§ 215-C — Promoting cost-effectiveness in public elementary and secondary schools

§ 215-c. Promoting cost-effectiveness in public elementary and\nsecondary schools. 1. Definitions. For the purposes of this section,\nthe following terms shall have the following meanings:\n (a) "cost-effectiveness" shall mean one or more measures of the\nefficient use of school district resources relative to school\nperformance in accordance with state educational standards, as\ndetermined by the department.\n (b) "cost-effective practices" shall mean those practices which most\nefficiently use limited resources to produce a particular outcome or set\nof outcomes in accordance with state educational standards.\n (c) "board" shall mean the board of regents of the state of New York.\n 2. The board and the commissioner shall wherever practicable promote\ncost-effectiveness and cost-effective practices in the public elementary\nand secondary schools and boards of cooperative educational services of\nthe state. As part of the effort pursuant to this section, by January\nfirst, nineteen hundred ninety-eight and periodically thereafter, the\ncommissioner shall (a) identify current structures, policies, laws and\nregulations which hinder cost-effectiveness in schools and school\ndistricts; (b) identify cost-effective districts by determining which\nschools or school districts have demonstrated significant achievement or\nimprovement relative to resource allocation in such areas as student\nperformance, instruction, management, business administration, early\nchildhood education and such other areas as the board deems appropriate;\n(c) identify cost-effective action, policies, practices and programs\nwhich may be successfully replicated in other school districts; and (d)\nrecommend or, to the extent feasible, develop specific cost-effective\nways in which to encourage, recognize and reward academic improvement\nand success in school districts, and remove existing penalties and\nfiscal disincentives to such improvement or success.\n 3. The commissioner shall consult with school district administrators,\ndistrict superintendents and superintendents of schools, teachers,\nschool board members, parents, students, non-pedagogical school support\npersonnel, representatives from post-secondary institutions and other\npertinent groups and individuals in determining cost-effective programs\npursuant to subdivision two of this section.\n 4. The commissioner shall disseminate information to school district\nadministrators, school board members and other interested parties on how\ncost-effective practices can be used and applied in school districts,\nindividual schools and the classroom. Such information shall include a\nsummary of exemplary cost-effective practices among school districts\nreceiving apportionments pursuant to subparagraph one of paragraph h of\nsubdivision fourteen of section thirty-six hundred two of this chapter.\n