Directs the commissioner of education to establish standards for the security and safety of school grounds

2025 Regular Session Introduced by George Alvarez and 28 co-sponsors

Directs the NY Education Commissioner to set statewide security and safety standards for school grounds, guiding districts, staff, students, and responders.

PRINT NUMBER 2618A

Bill Summary: A2618A – Directs the commissioner of education to establish standards for the security and safety of school grounds

Overview

Bill Number: A 2618 (A2618A is the amended printing)

Title: Directs the commissioner of education to establish standards for the security and safety of school grounds

Status: PRINT NUMBER 2618A

Introduced: January 21, 2025

Primary sponsor: Nader Sayegh (with numerous cosponsors)

Related companion bill: S 7929

What the bill would do

The core mandate of A2618A is to direct the New York State Commissioner of Education to establish standards addressing the security and safety of school grounds. The materials provided do not include the detailed text of the standards themselves, so the specific requirements, metrics, or enforcement mechanisms are not enumerated here.

In effect, the bill seeks to create a uniform state-level framework governing how school grounds are secured and maintained to ensure student, staff, and visitor safety.

Key provisions and changes (based on available information)

Directives to the Commissioner of Education to develop and implement standards for:

Security on school grounds (e.g., access control, perimeter safety, surveillance expectations)
Safety measures impacting students and school communities when on school property

The text provided does not list explicit standards, implementation timelines, or funding provisions. Any such details would appear in the full A2618A text or subsequent amendments.

Who would be affected

Public and charter school districts and schools statewide (as entities responsible for meeting state standards)

School administrators, staff, and security personnel responsible for implementing and maintaining approved standards

Students, families, and the broader school community who benefit from standardized safety measures

Local law enforcement and emergency responders in relevant coordination roles (depending on the standards’ scope)

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduction and referral: Introduced January 21, 2025; referred to the Education Committee.

Amendments and reprints: On May 5, 2025, the bill was amended and recomitted to Education and printed as 2618A.

Legislative trajectory: It has a companion in the Senate (S 7929). Related older bills include A 3225, A 5671, A 5584, A 4689, A 7293, A 3728.

The current materials do not specify a final enactment date or effective date; those details would be in the enacted version or subsequent amendments.

Sponsors and support

Primary sponsor: Nader Sayegh

Notable cosponsors include: Angelo Santabarbara, Scott H. Bendett, MaryJane Shimsky, Alicia Hyndman, John Lemondes, Brian Cunningham, Dana Levenberg, Michael Novakhov, Jeff Gallahan, Chris Tague, and many others.

The broad sponsor list suggests cross-district interest across multiple regions.

Fiscal and implementation considerations

The materials provided do not include a fiscal note or funding details.

Implementing statewide standards typically involves administrative costs for development, guidance, training, and potential district compliance measures; exact costs would be determined in the bill’s fiscal analysis.

Why this bill matters (context)

Establishing state standards for school grounds’ security and safety aims to provide uniform,rone-level guidance to districts, potentially improving overall safety and emergency readiness on school properties.

If you’d like, I can annotate this summary with a short glossary of terms or compare A2618A to its related companion S7929 and prior related bills to show how the concept has evolved.