S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                          544
                              2015-2016 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                      (PREFILED)
                                    January 7, 2015
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  ROSENTHAL,  BARRETT,  PERRY -- read once and
         referred to the Committee on Education
       AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to instruction  in  food,
         agriculture and nutrition
         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  804-e
    2  to read as follows:
    3    S  804-E.  HEALTH EDUCATION REGARDING FOOD, AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION.
    4  1. ALL SCHOOLS SHALL INCLUDE, AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF  HEALTH  EDUCATION,
    5  INSTRUCTION  ON FOOD, AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION TO PROMOTE EATING BEHAV-
    6  IOR THAT ENHANCES THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THE STUDENTS.
    7    2. INSTRUCTION REGARDING FOOD,  AGRICULTURE  AND  NUTRITION  SHALL  BE
    8  INCLUDED  IN  THE  HEALTH  EDUCATION  PROVIDED FOR ALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
    9  PUPILS AND SHALL BE TAUGHT BY  THE  REGULAR  CLASSROOM  TEACHERS  OR  BY
   10  TEACHERS  CERTIFIED TO TEACH HEALTH EDUCATION. SUCH INSTRUCTION SHALL BE
   11  DESIGNED ACCORDING TO THE NEEDS AND ABILITIES OF THE PUPILS  AT  SUCCES-
   12  SIVE GRADE LEVELS WITH THE PURPOSE OF DEVELOPING DESIRABLE HEALTH BEHAV-
   13  IOR, ATTITUDES AND KNOWLEDGE, AS WELL AS SELF-RELIANCE AND PROBLEM SOLV-
   14  ING CAPACITY.
   15    3.  INSTRUCTION REGARDING FOOD, AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION, IN ADDITION
   16  TO CONTINUED HEALTH GUIDANCE IN HIGH SCHOOLS, SHALL BE AN INTEGRAL  PART
   17  OF  A  REQUIRED  HEALTH  EDUCATION COURSE AT EACH LEVEL IN THE SECONDARY
   18  SCHOOL'S CURRICULUM. ANY SUCH COURSE SHALL BE TAUGHT BY TEACHERS HOLDING
   19  A CERTIFICATE TO TEACH HEALTH. RELATED COURSES IN THE  SECONDARY  SCHOOL
   20  CURRICULUM  SHALL  BE  TAUGHT IN A MANNER SUPPORTIVE OF HEALTH EDUCATION
   21  REGARDING FOOD, AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION.
   22    4. THE COMMISSIONER MAY PRESCRIBE SUCH REGULATIONS REGARDING  INSTRUC-
   23  TION  ON  FOOD,  AGRICULTURE  AND NUTRITION AS THE COMMISSIONER MAY DEEM
   24  NECESSARY AND DESIRABLE FOR THE HEALTH AND WELFARE  OF  PUPILS  AND  THE
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD04081-01-5
       A. 544                              2
    1  COMMUNITY.  THE  CONTENTS  MAY BE VARIED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF PARTICULAR
    2  SCHOOL DISTRICTS, OR PORTIONS THEREOF, AND NEED NOT BE UNIFORM  THROUGH-
    3  OUT  THE  STATE,  PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS SHALL UTILIZE
    4  EITHER  THE  CURRICULUM FOR HEALTH EDUCATION INSTRUCTION REGARDING FOOD,
    5  AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION PRESCRIBED BY THE  COMMISSIONER  OR  A  COURSE
    6  APPROVED  BY THE COMMISSIONER IN ACCORDANCE WITH CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY
    7  THE COMMISSIONER.
    8    5. SCHOOL AUTHORITIES SHALL PROVIDE THE NEEDED  FACILITIES,  TIME  AND
    9  PLACE  FOR  THE  INSTRUCTION SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION AND SHALL PROVIDE
   10  LEARNING AIDS AND CURRICULUM  RESOURCE  MATERIALS  WHICH  CONTRIBUTE  TO
   11  EFFECTIVE  TEACHING  METHODS  AND LEARNING IN HEALTH EDUCATION REGARDING
   12  FOOD, AGRICULTURE AND NUTRITION.
   13    S 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July  next  succeeding
   14  the date on which it shall have become a law.