New York S 4214: Establishes family literacy programs for economically disadvantaged families living in poverty areas or areas with low-performing public schools

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S04214 Summary:

BILL NOS04214 

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SAME ASSAME AS A06897

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SPONSORPARKER

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COSPNSR

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MLTSPNSR

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Amd §3641, Ed L

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Establishes family literacy programs for economically disadvantaged families living in poverty areas or areas with low-performing public schools; provides for competitive matching grants to establish a comprehensive program; requires commissioner of education to submit an annual report to the governor and legislature.

Go to top S04214 Actions:

BILL NOS04214 

&nbsp

02/03/2025REFERRED TO EDUCATION

01/07/2026REFERRED TO EDUCATION

Go to topS04214 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS04214 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS04214 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 4214

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 February 3, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Education

 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing family
 literacy programs for economically disadvantaged families living in
 poverty areas or in areas served by low-performing public schools

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Legislative findings and declaration. It is the purpose of
 2 this act to help break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy by improving
 3 the educational opportunities for New York's low-income families by
 4 funding family literacy programs that integrate early childhood develop-
 5 ment, adult literacy or adult basic education, inter-generational learn-
 6 ing and parenting education. The legislature finds and declares that the
 7 provision of comprehensive family literacy programs will help many
 8 parents and children living in poverty to improve their lives. The
 9 legislature finds that, based on national and state surveys, persons
 10 with low literacy levels are most likely to live in poverty and be
 11 dependent on public assistance. The legislature finds that a compar-
 12 atively high percentage of students attending low-performing public
 13 schools live in poverty or have parents with limited English language
 14 proficiency or poor literacy skills. The legislature finds that there is
 15 inadequate funding to address the illiteracy problem in these communi-
 16 ties. Therefore, the legislature finds that it is necessary to fund
 17 family literacy programs targeted to economically disadvantaged families
 18 residing in poverty areas or in attendance zones served by low-perform-
 19 ing public schools to assist adults and children living in these commu-
 20 nities to obtain the skills they need to lead successful and productive
 21 lives.
 22 § 2. Section 3641 of the education law is amended by adding a new
 23 subdivision 18 to read as follows:

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD07835-01-5

 S. 4214 2

 1 18. Family literacy grants. Within the amount appropriated for such
 2 purpose, the commissioner is directed and authorized to award compet-
 3 itive matching grants to eligible providers to support the establishment
 4 of comprehensive family literacy programs. In order to be eligible for
 5 such a grant, a grantee shall provide an approved family literacy
 6 program to eligible families.
 7 a. Definitions. As used in this section:
 8 (1) "Family literacy program" means services that are of sufficient
 9 intensity in terms of hours and of sufficient duration to make sustaina-
 10 ble changes to a family and that integrate all of the following activ-
 11 ities: interactive literacy activities between parents and their chil-
 12 dren; education for parents regarding how to be the primary teacher for
 13 their children and full partners in the education of their children;
 14 parent literacy preparation that leads to economic self-sufficiency; and
 15 an age-appropriate education to prepare children for success in school
 16 and life experiences.
 17 (2) "Eligible parent" means an individual who is: (i) in parental
 18 relation to an eligible child, as defined by the commissioner, and (ii)
 19 in need of adult basic education, as de