Int. No. 987-A

By Council Members Joseph, Restler, Avilés, Banks, Ung, Brannan, Brewer, Stevens, Ossé, Schulman, Nurse, Hudson, Hanif, Narcisse, Louis, Brooks-Powers, Ayala, Gutiérrez, Cabán, De La Rosa and Paladino (in conjunction with the Manhattan Borough President)

A Local Law in relation to a pilot program to develop and distribute educational materials regarding the reduction of surplus food in public schools

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

Chancellor. The term “chancellor” means the chancellor of the city school district of the city of New York.

Designated office or agency. The term “designated office or agency” means any office or agency designated by the mayor to carry out the requirements of this section.

Staff. The term “staff” means principals, assistant principals, teachers, kitchen and food preparation staff, and facility maintenance staff employed by the New York city department of education.

Student. The term “student” means any pupil under the age of 21 as of September 1 of the academic period, who does not have a high school diploma and who is enrolled in a district school or charter school within the city school district of the city of New York, not including pre-kindergarten students. 

Surplus food. The term “surplus food” means any food purchased by the New York city department of education that is not used for the purpose for which it was purchased and that would otherwise be discarded.

b. Designation. The mayor shall designate an office or agency to carry out the requirements of this section.

c. Pilot program development and materials distribution. 1. The head of the designated office or agency, in coordination with the chancellor, shall establish a pilot program to develop and distribute educational materials to students and staff regarding the reduction of surplus food in schools, the benefits of diversion of food waste from landfills, and the role of students and staff at schools in diverting unused food and other organic matter from landfills.

2. By no later than August 1, 2026, the head of the designated office or agency shall develop such materials and deliver them to the chancellor for distribution to staff and students. In developing such materials, the head of the designated office or agency shall, at a minimum:

(a) Consult with the sustainability director appointed by the chancellor pursuant to subdivision a of section 16-307.1 of the administrative code;

(b) Consult with the office of energy and sustainability of the New York city department of education, or any successor office; and

(c) Produce multiple versions of the materials required by this subdivision to ensure that such materials can be understood by and are useful to all students and staff.

3. On September 1, 2026; February 1, 2027; September 1, 2027; and February 1, 2028, the chancellor shall distribute to each school, for distribution to all staff and every student of such school, the educational materials produced by the head of the designated office or agency pursuant to this subdivision, in hard copy or electronically if distribution of other similar documents occurs electronically.

d. Reporting. No later than December 31, 2028, the chancellor shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council, and post on the New York city department of education’s website, a report on the pilot program established pursuant to subdivision c of this section. The chancellor shall consult the head of the designated office or agency in preparing such report. Such report shall include, but need not be limited to:

1. An overview of the educational materials provided through the pilot program;

2. An evaluation of the cycle of surplus food from the time such food is ordered by the New York city department of education until it is disposed, and any methods identified to reduce the instances in which ordered food becomes surplus food;

3. A description of any challenges encountered during the pilot program’s implementation; and

4. Recommendations for the future of the pilot program, including any proposals for expansion, continuation, or modification based on the pilot program’s outcomes.

§ 2. This local law takes effect 120 days after it becomes law.

MBB/AC

LS #14658

12/10/2025 6:45pm