File #: Int 1552-2019    Version: Name: Creating district diversity working groups.
Type: Introduction Status: Enacted
Committee: Committee on Education
On agenda: 5/8/2019
Enactment date: 12/15/2019 Law number: 2019/225
Title: A Local Law in relation to creating district diversity working groups
Sponsors: Carlina Rivera , Corey D. Johnson, Helen K. Rosenthal, Ben Kallos, Brad S. Lander, Keith Powers , Farah N. Louis, Stephen T. Levin, Mathieu Eugene, Deborah L. Rose
Council Member Sponsors: 10
Summary: This bill would mandate the establishment of district diversity working groups in each community school district. These working groups would work to facilitate the creation and publishing of public-input integration plans in every school district. The working groups would be made up of students, parents, teachers, principals, administrators, and community advocates. Issues that would be addressed include but are not limited to: admission policies, transfer trends, language access and transportation. Those community school districts that have already gone through this process and have a plan, like District 15, and those that are currently working with the DOE to develop such a plan would be exempt from this bill, but would still be required to report their plan to the Council.
Indexes: Other Appointment Required, Report Required, Sunset Date Applies
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 1552-B, 2. Summary of Int. No. 1552-A, 3. Summary of Int. No. 1552, 4. Int. No. 1552, 5. Committee Report 5/1/19, 6. Hearing Testimony 5/1/19, 7. Hearing Testimony 5/1/19 (Con't), 8. Hearing Transcript 5/1/19, 9. May 8, 2019 - Stated Meeting Agenda with Links to Files, 10. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 5-8-19, 11. Minutes of the Stated Meeting - May 8, 2019, 12. Proposed Int. No. 1552-A - 9/24/19, 13. Proposed Int. No. 1552-B - 11/15/19, 14. Committee Report 11/14/19, 15. Hearing Transcript 11/14/19, 16. November 14, 2019 - Stated Meeting Agenda with Links to Files, 17. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 11-14-19, 18. Minutes of the Stated Meeting - November 14, 2019, 19. Int. No. 1552-B (FINAL), 20. Fiscal Impact Statement, 21. Legislative Documents - Letter to the Mayor, 22. Local Law 225
Date Ver.Prime SponsorAction ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsMultimedia
12/16/2019BCarlina Rivera City Council Returned Unsigned by Mayor  Action details Meeting details Not available
12/15/2019BCarlina Rivera Administration City Charter Rule Adopted  Action details Meeting details Not available
11/14/2019BCarlina Rivera City Council Sent to Mayor by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
11/14/2019BCarlina Rivera City Council Approved by CouncilPass Action details Meeting details Not available
11/14/2019*Carlina Rivera Committee on Education Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
11/14/2019*Carlina Rivera Committee on Education Amendment Proposed by Comm  Action details Meeting details Not available
11/14/2019*Carlina Rivera Committee on Education Amended by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
11/14/2019BCarlina Rivera Committee on Education Approved by CommitteePass Action details Meeting details Not available
5/8/2019*Carlina Rivera City Council Referred to Comm by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
5/8/2019*Carlina Rivera City Council Introduced by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
5/1/2019*Carlina Rivera Committee on Civil and Human Rights P-C Item Laid Over by Comm  Action details Meeting details Not available
5/1/2019*Carlina Rivera Committee on Civil and Human Rights Hearing on P-C Item by Comm  Action details Meeting details Not available
5/1/2019*Carlina Rivera Committee on Education P-C Item Laid Over by Comm  Action details Meeting details Not available
5/1/2019*Carlina Rivera Committee on Education Hearing on P-C Item by Comm  Action details Meeting details Not available

Int. No. 1552-B

 

By Council Members Rivera, The Speaker (Council Member Johnson), Rosenthal, Kallos, Lander, Powers, Louis, Levin, Eugene and Rose

 

A Local Law in relation to creating district diversity working groups

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. District diversity working groups. a. Definitions. For purposes of this local law, the following terms have the following meanings:

Community school district. The term “community school district” has the same meaning as such term is defined in subdivision 2 of section 2590-a of the education law.

Department. The term “department” means the New York city department of education.

b. The mayor shall establish a working group, for every community school district, to develop recommendations and a plan to foster and increase school diversity, according to the timeframe set forth in subdivision k of this local law. Each working group shall consist of at least 13 members. Members of each working group shall be appointed by the mayor, and shall include teachers from elementary and middle schools from the respective community school district who are currently employed by the department; principals from such district who are currently employed by the department; parents of students attending public schools in such district; students currently enrolled in public middle schools in such district; at least one representative of the community district education council within such district and the superintendent, or superintendent’s designee, with jurisdiction over such district.

c. For each working group, the mayor shall appoint a department representative to serve as a co-facilitator.

d. Each working group may, at such working group’s discretion, select a community based organization, from a list established by the mayor, to serve as a co-facilitator.

e. No member shall be removed except for cause by the appointing authority. In the event of a vacancy during the term of an appointed member, a successor shall be selected in the same manner as the original appointment.

f. Membership on a working group shall not constitute holding of a public office, and members of a working group shall not be required to take or file oaths of office before serving on a working group. Each member of a working group shall serve without compensation.

g. No later than 3 months after the establishment of each working group, such working group shall be required to hold at least 1 public hearing to solicit public comment and recommendations on improving diversity in schools within the respective community school district. Each working group shall also create a website to solicit public comment and recommendations.

h. The mayor may designate 1 or more agencies to provide staffing and other administrative support to each working group.

i. Each working group shall examine the issue of school diversity in its respective community school district and develop recommendations and a plan to foster and increase school diversity. Areas to be examined shall include, but are not limited to: admissions policies, transfer trends, language access, gifted and talented programs, screened programs and student transportation.

j. No later than 2 years after the establishment of a working group, such working group shall submit a report of its findings, recommendations and plan required pursuant to subdivision i of this local law to the mayor, chancellor of the city school district of the city of New York and the speaker of the council. Such report shall also include (i) an estimate of costs associated with implementation of such plan and (ii) if such working group chose not to have a community based organization co-facilitate pursuant to subdivision d of this local law, an explanation why a co-facilitator was not necessary.

k. No later than 5 years after the effective date of this local law, the mayor shall have established a working group in every community school district as required by subdivision b of this local law, except as provided in subdivision l of this local law.

l. The mayor shall not be required to establish a working group required by subdivision b of this local law in any community school district that has (i) created a plan to foster and increase school diversity within the 3 years prior to the effective date of this local law or (ii) has voluntarily engaged with the department to establish a working group to foster and increase school diversity as of the effective date of this local law. No later than 2 years after the effective date of this local law, the mayor shall submit to the speaker of the council a report on the activities and recommendations of such working groups.

m. All reports required by this local law shall be posted on the department’s website.

§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately and is deemed repealed upon issuance of all reports required by section one of this local law.

 

MMB

LS #8100

10/8/2019 5:27 p.m.