NY Educ L § 211-C (2021)
2021 New York Laws EDN - Education Title 1 - General Provisions Article 5 - University of the State of New York Part 1 - General Organization 211-C - Distinguished Educators.

§  211-c.  Distinguished  educators.  The  regents  shall  establish a   distinguished educator program that recognizes educational  leaders  who   have  agreed  to  assist  in improving the performance of low performing   school districts.1.  Building  principals,  superintendents  of  schools  and  teachers   including  retirees  and  current  employees  of school districts, under   whose leadership schools have demonstrated consistent growth in academic   performance and other  individuals  who  have  demonstrated  educational   expertise,  including  superior  performance  in the classroom, shall be   eligible for designation by  the  regents  as  distinguished  educators.   Provided, however, individuals employed by for-profit entities shall not   be eligible for such recognition.2.  From the pool of distinguished educators designated by the regents   pursuant to subdivision one of  this  section,  the  commissioner  shall   appoint  distinguished educators who have expressed their willingness to   assist low performing districts in improving their academic performance.   To the extent practicable, the commissioner shall appoint  distinguished   educators  to  assist  districts  with  comparable  demographics  to the   schools or districts that are or were under such educator's leadership.3. The commissioner may appoint a distinguished educator to  a  school   district;a.  when  such district or a school within such district has failed to   achieve adequate yearly progress for four or more years;b. as a member  of  a  joint  school  intervention  team  pursuant  to   paragraph  b  of subdivision two of section two hundred eleven-b of this   part.4. The school district to which a distinguished educator is  appointed   shall cooperate fully with an appointed distinguished educator.5.  An  appointed  distinguished  educator  shall  assess the learning   environment of schools in the district, review or provide assistance  in   the  development  and  implementation  of  any district improvement plan   and/or any corrective action, restructuring, or  comprehensive  plan  of   any  school  within  the district to which the distinguished educator is   assigned. Such  distinguished  educator  shall  either  endorse  without   change or make recommendations for modifications to any such plan to the   board  of  education, trustees, or chancellor, in a school district in a   city of one million or more  inhabitants,  and  the  commissioner.  Upon   receipt of any recommendations for modification, the board of education,   trustees,  or  chancellor  shall  either modify the plans accordingly or   provide a written explanation to the commissioner of its reasons for not   adopting  such  recommendations.  The  commissioner  shall  direct   the   district  to  modify  the  plans  as  recommended  by  the distinguished   educator unless the commissioner  finds  that  the  written  explanation   provided by the district has compelling merit.6.  Appointed  distinguished  educators  shall  be  deemed ex-officio,   non-voting members of the board of education or trustees.  In  a  school   district  in  a  city  of  one  million  or  more  inhabitants, any such   distinguished educator shall be deemed an ex-officio, non-voting  member   of  the  community  district  education  council  or  the city board, as   applicable.7. The reasonable and necessary expenses  incurred  by  the  appointed   distinguished  educators while performing their official duties shall be   paid by the school district.8. If an appointed distinguished educator  is  employed  by  a  school   district  or  charter  school,  it  shall  be  the  duty of the board of   education or trustees of such school district, the chancellor of a  city   school  district  in  a  city of one million or more inhabitants, or the   board of trustees of such charter school to facilitate  the  efforts  of    any  such  appointed distinguished educators in their employ by granting   reasonable leave requests and otherwise accommodating their efforts,  to   the  extent  such  efforts  do  not  substantially  interfere  with  the   educator's performance of his or her regular duties.