S 6705: Provides that students who receive a high school diploma from an online high school program located within the United States that is accredited in accordance with the Job Corps Policy and Requirements Handbook shall be eligible for admission to colleges and financial aid.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6705 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE March 20, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. STAVISKY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to college admission and financial aid for students who have received a high school diploma from certain online high school programs The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Paragraph f of subdivision 4 of section 661 of the educa- 2 tion law, as amended by section 1 of part Z of chapter 58 of the laws of 3 2011, is amended to read as follows: 4 f. For students who first receive aid pursuant to this chapter in 5 academic year two thousand seven--two thousand eight or thereafter, must 6 have (i) a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary 7 education from a state within the United States; or (ii) the recognized 8 equivalent of such certificate; or (iii) received a passing score on a 9 federally approved ability to benefit test that has been identified by 10 the board of regents as satisfying the eligibility requirements of this 11 section and has been independently administered and evaluated as defined 12 by the commissioner; or (iv) received a high school diploma, or the 13 equivalent thereof, from an online high school program located within 14 the United States that is accredited in accordance with paragraph four 15 of appendix three hundred two of the Job Corps Policy and Requirements 16 Handbook (Guidelines for the Ongoing Quality Monitoring of Job Corps 17 High School Diploma (HSD) Programs), as amended from time to time; 18 § 2. Paragraph h of subdivision 2 of section 355 of the education law 19 is amended by adding a new subparagraph 11 to read as follows: 20 (11) Notwithstanding any law, rule or regulation to the contrary, such 21 regulations shall provide for eligibility of admission for students who 22 have completed an online high school program which (i) has in excess of 23 ten thousands students per year nationally complete such program, (ii) 24 is located within the United States, and (iii) is accredited in accord- EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD10514-01-5 
 S. 6705 2 1 ance with paragraph four of appendix three hundred two of the Job Corps 2 Policy and Requirements Handbook (Guidelines for the Ongoing Quality 3 Monitoring of Job Corps High School Diploma (HSD) Programs), as amended 4 from time to time; 5 § 3. Section 6306 of the education law is amended by adding a new 6 subdivision 3-b to read as follows: 7 3-b. The board of trustees of each community college, and those 8 provided for in the city of New York by subdivision three of this 9 section, shall adopt a policy for admission of students who have 10 completed an online high school program located within the United States 11 consistent with the provisions of subparagraph eleven of paragraph h of 12 subdivision two of section three hundred fifty-five of this chapter. 13 § 4. Section 6206 of the education law is amended by adding a new 14 subdivision 13-a to read as follows: 15 13-a. The board of trustees shall provide standards for admission of 16 students who have completed an online high school program located within 17 the United States consistent with the provisions of subparagraph eleven 18 of paragraph h of subdivision two of section three hundred fifty-five of 19 this chapter. 20 § 5. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall 21 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or 22 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of 23 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed 24 on or before such effective date.