Establishes a model environmental curriculum in all public elementary and secondary schools which shall include various principles and concepts including environmental justice.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A9886 Revised 2/24/20
SPONSOR: Simon
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a model
environmental curriculum in all elementary and secondary schools
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill will require the commissioner of education to develop a model
climate change climate change curriculum. All public elementary and
secondary schools will be required to incorporate the model climate
change curriculum to be taught as part of science, social studies,
history, and health classes.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Requires the commissioner to create a model climate change
curriculum that will include, but not my limited to, topics of air qual-
ity, climate change, energy, environmental justice, sustainability,
fishing and wildlife, forestry; oceans, pollution prevention, public
health, water and toxics and chemicals. The environmental curricula will
be incorporated into other course standards subjects and taught in
English, Science, History, Social Studies and Health. The commissioner
will make the model curriculum available to the public, and provide
technical assistance for schools to incorporate it into their instruc-
tion. The commissioner will Update the model curriculum every four years
to reflect current understanding in scientific, social and technical
knowledge.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Climate change is the existential threat of our time and will increas-
ingly impact every facet of society and the physical environment. Rising
temperatures, high levels of pollution, and climate-related storms and
catastrophes lead to property damage, loss of life, and a growing public
health crisis. No group is more .likely to bear the brunt of climate
change than young people. It is critical to ensure that we are investing
our best thinking into solutions to the climate crisis, by ensuring that
future-leaders are educated in-:the science and social/historical causes
of climate change, and how they will affect society and communities.
This legislation requires that New York schools incorporate aspects of
climate change education in almost every subject matter and every grade
level, including science, history, social studies and English and liter-
ature. Today's students will be tomorrow's future leaders tasked with
addressing the global climate crisis, so ensuring they have a comprehen-
sive education on the issue should be a key priority for the public
school system.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
None.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date
on which it-shall have become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9886
IN ASSEMBLY
February 20, 2020
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a model
environmental curriculum in all elementary and secondary schools
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 817 to
2 read as follows:
3 § 817. Model environmental curriculum. 1. The commissioner shall
4 promulgate rules and regulations to establish a model environmental
5 curriculum on climate change to be taught in all public elementary and
6 secondary schools. Such model environmental curriculum shall include,
7 but not be limited to, the principles and concepts related to the
8 following topics:
9 a. Air;
10 b. Climate change;
11 c. Energy;
12 d. Environmental justice;
13 e. Environmental sustainability;
14 f. Fish and wildlife resources;
15 g. Forestry;
16 h. Integrated pest management;
17 i. Oceans;
18 j. Pollution prevention;
19 k. Public health and the environment;
20 l. Resource conservation, waste reduction, and recycling;
21 m. Toxics and hazardous waste; and
22 n. Water.
23 2. The model environmental curriculum shall be aligned with other
24 course subject standards of instruction as set forth by the department
25 and be included in the following course subject's standards of instruc-
26 tion, but not be limited to:
27 a. Science;
28 b. History;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14561-02-9
A. 9886 2
1 c. Social studies;
2 d. Health; and
3 e. Mathematics.
4 3. All public elementary and secondary schools shall begin teaching
5 the model environmental curriculum established pursuant to this section
6 in the first school year following certification by the commissioner
7 that such curriculum has been established.
8 4. a. The commissioner shall develop age-appropriate curriculum
9 resources and technical assistance for schools to provide to students in
10 all elementary and secondary schools to carryout the provisions of this
11 section.
12 b. The department shall make the model curriculum and model curriculum
13 resources publicly available electronically on the department's internet
14 website.
15 5. School authorities shall provide the needed facilities, time and
16 place for the instruction set forth in this section and shall provide
17 learning aids and curriculum resource materials which contribute to
18 effective teaching methods and learning in education in regards to the
19 model environmental curriculum.
20 6. a. The commissioner shall update the model environmental curriculum
21 every four years following the establishment of such curriculum.
22 b. Such update shall be based on current scientific, technical and
23 social knowledge.
24 § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
25 the date on which it shall have become a law.