SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 2811

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

      The Senate Education Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 2811 with committee amendments.

      As amended, this bill requires the annual school report card to include information concerning the number of mental health professionals and school security personnel employed by each school district.

      Under current law, the Commissioner of Education is required to administer the School Report Card Program, which provides for the annual preparation and dissemination of school report cards for parents and other interested parties within each district.  As required by law, the school report card contains information and data concerning academic achievement, district spending, student discipline, and various other items.

      Under this bill, the annual report card submitted by a school district would also be required to include the following information for each school within the district: (1) the number of mental health professionals, including school psychologists, guidance counselors, social workers, student assistance coordinators, and other mental health professionals, and the ratio of students to the total number of mental health professionals; and (2) the number of school security personnel, including safe schools resource officers, Class Three special law enforcement officers, and any other security officers, respectively, and the ratio of students to each category of school security personnel. 

      The committee amended the bill to require the annual school report card to include information concerning all categories of mental health professionals who provide mental health services to students in the school district.  As introduced, the bill would only have required the school report card to include information concerning the number of school psychologists employed by the district.