provisions of any general, special or local
7 law, ordinance or city charter.
8 (e) The members of the task force shall receive no compensation for
9 their services but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
10 incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to this act.
11 § 4. Assistance from state and local agencies. All departments and
12 agencies of the state or subdivisions thereof, and local governments of
13 this state shall, at the request of the chairperson, provide the task
14 force such facilities, assistance and data to enable the task force to
15 carry out its duties pursuant to this act.
16 § 5. Reports. (a) The task force shall report the findings of its
17 study with respect to the incorporation of students starting at the age
18 of six months in public education to the governor, the temporary presi-
19 dent of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, minority leader of the
20 senate, and minority leader of the assembly on or before six months
21 after the effective date of this act. Such report shall include recom-
22 mendations for further action and legislation.
23 (b) The task force shall report the findings of its full study to the
24 governor, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the
25 assembly, the minority leader of the senate, and minority leader of the
26 assembly on or before one year after the effective date of this act.
27 Such report shall include recommendations for further action and legis-
28 lation.
29 § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.
