2102-a. Required training for school district officers. 1. a. Every trustee or voting member of a board of education of a school district or a board of cooperative educational services, elected or appointed for a term beginning on or after July first, two thousand five, shall, within the first year of his or her term, complete a minimum of six hours of training on the financial oversight, accountability and fiduciary responsibilities of a school board member.
b. In addition to the training required by paragraph a of this subdivision, every trustee or voting member of a board of education of a school district or a board of cooperative educational services, elected or appointed for a first term beginning on or after the first of July next succeeding the effective date of this paragraph, shall, within the first year of his or her term, complete a training course to acquaint him or her with the powers, functions and duties of boards of education, as well as the powers and duties of other governing and administrative authorities affecting public education.
c. Upon demonstration of compliance, no trustee or member of a board of education or a board of cooperative educational services shall be required to repeat the training requirements provided for in paragraphs a and b of this subdivision. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to require a member of a central high school district board or a member of a board of cooperative educational services to complete such requirements if such member has already completed such requirements as a member of a board of a component school district. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to require trustees or voting members of a board of education of a school district or a board of cooperative educational services to complete the requirements of paragraph b of this subdivision if such trustee or member is seated or appointed on or before the effective date of the chapter of the laws of two thousand ten that amended this subdivision.
2. The curriculum used for training on financial oversight, accountability and fiduciary responsibilities shall be approved by the commissioner in consultation with the comptroller and the curriculum used for the general training shall be approved by the commissioner. These curricula may be offered together as a single course or separately. The training required by this section may be offered by providers approved by the commissioner. In approving other providers for these trainings, the commissioner shall consider the potential provider's understanding of the educational environment, the roles of trustees and boards of education and boards of cooperative educational services, and the experience of the provider in delivering such training.
3. Each trustee or member shall demonstrate compliance with these requirements by filing with the district clerk a certificate of completion of such course or courses issued by the provider. Actual and necessary expenses incurred by a trustee or member in complying with the foregoing requirements shall be a charge against the school district.
4. As long as the chancellor of a school district in a city having a population of one million or more inhabitants shall annually certify to the commissioner that such district has a training program that meets or exceeds the requirements of this section, the provisions of this section shall not apply to such school district.
Last modified: February 3, 2019