Allows all school districts in this state to create and update on an annual basis a business and community partnership plan; requires certain poorly performing school districts to create such a plan; requires participating students and the parent or guardian of such student to sign a contract; establishes students shall be assigned workplace mentors.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8169
2009-2010 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 6, 2009
___________
Introduced by M. of A. THIELE, OAKS, BACALLES, MILLER -- Multi-Sponsored
by -- M. of A. ALFANO, BARCLAY, BARRA, BURLING, CALHOUN, CROUCH,
ERRIGO, FITZPATRICK, GIGLIO, KOLB, McDONOUGH, O'MARA, QUINN, RABBITT,
RAIA, SALADINO, SAYWARD, TEDISCO, TOWNSEND, WALKER -- read once and
referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law and the tax law, in relation to the
development of a business and community partnership plan by certain
school districts
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 4602 of the education law is amended by adding a
2 new subdivision 6 to read as follows:
3 6. a. All school districts may create and update on an annual basis a
4 business and community partnership plan. Such plan to be developed by
5 school districts in coordination with interested business represen-
6 tatives from the local community shall:
7 (i) identify those students most at-risk of academic failure or drop-
8 ping out of school;
9 (ii) develop strategies where businesses can assist schools in
10 addressing the unique needs of these students; and
11 (iii) develop partnerships with local business and community interests
12 to provide academic, social and employment support through workplace
13 mentors to help improve academic performance and graduation rates.
14 b. All participating school districts shall appoint at least one
15 school official to be responsible for acting as a facilitator between
16 the business community and the district in developing this program. This
17 person shall also be responsible for meeting with participating students
18 regularly to monitor the students' adherence to the partnership
19 contract. School districts are authorized to provide a stipend to
20 reflect the time the appointee spends in meeting these responsibilities.
21 If the school district determines that a person should be employed sole-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03898-01-9
A. 8169 2
1 ly to administer this program, that position shall be aidable pursuant
2 to section nineteen hundred fifty of this chapter.
3 c. Students agreeing to participate in the program shall sign a part-
4 nership contract. The contract shall guarantee an internship or job
5 placement in a local business that has agreed to sponsor such student
6 and assist them, through the assignment of a workplace mentor, in devel-
7 oping good work habits, understanding the importance of academic
8 achievement including obtaining a high school diploma, and supporting
9 post secondary goals. The student shall agree to maintain a minimum
10 attendance rate at school and work of ninety-eight percent, demonstrate
11 continued academic improvement, and to conduct himself or herself
12 conscientiously and professionally in the workplace. Such contract shall
13 formalize the relationship among the student, the school district, the
14 parents, guardian or guardians, and, the work placement representative.
15 d. The parents, guardian or guardians of a student who agrees to
16 participate in this program must also sign a contract agreeing to rein-
17 force a sense of responsibility and improvement in academic and work-
18 place achievement at home.
19 e. Each student participating in this program shall, to the extent
20 practical, be assigned a workplace mentor. Such mentor shall agree to
21 assist the student in developing habits and skills needed for success.
22 Such assistance will include but not be limited to identifying career
23 goals and helping the student link his or her academic and workplace
24 success to meeting these goals, developing positive work and study
25 habits, overcoming obstacles to learning, and serving as positive role
26 models. All persons agreeing to act as workplace mentors shall be treat-
27 ed as school employees for the purpose of being subject to criminal
28 background checks. Provided however that the cost of all such background
29 checks shall be reimbursed by the state.
30 f. All participating school districts shall receive a one thousand
31 dollar grant per participating student funded by New York state. Such
32 grant is conditioned upon each participating student's abidance by the
33 partnership contract. All participating businesses shall receive a
34 corporate franchise tax deduction for all costs associated with partic-
35 ipation in the partnership plan.
36 § 2. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 9 of section 208 of the tax law is
37 amended by adding a new subparagraph 18 to read as follows:
38 (18) In the case of a taxpayer participating in the school district
39 community partnership plan as established in subdivision six of section
40 forty-six hundred two of the education law, all costs associated with
41 participation in the program.
42 § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of September next
43 succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law; provided,
44 however, that effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
45 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
46 this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be made
47 and completed on or before such effective date.
