Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman PAMELA R. LAMPITT
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
Assemblywoman PATRICIA EGAN JONES
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
Assemblywoman BRITNEE N. TIMBERLAKE
District 34 (Essex and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman DiMaso, Assemblymen Armato and Mazzeo
SYNOPSIS
Requires meeting between student and school psychologist or guidance counselor prior to suspension or expulsion from public school.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning student suspensions and expulsions from public school and supplementing chapter 37 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Prior to a student’s suspension or expulsion from public school, the principal shall convene a meeting between the student and a school psychologist, or if the school does not have a school psychologist, with a school guidance counselor or members of the school’s intervention and referral services team. The purpose of the meeting shall be to identify any behavior or health difficulties experienced by the student and, where appropriate, to provide supportive interventions or referrals to school or community resources that may assist the student in addressing the identified difficulties.
b. The Department of Education, in consultation with the Department of Health, shall make available to school districts a list of current resources that may be of assistance as referral services for students under subsection a. of this section. The resources may include, but need not be limited to, the New Jersey MentalHealthCares information and referral service, and county or local programs that provide youth services for mental health or substance abuse.
c. The requirements of subsection a. of this section shall not apply when a student’s immediate removal or suspension from the school’s regular education program is required pursuant to the provisions of the "Zero Tolerance for Guns Act," P.L.1995, c.127 (C.18A:37-7 et seq.); section 2 of P.L.1979, c.189 (C.18A:37-2.1); or section 1 of P.L.1995, c.128 (C.18A:37-2.2); or in any other instance in which the safety and security of other students or school staff requires the student’s immediate removal from school. In these instances, the meeting required pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall take place as soon as practicable following the student’s removal from the school’s regular education program.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require that, prior to a student’s suspension or expulsion from public school, the principal must convene a meeting between the student and a school psychologist. If the school does not have a school psychologist, the student would meet with a school guidance counselor or members of the school’s intervention and referral services team. The purpose of the meeting required under the bill is to identify any behavior or health difficulties experienced by the student and, if appropriate, to provide the student with supportive interventions or referrals to school or community resources that may assist the student in addressing the identified difficulties. Under the bill, the meeting will not take place prior to the student’s suspension or expulsion if the student’s immediate removal or suspension from the school’s regular education program is required under certain provisions of current law or in any other instance in which the safety and security of other students or school staff requires the student’s immediate removal from school. In these cases, the meeting will take place as soon as practicable following the student’s removal from the school’s regular education program.
The bill also directs the Department of Education, in consultation with the Department of Health, to provide school districts with a list of current resources that may be of assistance as referral services for students. The resources may include, but need not be limited to, the New Jersey MentalHealthCares information and referral service, and county or local programs that provide youth services for mental health or substance abuse.