New York school security camera law

What does New York law allow and limit?

The Commissioner of Education is "authorized to apportion" extra building aid to a school district for approved spending on stationary metal detectors and security cameras. The Commissioner sets a yearly cost allowance for metal detectors and security cameras, and aided spending cannot exceed it. Other security devices eligible for the extra aid are limited to electronic security systems and hardened doors. Projects aided under that paragraph must be included in the district's school safety plan. Each district-wide school safety plan must include policies on school building security, including security devices or procedures where appropriate. The superintendent, as the district's chief emergency officer, must help select security-related technology and develop procedures for using it.

Does New York limit facial recognition in schools?

On September 27, 2023, the Commissioner of Education issued an order prohibiting New York schools from buying or using facial recognition technology. The ban lasts unless and until the Commissioner issues a superseding order. Schools that bought facial recognition products with Smart Schools Bond Act money before December 20, 2020, must stop using them and certify that they have stopped. Schools may decide locally whether to use other biometric technology, after weighing privacy, civil rights, effectiveness and parent input. State law bars the Commissioner from authorizing biometric technology, including facial recognition, until the state IT director issues a report. The law defines facial recognition as an automated or semi-automated tool that identifies or verifies a person from patterns in their face.

What does the state records schedule say about security video?

The State Archives retention schedule for local governments (LGS-1) says security video with incidents worth keeping for administrative or legal use is kept 3 years, and not until any minor in it turns 21. Security video with no such incidents may be destroyed once it is no longer needed. A governing body must adopt the schedule by resolution before disposing of records under it.

Is school camera footage a student record?

New York's student data privacy law defines student personally identifiable information by reference to the federal FERPA rules (the federal student records law). Federal FERPA guidance says a surveillance video of two students fighting that is used in discipline is directly related to those students. The same guidance says video created and kept by a school's law enforcement unit for a law enforcement purpose is not an education record. A 2012 staff advisory opinion from the state Committee on Open Government said a district that can redact video with reasonable effort must release a redacted copy when the video must be made available at least in part under the Freedom of Information Law. That opinion notes a New York court held that FERPA does not cover video made to keep a school building safe that does not concern students' educational performance.

How can schools pay for cameras?

Beyond building aid, a Smart Schools Bond Act school safety and security technology project can include video surveillance. The Nonpublic School Safety Equipment (NPSE) grant reimburses religious and independent schools for certain safety and health expenses. Eligible security items include internal and external cameras and their recording devices. NPSE does not pay for a cyber security officer who manages security software and maintains or repairs security cameras. The full $185 million for NPSE Years 11-13 was allocated as a non-competitive grant, with a claim deadline of January 14, 2027.

What bills are pending?

A4970 would require school administrators, working with the local police department, to install security cameras supported by artificial intelligence. It was re-referred to the Assembly Education Committee on January 7, 2026, with no action since. S3827-A would limit school biometric use to specified purposes; it passed the Senate June 12, 2025, and sits in Assembly Education. Its Assembly version, A6720-A, was re-referred to Assembly Education on January 7, 2026, with no later action. S9643 would prohibit school biometric technology except for specified purposes; it passed the Senate June 1, 2026, and sits in Assembly Education.