Plugged In To Education

September 24, 2025

Coverage of updates in lower education, higher education & human services.

What’s Inside

  • Governor Hochul Signs Legislation to Protect College Students Against Discrimination
  • Listening Sessions Announced in Support of NYS Governor’s Task Force on Missing Women and Girls
  • Governor Hochul Announces Establishment of Youth Safe Spaces
  • Attorney General James Announces Victories
  • New York State Education Department Proposes Statewide Regulations to Support Dual Enrollment Opportunities 
  • Funding Opportunities
  • State Register
  • Coming Up

Governor Hochul Signs Legislation to Protect College Students Against Discrimination 

Governor Hochul signed legislation to require Title VI anti-discrimination coordinators on every New York college campus. Coordinators will work hand-in-hand with students, faculty, and staff to confront discrimination on campus as part of the Governor’s commitment to promote a safe learning environment for all students in New York’s higher education institutions. This important step continues the Governor’s ongoing efforts to combat racial bias, antisemitism and any form of bigotry on college campuses throughout New York.

Listening Sessions Announced in Support of NYS Governor’s Task Force on Missing Women and Girls

In support of the Governor’s Task Force on Missing Women and Girls who are BIPOC, the NYS Youth Justice Institute (YJI) is holding listening sessions with families, advocates, and community members from across New York State. These sessions are an opportunity to share perspectives that will guide the Task Force’s recommendations and they inform a Study supported by the Task Force. They are seeking the voices of individuals with lived experience to guide this important work. Click here for more information. Sessions will be held: October 6, October 9, October 14, October 17, November 2 and November 5.

Governor Hochul Announces Establishment of Youth Safe Spaces

Governor Kathy Hochul announced $7.5 million in awards to four nonprofit community-based organizations to launch Youth Safe Spaces and address the evolving behavioral health needs of teens and young adults. Administered by the state Office of Mental Health, these peer-led, non-clinical programs will serve youth ages 12 to 24 in welcoming, community-based settings, offering safe spaces, resources, and connections to help them navigate mental health challenges.

The awards include:

  • LaSalle School Inc.; $500,000 annually over five years to establish a program in the Conroy Building in Albany
  • AIDS Center of Queens County; $500,000 annually over five years to establish a program at 62-07 Woodside Ave. in Queens
  • Delphi Drug and Alcohol Council of Wayne County; $250,000 annually over five years to operate the Alex Eligh Community Center in Newark
  • Friends of the CanTeen; $250,000 annually over five years to operate the CanTeen of Central New York in Cicero

Attorney General James Announces Victories

Protecting SNAP Recipients’ Sensitive Personal Information

New York Attorney General Letitia James won an important victory to protect the privacy of millions of people throughout the country who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for food assistance. In a lawsuit brought by Attorney General James and a coalition of 20 other attorneys general and the state of Kentucky, the District Court for the Northern District of California ordered a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump administration from demanding states turn over personal information of all residents who receive SNAP. Attorney General James and the coalition sued the administration in July, arguing that this highly sensitive data, which includes home addresses, Social Security numbers, recent locations, immigration statuses, and more, would likely be shared across federal agencies and used for immigration enforcement, in violation of the law. In a temporary restraining order, the District Court blocked USDA’s demand for the plaintiff states to turn over SNAP recipients’ data and prevented USDA from withholding SNAP funding. 

Blocking Trump Administration’s Attempt to Gut Social Services 

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a major court victory halting the Trump administration’s unlawful attempt to cut essential health, education, and social service programs for low-income families in 21 states. Attorney General James led 20 other attorneys general in a lawsuit challenging the federal government’s reinterpretation of a decades-old law governing access to social services. This month, a federal court granted Attorney General James and the coalition’s request for a preliminary injunction, blocking sweeping new rules that threatened to strip funding from programs like Head Start, Title X family planning clinics, food banks, domestic violence shelters, adult education, and community health centers.  The court’s decision halts implementation of those new directives in the plaintiff states while litigation proceeds, ensuring that millions of families can continue to access critical services without fear of denial or disruption. The victory has immediate impacts across New York: 

  • Head Start: Protects early education for more than 43,000 low-income children at nearly 1,000 sites statewide.
  • Community Health Centers: Safeguards access to primary and preventive care for 2.4 million New Yorkers who rely on 850 community clinics.
  • Title X Clinics: Ensures reproductive health, cancer screenings, and STI testing for more than 300,000 patients each year.
  • Mental Health Programs: Preserves over $65 million in annual funding for crisis intervention, youth mental health, peer support, the 988 suicide hotline, and jail diversion programs.
  • Anti-Poverty Services: Maintains food, housing, and utility assistance provided by New York’s 47 Community Action Agencies to more than half a million residents annually. 

