Requires that climate change and sustainability education be taught in elementary and high schools to educate pupils about how human activities cause climate change, the effects of climate change, the dangers associated with climate change and preventative measures that can be taken to alleviate the impacts of climate change.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
851
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 11, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring climate
change and sustainability education in elementary and high schools
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. Comprehensive climate change and sustainability education. 1.
4 The commissioner shall create and establish a comprehensive and accurate
5 climate change and sustainability curriculum which shall be taught in
6 grades kindergarten through twelve in all public and charter schools.
7 Such curriculum shall include instruction on how human activities cause
8 climate change, the effects of climate change, the dangers associated
9 with climate change and preventative measures that can be taken to alle-
10 viate the impacts of climate change.
11 2. The chancellor of the New York city school system, or a board of
12 education may adopt their own curriculum upon approval of the commis-
13 sioner, provided, however, that the commissioner shall not approve any
14 curriculum which does not substantially comply with the curriculum
15 created pursuant to subdivision one of this section.
16 3. Schools shall begin teaching the curriculum established pursuant to
17 this section in the first school year following certification by the
18 commissioner that such curriculum has been established.
19 4. School authorities shall provide the needed facilities, time and
20 place for the instruction set forth in this section and shall provide
21 learning aids and curriculum resource materials which contribute to
22 effective teaching methods and learning in education regarding climate
23 change and sustainability.
24 § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
25 the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01260-01-3
