A 5247: Establishes a task force to conduct a comprehensive study on the presence of educator diversity in the state, state actions taken to promote educator diversity, and how the state can encourage new initiatives to enhance and promote educator diversity in New York; provides for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 5247 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY February 12, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. SOLAGES, MITAYNES, EPSTEIN, TAYLOR, GONZALEZ-RO- JAS, JACOBSON, SIMON, DAVILA, JACKSON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education AN ACT to establish a task force on educator diversity in New York state; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Task force on educator diversity in New York state. There 2 is hereby established a task force on educator diversity in New York 3 state. The purpose of the task force shall be to conduct a comprehensive 4 study on the presence of educator diversity, state actions taken to 5 promote educator diversity in New York state, and how New York state can 6 encourage new initiatives to enhance and promote educator diversity, 7 including but not limited to: 8 (a) barriers which prevent students of color from entering the teach- 9 ing profession, or remaining in the teaching profession; 10 (b) recruitment and retention efforts; 11 (c) mentorship programs for current educators of color; 12 (d) initiatives aimed at encouraging students of color to enter the 13 teaching profession, also known as 'grow your own' initiatives; 14 (e) scholarship opportunities for students of color who are interested 15 in entering the teaching profession, and other funding mechanisms to 16 assist such students; 17 (f) initiatives that encourage teachers of color to become school 18 leaders and administrators, and barriers that have prevented teachers of 19 color from becoming school leaders and administrators; and 20 (g) reviewing and commenting on reports issued by the state education 21 department related to educator diversity. 22 § 2. a. The task force shall consist of fifteen members to be 23 appointed as follows: (i) five people appointed by the governor; (ii) EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD06667-01-5 
 A. 5247 2 1 four people appointed by the temporary president of the senate; (iii) 2 four people appointed by the speaker of the assembly; (iv) one person 3 appointed by the minority leader of the senate; and (v) one person 4 appointed by the minority leader of the assembly. 5 b. The members of the task force shall designate one of the appointees 6 as the chair of the task force. All appointments of members of the task 7 force shall be made no later than thirty days after the effective date 8 of this act. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. 9 The members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their 10 services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses 11 incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to this act. 12 § 3. The task force shall make a report to the governor and legisla- 13 ture of its findings, conclusions and recommendations on or before 14 December 31, 2026. 15 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately, and shall expire and be 16 deemed repealed January 31, 2027.