LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
[First Reprint]
SENATE, No. 447
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
217th LEGISLATURE
DATED: JUNE 1, 2017
SUMMARY
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Synopsis: |
Requires Commissioner of Education to include data on chronic absenteeism and disciplinary suspensions on School Report Card and requires public schools to make certain efforts to combat chronic absenteeism. |
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Type of Impact: |
Expenditure Increase |
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Agencies Affected: |
Department of Education; School Districts |
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Office of Legislative Services Estimate |
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Fiscal Impact |
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
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State Cost |
No Change |
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Local Cost |
Indeterminate Increase |
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· The Office of Legislative Services anticipates that Senate Bill No. 447 (1R) will not lead to an increase in State expenditures. The Department of Education’s School Performance Report, the successor to the School Report Card required pursuant to P.L.1995, c.235 (C.18A:7E-1 et seq.), currently includes information on chronic absenteeism and suspensions.
· A school district may incur increased expenditures under the bill if at least 10 percent of the students enrolled in at least one of the district’s schools are deemed “chronically absent.” If this occurs, the school would be required to develop a corrective action plan to address absenteeism. A school district may incur expenditures as a result of implementing the corrective action plan.
BILL DESCRIPTION
Senate Bill No. 447 (1R) of 2016 stipulates that the annual School Report Card, which is required pursuant to P.L.1995, c.235 (C.18A:7E-1 et seq.), must include data on the number and percent of students who were “chronically absent,” as defined by regulations to be promulgated by the Commissioner of Education, and number and percent of students who received a disciplinary suspension. If at least 10 percent of the students in a school are deemed chronically absent, then the school would be required to develop a corrective action plan to address the absenteeism. In developing the plan, the school would solicit input from parents of students enrolled in the school, and would present the corrective action plan to the district board of education. The school would be required to revise and submit the report to the board annually until the percent of students who are deemed chronically absent is less than 10 percent.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The Office of Legislative Services anticipates that Senate Bill No. 447 (1R) will not lead to a change in State expenditures. Currently, the School Performance Report, the successor to the School Report Card required pursuant to P.L.1995, c.235 (C.18A:7E-1 et seq.), includes data related to student suspensions and chronic absenteeism.
The legislation may result in an indeterminate increase in a school district’s expenditures if, in at least one school in the district, 10 percent or more of the students were considered chronically absent, thereby triggering the development of a corrective action plan. The potential cost would be contingent on the strategies implemented by a school, such as less costly options (e.g., increased communication and outreach) to potentially more expensive strategies (such as hiring additional attendance officers).
Based on data included in the School Performance Report for the 2015-2016 school year, nearly one-third of schools had at least 10 percent of students who were classified as chronically absent.[1]
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Section: |
Education |
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Analyst: |
Principal Fiscal Analyst |
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Approved: |
Frank W. Haines III Legislative Budget and Finance Officer |
This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).
[1] The School Performance Reports define chronically absent as being absent for at least 10 percent of the days that a student is enrolled in a school.