This bill aims to clarify the attendance recording and reporting requirements for public school students in New Jersey. It establishes that students must be categorized as present, absent for an excused absence, absent for a State-excused absence, or absent for an unexcused absence. The bill defines excused absences to include instances related to physical health, mental health, court attendance, or a death in the family, and mandates that students be allowed to make up missed work. Additionally, it specifies that both excused and State-excused absences will not affect a student's eligibility for perfect attendance awards, and documentation is required to validate these absences.

Furthermore, the bill outlines the criteria for State-excused absences, which include religious observances, participation in Veterans Day activities, and other specific events. It also mandates that the Commissioner of Education provide guidance on reporting student absences and calculating chronic absenteeism. Notably, while excused absences will count towards a student's absentee rate for chronic absenteeism reporting, State-excused absences will not. The bill also amends existing laws to ensure that attendance records are accurately reported in school report cards, including a breakdown of excused, State-excused, and unexcused absences.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18A:7E-3