New York Consolidated Laws
N.Y. Education Law § 1801 (2026)
Formation and changes of central school districts
✓ current as of May 2026
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§ 1801. Formation and changes of central school districts. 1. The commissioner of education is hereby authorized and empowered to lay out central school districts for the establishment of central schools to give instruction in elementary or elementary and high school subjects and to fix, determine and define the boundaries of said districts as hereinafter provided. 2. The commissioner is authorized and empowered to make and enter in his office orders laying out territory in new central school districts or annexing to existing central school districts territory not contained within a city school district in a city having a population of more than ten thousand inhabitants, and not contained within a city school district having a full valuation of taxable real estate per public school pupil residing in the district of more than fifteen thousand dollars; provided, however, that no territory contained within a city school district in a city having a population of ten thousand inhabitants or less may be included in new central school districts or annexed to existing central school districts after July first, nineteen hundred fifty-five. The commissioner of education is authorized and empowered to make and enter in his office orders dissolving and annexing a central school district or districts to another central school district, pursuant to the provisions of subdivision two of section eighteen hundred two of this chapter. The commissioner in laying out such central school districts and in fixing and defining the boundaries thereof shall include only territory of suitable size conveniently located for the attendance of pupils and having a sufficient number of pupils for the establishment of a central school. The commissioner shall designate all central school districts by such simplified name as he shall deem proper. 3. Within ten days after the making and entry of the order pursuant to this section, the commissioner shall transmit a certified copy thereof to the clerk, or in the event there is no clerk, to the trustee or trustees of each school district the territory of which is affected by said order. The clerk, the trustee or trustees, as the case may be, shall, within five days after receipt of such order, post a copy thereof in five conspicuous places in such district. 4. No central school district laid out by order of the commissioner shall operate as a central school district, nor be entitled to receive the benefits of a central school district until it has been organized by the qualified voters of the district in accordance with the provisions of this article, provided, however, a central school district which was organized prior to April seventh, nineteen hundred forty-four, or pursuant to the provisions of this section and to which territory may be annexed shall not be required to again organize. 5. The commissioner of education is hereby authorized and empowered to make and enter in his office an order annexing the territory of common school district number three of the town of Wilmington, Essex county to central school district number two of the town of North Elba, Essex county, together with such territory of common school district number one of the town of Wilmington, Essex county as will provide contiguity between the aforementioned Wilmington common school district number three and North Elba central school district number two.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 6
cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1961–2024 · leading case: Woods v. Rondout Valley Cent. Sch. Dist. Bd. of Educ., 466 F.3d 232 (2d Cir. 2006).
Woods v. Rondout Valley Cent. Sch. Dist. Bd. of Educ., 466 F.3d 232 (2d Cir. 2006). “In general, the New York State Commissioner of Education is responsible for laying out a plan for the creation of any new central school district, see N.Y. Educ. Law § 1801 (1), after which the voters in that district must give their approval for the school district, in fact, to…”
Cohn v. New Paltz Cent. Sch. Dist., 363 F. Supp. 2d 421 (N.D.N.Y. 2005). “” N.Y. EduC. Law § 1801 (1). However, while the Commissioner does have this authority, such powers are ineffective “until it has been organized by the qualified voters of the district.”
Perrenod v. Liberty Bd. of Educ. for the Liberty Cent. Sch. Dist., 223 A.D.2d 870 (N.Y. App. Div. 3d Dep't 1996). “Initially it is well settled that the Board, as a mu *871 nicipal corporation organized under Education Law § 1801 (see, Education Law § 1701), possesses broad authority to make contracts for employment of its teaching staff and administration (see, Matter of Teachers Assn.”
In re the Arbitration between Cuba-Rushford Cent. Sch. Dist. & Rushford Fac. Ass'n, 182 A.D.2d 127 (N.Y. App. Div. 4th Dep't 1992). “Article 37 of the Education Law empowers the Commissioner to lay out central school districts and to fix and determine their territorial boundaries (Education Law § 1801 [1]). Included within his authority is the power to make an order dissolving a central school district and…”
Neary v. Allen, 33 Misc. 2d 548 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1961). “(Education Law § 1801 et seq.) The law, however, does give to the voters of the proposed central school district, as laid out by the Commissioner, the power to approve or reject such plan.”
AL 557 Doe v. Cent. Val. Cent. Sch. Dist., 2024 NY Slip Op 02652 (N.Y. App. Div. 4th Dep't 2024). “After defendants answered, they moved to dismiss the amended complaint pursuant to CPLR 3211 (a) (7), contending, among other things, that they are not proper parties to the action because Central Valley did not exist until 2013, and the centralization that occurred in 2013…”
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