New York State Education Department Proposes Statewide Regulations to Support Dual Enrollment Opportunities

The New York State Education Department proposed regulations that would establish the State’s first-ever statewide dual enrollment policy. Dual enrollment programs allow high school students to earn college credit while completing their graduation requirements, giving them a head start on higher education. New York has the third-largest dual enrollment population in the country, but until now, no statewide framework existed to ensure consistent quality and accountability. Contact Hinman Straub for a more detailed memorandum on these proposed regulations. 

Funding Opportunities

The Department of Health announced the availability of up to $32,500,000 annually for five years in funding to support the Increasing Training Capacity in Statewide Healthcare Facilities program. This program seeks to fund facility training programs in New York State that provide an innovative response to meet the State’s healthcare workforce demands. Article 28, not-for-profit facilities can apply and utilize these funds to increase their capacity to train current and future healthcare workers. The goal of the program is to increase the healthcare workforce by assisting facilities in training more healthcare workers. Due October 14, 2025

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York announced the second round of the New York Statewide Investment in More Swimming (NY SWIMS) Initiative. Eligible municipalities and nonprofit organizations can apply for grants ranging from $250,000 to $10 million for projects that expand swimming opportunities. Due October 30, 2025

State Register

State Education Department (SED)

  • Supplementary Certificate and Supplementary Bilingual Education Extension Requirements (Emergency)
  • Incorporating Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education to Teacher Preparation Program Requirements (Adopted)
  • Mandatory Peer Review Program in the Profession of Public Accountancy (Adopted)
  • Adding the Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) Degree as a Registered Degree in New York State (Adopted)
  • Licensing Examinations and Testing Accommodations in the Social Work Professions (Adopted)
  • Performance-Based Learning and Assessment Networks (PLAN) Pilot Program (Adopted)
  • Technical Amendment of Section 52.21 (Adopted)
  • Outreach for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Proposed)
  • Statewide Protocols for Diapering and Toileting (Proposed)
  • Dual Enrollment Programs (Proposed)
  • Shared Pharmacy Services (Proposed)
  • Special Education Impartial Hearing Officers (IHOs) (Proposed)

 Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS)

  • Expansion of Background Checks for Staff at Child Care Institutions (Adopted)

Coming Up

Board of Regents

  • October 6 – 7
  • November 3 – 4
  • December 15 – 16

State Board Meetings

  • Dietetics and Nutrition: September 29, 2025 (Albany, Buffalo, New York City, Syracuse)
  • Optometry: September 29, 2025 (New York City)
  • Occupational Therapy: September 25, 2025 (Albany, New York City & Syracuse)
  • Interior Design: September 19, 2025 (New York City)
  • Speech-Language Pathology: September 19, 2025 (Albany)
  • Midwifery: September 19, 2025
  • Chiropractic: September 11, 2025 (Albany)
  • Pharmacy: September 10, 2025
  • Medicine: September 5, 2025 (New York City)
  • Engineering, Land Surveying & Geology: September 4, 2025 (Albany)

Not-For-Profit Contracting Advisory Committee

  • October 28, 2025
  • November 13, 2025

Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Board

  • October 16, 2025

2025 New York State DREAM (Disability Rights Employment Awareness Month) Symposium

  • October 28 & 29, 2025 in Albany NY

NYS Governor’s Task Force on Missing Women and Girls who are BIPOC Listening Sessions

  • October 6
  • October 9
  • October 14
  • October 17
  • November 2
  • November 5

Plugged In to Education is prepared by Hinman Straub P.C. and is intended to keep our clients informed about news and Legislative and regulatory developments that may affect or otherwise be of interest to them. The comments contained herein do not constitute legal opinion and should not be regarded as a substitute for legal advice. If you prefer not to receive these updates, please alert us so we may remove you from our distribution list. © Hinman Straub P.C. 2025. All rights reserved.