New York Senate Bill S01312

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/9/25
• Refer: 1/9/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Requires at least one full-time licensed or certified social worker to be employed in each elementary, intermediate, middle, junior high school and senior high school throughout the state.

Summary

S01312 would amend the New York Education Law to require every public school district to employ and provide access to at least one licensed or certified school social worker in each elementary, intermediate, middle, junior high, and senior high school under its jurisdiction. The requirement applies beginning July 1, 2025, and the social worker must be licensed under the state’s social work licensing law or certified under Education Department rules. The bill also specifies that the social worker’s duties must remain within the lawful scope of practice for that profession. The measure is framed as a statewide staffing mandate for schools, aimed at ensuring direct access to social work services in each school building. It excludes social workers already funded or required through special education funding, aid, regulation, or statute, meaning districts could not count those positions toward the new baseline if they are already separately mandated or financed. The bill takes effect immediately, though the staffing obligation is tied to the July 1, 2025 date in the text.

Impact

If enacted, the bill would create a new statewide requirement in the Education Law for public school districts to staff each covered school with at least one licensed or certified social worker. This would affect school district hiring, budgeting, and staffing plans, and could require districts without existing social work coverage to add positions or expand access. It would also reinforce the role of school social workers as a recognized support service in K-12 schools, while leaving professional scope-of-practice limits intact.

Sentiment

No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or recorded support/opposition in the materials supplied. Based on the bill text and sponsor list, the measure appears to be presented as a student-support and school mental health initiative, with an emphasis on ensuring access to social work services in every school. The available context does not show any formal sentiment from committee discussion or floor action.

Contention

The main likely point of contention is the mandate itself: school districts may object to the cost, staffing feasibility, and administrative burden of requiring a social worker in every school. Another possible issue is how the requirement interacts with existing special education-related staffing or funding, since the bill excludes those positions from counting toward compliance. Supporters would likely emphasize student mental health, counseling access, and early intervention, while critics may focus on implementation challenges and local control over staffing decisions.