New York Senate Bill S07168

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 4/3/25
• Refer: 4/3/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Relates to establishing the commission on African American history and achievement to develop and recommend school curriculum that incorporates the contributions and achievements made by African Americans.

Summary

This bill would create a new 13-member Commission on African American History and Achievement within the Education Law. The commission would include state education leaders and appointees from the governor, Senate, and Assembly, with members drawn from fields such as K-12 teaching, history, African American history, arts, and culture. Its core job would be to survey existing elementary and secondary curriculum, identify gaps, and recommend additional instruction on African American contributions and achievements in New York and U.S. history. The bill specifically directs the commission to focus on topics including the women’s abolitionist movement, the Harlem Renaissance, the Buffalo anti-slavery movement, and the suffrage movement for African American Long Islanders. It would also require annual reports beginning August 1, 2026, to the governor and legislative leaders, and it authorizes the commissioner of education to develop age-appropriate curriculum or instruction based on the commission’s recommendations. Schools would be allowed to incorporate the materials into history instruction in whatever way they deem appropriate.

Impact

The bill would add a new section to the Education Law establishing a permanent advisory commission and a related curriculum-development process for African American history and achievement. It would require the State Education Department to provide technical assistance and data, and it would create an ongoing obligation for the commissioner to review the commission’s recommendations and update curriculum as appropriate. The bill also amends New York City education law to require city district, charter, and certain nonpublic schools to ensure students visit sites that educate about African American history since 1619, tying the measure to local instructional requirements in New York City.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes, the measure appears to be framed positively as an education and inclusion initiative. Its stated purpose is to broaden and strengthen curriculum by recognizing African American history and achievements, which suggests support from sponsors interested in curriculum expansion and historical representation. No formal opposition is documented in the provided materials, so the overall sentiment in the available record is neutral-to-supportive.

Contention

The main potential points of contention are likely to be the scope and mandate of the curriculum changes, especially the requirement affecting New York City district, charter, and certain nonpublic schools to visit educational sites. Some stakeholders may question whether the bill goes beyond advisory curriculum development by imposing operational requirements on schools, or whether the state should prescribe specific historical content and field-trip expectations. Another possible issue is implementation burden, including costs, logistics, and the extent to which nonpublic schools are covered by the New York City provision.