NY A07977

Adds "immigration status" as a protected class under the Dignity for All Students Act, defining it to include citizenship, lawful permanent residency, refugee/asylum status, DACA status, temporary protected status, undocumented status, and membership in mixed-status families

Requires each school building to designate at least one Dignity Act coordinator who cannot be the principal or other administrator primarily responsible for student discipline, serving as a contact point for harassment and discrimination incidents

Directs the Commissioner of Education to develop guidance for school districts on preventing and responding to harassment, bullying, and discrimination based on immigration status, including cyberbullying targeting immigrant students

Mandates that incident reports to the state department indicate the protected class category involved and requires public summaries to show trends disaggregated by protected class while protecting student privacy

Takes effect July 1 following enactment, with authorization for rulemaking to begin immediately