Wherever used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the respective meanings hereinafter set forth or indicated:
1. Academy. The term "academy" means an incorporated institution for instruction in secondary education, and such high schools, academic departments in union free school districts and similar unincorporated schools as are admitted by the regents to the university as of academic grade.2. College. The term "college" includes universities and other institutions for higher education authorized to confer degrees.3. University. The term "university" means The University of the State of New York.4. Regents. The term "regents" means board of regents of The University of the State of New York.5. Commissioner. The term "commissioner" means commissioner of education of the state of New York.6. Department. The term "department" means education department of the state of New York.7. Secondary education. The term "secondary education" means instruction of academic grade, between the elementary grades and the college or university.8. Higher education. The term "higher education" means education in advance of secondary education, and includes the work of colleges, universities, professional and technical schools, and educational work connected with libraries, museums, university and educational extension courses and similar agencies.9. Trustee. The term "trustees," when not used in reference to a school district, includes directors, managers or other similar members of the governing board of an educational institution. The terms "trustee" and "trustees", respectively, when used in reference to a school district, shall include the plural or singular meaning, as the case may be, unless otherwise specified.10. Parental relation. The term "persons in parental relation" to a child includes the parents, guardians or other persons, whether one or more, lawfully having the care, custody or control of such child, including persons who have been designated pursuant to title fifteen-A of article five of the general obligations law as persons in parental relation to the child.11. Compulsory school ages. The term "child of compulsory school age" means any child between six and sixteen years of age lawfully required to attend upon instruction.12. School authorities. The term "school authorities" means the trustees, or board of education, or corresponding officers, whether one or more, and by whatever name known, of a city school district, or other school district however created.13. School officer. The term "school officer" means a clerk, collector, or treasurer of any school district; a trustee; a member of a board of education or other body in control of the schools by whatever name known in a union free school district, central school district, central high school district, or in a city school district; a superintendent of schools; a district superintendent; a supervisor of attendance or attendance officer; or other elective or appointive officer in a school district whose duties generally relate to the administration of affairs connected with the public school system.14. Board of education. The term "board of education" shall include by whatever name known the governing body charged with the general control, management and responsibility of the schools of a union free school district, central school district, central high school district, or of a city school district.15. School year. The term "school year" means the period commencing on the first day of July in each year and ending on the thirtieth day of June next following.16. City school district. a. The following school districts are hereby designated and declared to be city school districts: (1) Any school district coterminous with a city on January first, nineteen hundred fifty; (2) any school district part of which was without and part of which was within a city on January first, nineteen hundred fifty, and which then contained the whole or the greater portion of the children of the city between birth and eighteen years of age, as shown by the school census; and (3) any school district wholly within, but not coterminous with, a city on January first, nineteen hundred fifty, and which then contained the greater portion of the children of the city between birth and eighteen years of age, as shown by the school census. b. Whenever a city shall be created after January first, nineteen hundred fifty, that school district shall be and become a city school district which, on the effective date of the incorporation of such city, is: (1) coterminous with the city; (2) partly without and partly within the city and then contains the whole or the greater portion of the children of the city between birth and eighteen years of age, as shown by the school census; or (3) wholly within but not coterminous with the city and then contains the greater portion of the children of the city between birth and eighteen years of age, as shown by the school census. c. The corporate existence of any school district, which, by virtue of the provisions of this subdivision, shall be and become a city school district, shall continue, and any such school district thereafter shall be governed by the provisions of this chapter applicable to city school districts.17.[Multiple versions] State university. The term "state university" means the state university of New York, as created by article eight of this chapter.17.[Multiple versions] City. The term "city" means the city school district of such city where the context clearly so indicates.18. Minor or infant. The term "minor" or "infant" means a person who has not attained the age of eighteen years.19. Expenditures. For purposes of computing aid to public school districts, boards of cooperative educational services, nonpublic elementary and secondary schools, public and cooperative library systems or public and free association libraries pursuant to this chapter or any other law, such aid shall be computed using state aid worksheets developed pursuant to regulations of the commissioner, designed to reflect use of the state comptroller's definition of expenditures to the extent possible. Such worksheet definitions of expenditures shall be used notwithstanding the fact that this chapter or other applicable law may use terms such as cash expenditures, expenses, costs, paid, payments, or such other terms.24. Career education. The term "career education" means organized educational programs offering a sequence of courses which are directly related to the preparation of individuals in paid or unpaid employment in current or emerging occupations requiring other than a baccalaureate or advanced degrees, and shall include vocational and occupational education. Such programs shall include competency-based applied learning which contributes to an individual's academic knowledge, higher-order reasoning, and problem solving skills, work activities, general employability skills, and the skills necessary for economic independence as a productive and contributing member of society. Such term also includes applied technology education. Except where the intent indicates otherwise, the terms "vocational education" and "occupational education" shall mean "career education."