Relates to establishing a college experience program for students with developmental disabilities; requires the trustees of SUNY and CUNY to adopt regulations to establish a two year college experience program for students with developmental disabilities at each SUNY and CUNY institution and community college.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2498
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 19, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SANTABARBARA, WALSH -- read once and referred to
the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a college
experience program for students with developmental disabilities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 355 of the education law is amended by adding a new
2 subdivision 21 to read as follows:
3 21. a. No later than one year from the effective date of this subdivi-
4 sion, the state university trustees shall adopt regulations to establish
5 a two-year college experience program for students with developmental
6 disabilities at each state university of New York institution. Each
7 such institution shall offer such program to eligible students in
8 accordance with the regulations prescribed by the state university trus-
9 tees.
10 b. Such program shall consist of:
11 (1) an academic component related to preparing eligible students for
12 practical living and employment and shall include coursework related to
13 such purposes including, but not limited to, courses in cooking,
14 personal finance, health and wellness, interpersonal communications, and
15 internships; and
16 (2) a housing component related to preparing eligible students for
17 independent living and shall include housing of eligible students in
18 institution-provided housing.
19 c. To be eligible to enroll in a college experience program, a student
20 shall:
21 (1) submit to the institution documentation, as determined by the
22 state university trustees, regarding his or her developmental disability
23 and his or her ability to live independently; and
24 (2) demonstrate to the institution a level of academic proficiency, as
25 determined by the state university trustees.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04577-02-1
A. 2498 2
1 d. An eligible student may pay for such program through his or her
2 home and community based waiver administered by the office for people
3 with developmental disabilities and/or supplemental security income
4 (SSI) benefits under the federal social security act or through private
5 funding.
6 e. In developing the college experience program described in this
7 subdivision, the state university trustees shall consult with the office
8 for people with developmental disabilities.
9 § 2. Section 6206 of the education law is amended by adding a new
10 subdivision 21 to read as follows:
11 21. a. No later than one year from the effective date of this subdivi-
12 sion, the city university trustees shall adopt regulations to establish
13 a two-year college experience program for students with developmental
14 disabilities at each city university of New York institution. Each such
15 institution shall offer such program to eligible students in accordance
16 with the regulations prescribed by the city university trustees.
17 b. Such program shall consist of:
18 (1) an academic component related to preparing eligible students for
19 practical living and employment and shall include coursework related to
20 such purposes including, but not limited to, courses in cooking,
21 personal finance, health and wellness, interpersonal communications, and
22 internships; and
23 (2) a housing component related to preparing eligible students for
24 independent living and shall include housing of eligible students in
25 institution-provided housing.
26 c. To be eligible to enroll in a college experience program, a student
27 shall:
28 (1) submit to the institution documentation, as determined by the city
29 university trustees, regarding his or her developmental disability and
30 his or her ability to live independently; and
31 (2) demonstrate to the institution a level of academic proficiency, as
32 determined by the city university trustees.
33 d. An eligible student may pay for such program through his or her
34 home and community based waiver administered by the office for people
35 with developmental disabilities and/or supplemental security income
36 (SSI) benefits under the federal social security act or through private
37 funding.
38 e. In developing the college experience program described in this
39 subdivision, the city university trustees shall consult with the office
40 for people with developmental disabilities.
41 § 3. Section 6303 of the education law is amended by adding a new
42 subdivision 7 to read as follows:
43 7. a. No later than one year from the effective date of this subdivi-
44 sion, the state university trustees shall adopt regulations to establish
45 a two-year college experience program for students with developmental
46 disabilities at each community college. Each community college shall
47 offer such program to eligible students in accordance with the regu-
48 lations prescribed by the state university trustees.
49 b. Such program shall consist of:
50 (i) an academic component related to preparing eligible students for
51 practical living and employment and shall include coursework related to
52 such purposes including, but not limited to, courses in cooking,
53 personal finance, health and wellness, interpersonal communications, and
54 internships; and
A. 2498 3
1 (ii) a housing component related to preparing eligible students for
2 independent living and shall include housing of eligible students in
3 community college-provided housing.
4 c. To be eligible to enroll in a college experience program, a student
5 shall:
6 (i) submit to the community college documentation, as determined by
7 the state university trustees, regarding his or her developmental disa-
8 bility and his or her ability to live independently; and
9 (ii) demonstrate to the community college a level of academic profi-
10 ciency, as determined by the state university trustees.
11 d. An eligible student may pay for such program through his or her
12 home and community based waiver administered by the office for people
13 with developmental disabilities and/or supplemental security income
14 (SSI) benefits under the federal social security act or through private
15 funding.
16 e. In developing the college experience program described in this
17 subdivision, the state university trustees shall consult with the office
18 for people with developmental disabilities.
19 § 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
20 it shall have become a law.
