WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

S 10004

Requires LGBT awareness curriculum or instruction

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Erik Bottcher and 5 co-sponsors

A state-developed, age-appropriate LGBTQ+ history curriculum will be implemented in public schools, flexible by district and taught within social studies or other subjects starting

REFERRED TO EDUCATION
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 10004

Summary of Bill S. 10004 (2025-2026) — New York

Purpose and Intent

  • Establishes a state-required framework for LGBT awareness curriculum or instruction in public schools.
  • The goal is to provide students with information, skills, and understanding about the historical treatment and experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and gender non-conforming (LGBTQ+) individuals.
  • The curriculum is designed to be age-appropriate and adaptable to the needs of different districts and grade levels.

Key Provisions

New Section: Education Law 804-e

  1. Curriculum Establishment

    • The Commissioner of Education, in consultation with appropriate agencies, must establish curriculum or instruction focused on the historical treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals.
    • Content may vary by district or portion of a district; it does not need to be uniform statewide.
    • The material must be age-appropriate and organized to align with students’ successive grade levels, ensuring information, skills, and understanding related to LGBTQ+ history.

  2. Implementation in Schools

    • Schools may integrate these materials as a component of the social studies curriculum or incorporate them in other appropriate ways as determined by the school.

Implementation Timeline

  • Effective Date: July 1, 2027.
  • The act applies to school years beginning on or after July 1, 2027.
  • The act authorizes, immediately upon enactment, the creation, amendment, or repeal of rules/regulations necessary to implement the act by its effective date.

Administration and Oversight

  • The curriculum is to be developed by the state Commissioner of Education, with collaboration from any appropriate agency as needed.
  • The framework emphasizes flexibility for districts to tailor content while ensuring a consistent objective: understanding LGBTQ+ historical treatment and experiences.

Who Is Affected

  • Public school students in New York state beginning with the 2027-2028 school year onward.
  • School districts and educators who will implement the LGBTQ+ awareness curriculum as part of social studies or other approved instructional areas.
  • State education authorities responsible for developing and updating the curriculum content and associated regulations.

Practical Considerations

  • The bill emphasizes adaptability: districts can adjust the depth and scope of material to fit local needs and grade levels.
  • Content is framed around historical treatment, focusing on information, perspectives, and understanding rather than prescribing a single viewpoint.
  • The bill does not specify a fixed statewide mandate for every grade, allowing localized implementation within the framework established by the Commissioner.

Summary

Bill S.10004 aims to require a state-developed, age-appropriate LGBTQ+ awareness curriculum addressing the historical treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals. The content is to be flexible for district-level adaptation and may be taught within social studies or other suitable subjects. The policy becomes effective for school years starting July 1, 2027, with necessary regulatory actions executable by the effective date.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.