Sponsored by:
Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Senator ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Corrado
SYNOPSIS
Establishes Chronic Absenteeism Task Force.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing the Chronic Absenteeism Task Force.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is established the Chronic Absenteeism Task Force, to assess chronic absenteeism in the States public schools.
b. The task force shall consist of 17 members as follows:
(1) the Commissioner of Education, ex officio, or a designee;
(2) four members of the public, each of whom has specialized knowledge or expertise in issues related to the work of the task force. One of the public members shall be appointed by the Senate President, one shall be appointed by the Senate Minority Leader, one shall be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, and one shall be appointed by the Assembly Minority Leader; and
(3) 12 public members appointed by the Governor, who shall include: one member of the State Board of Education; two members upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Education Association; two members upon the recommendation of the American Federation of Teachers New Jersey; one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey School Boards Association; two members upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association; two members upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of School Administrators; one member upon the recommendation of the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network; and one member upon the recommendation of the Garden State Coalition of Schools.
c. The appointments to the task force shall be made within 30 days of the effective date of this act. Vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments were made. Members of the task force shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenditures incurred in the performance of their duties as members of the task force within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the task force for its purposes.
d. The task force shall organize as soon as practicable, but no later than 30 days following the appointment of its members. The task force shall choose a chairperson from among its members. The chairperson shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the task force.
e. The Department of
Education shall provide stenographic, clerical, and other administrative
assistants, and any professional staff as the task force requires to carry out
its work. The task force shall also be entitled to call to its assistance and
avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or
municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require
and as may be available for its purposes.
2. It shall be the duty of the Chronic Absenteeism Task Force to:
a. examine and compare current and pre-pandemic data on chronic absenteeism in the State;
b. analyze the root causes of chronic absenteeism, which may include, but are not limited to, barriers to attendance, aversion to school, disengagement from school, and misconceptions about the impact of absences;
c. examine the role of mental health and school climate in chronic absenteeism rates;
d. analyze and develop recommendations regarding the impact of absences due to exposure to COVID-19 and student discipline policies;
e. research best practices that other states have implemented to address chronic absenteeism that may be replicated in the State; and
f. develop recommendations on the most effective ways for school districts to promote family engagement to combat chronic absenteeism.
3. The Chronic Absenteeism Task Force shall issue a final report to the Governor, and the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), no later than one year after the organization of the task force. The report shall contain the task forces findings and recommendations, including any recommendations for legislation that it deems appropriate.
4. This act shall take effect immediately, and the task force shall expire 30 days after the issuance of its final report.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the Chronic Absenteeism Task Force to assess chronic absenteeism in the States public schools.
The task force is to consist of 17 members as follows:
the Commissioner of Education, or a designee;
four members of the public, each of whom has specialized knowledge or expertise in issues related to the work of the task force. The public members are to be appointed by the Senate President, the Senate Minority Leader, the Speaker of the General Assembly, and the Assembly Minority Leader; and
12 public members appointed by the Governor, including various representatives of the education community.
Under the bill, the Chronic Absenteeism Task Force is to:
examine and compare current and pre-pandemic data on chronic absenteeism in the State;
analyze the root causes of chronic absenteeism, which may include, barriers to attendance, aversion to school, disengagement from school, and misconceptions about the impact of absences;
examine the role of mental health and school climate in chronic absenteeism rates;