STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
10409
IN ASSEMBLY
April 19, 2018
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BARNWELL -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring certain
school districts add American sign language to their curriculum
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. American sign language. 1. Certain schools, as designated by
4 the commissioner under the requirements as stated in subdivision two of
5 this section, shall include American sign language in their curriculum.
6 2. The commissioner shall determine which schools will integrate Amer-
7 ican sign language into their respective curriculum based on the follow-
8 ing criteria:
9 a. in a county with a minimum total of fifteen thousand students
10 enrolled full time, at least one school district shall be designated by
11 the commissioner to incorporate American sign language into their
12 curriculum. This school district must have one elementary school, one
13 middle school and one high school within the chosen district.
14 b. in a county with a minimum total of fifty thousand students
15 enrolled full time, at least two school districts shall be designated by
16 the commissioner to incorporate American sign language into their
17 curriculum in at least one elementary school, one middle school and one
18 high school within each of the chosen districts.
19 c. in a county with a minimum total of one hundred thousand students
20 enrolled full time, at least three school districts shall be designated
21 by the commissioner to incorporate American sign language into their
22 curriculum in at least one elementary school, one middle school and one
23 high school within each of the chosen districts.
24 d. in a city with a minimum total of one million students enrolled
25 full time, any school district with a minimum total of seventy-five
26 students with a hearing disability shall be designated by the commis-
27 sioner to incorporate American sign language into their curriculum in at
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14809-01-8
A. 10409 2
1 least one elementary school, one middle school and one high school with-
2 in said district.
3 3. The commissioner may prescribe regulations governing such American
4 sign language courses which shall include instruction in American sign
5 language. Such regulations shall not prescribe a course of study in
6 American sign language which sets forth standards for instruction of a
7 lesser quality than that of any other non-English language.
8 4. School authorities required to offer such course shall provide the
9 needed facilities, time and place for the instruction set forth herein
10 and shall provide learning aids and curriculum resource materials to
11 support such course of study.
12 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to the
13 school year which commences on or after July first next succeeding the
14 date on which it shall have become a law. The commissioner of education
15 shall promulgate such regulations as shall be necessary to implement the
16 provisions of this act not later than 30 days after such effective date.
