Sponsored by:
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex)
Senator DIANE B. ALLEN
District 7 (Burlington)
SYNOPSIS
Permits a child who moves out of a school district due to a family crisis to remain enrolled in that district until the end of the school year.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning eligibility for attendance in a school district and supplementing chapter 38 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Notwithstanding the provisions of N.J.S.18A:38-1 or any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, a child who moves out of a school district as a result of domestic violence, sexual abuse or other family crises shall be permitted to remain enrolled in that district for the remainder of the school year. If the child remains enrolled in the district for the remainder of the school year, the school district shall provide transportation services to the child, provided the child lives remote from school, and the State shall pay the cost of the transportation services.
2. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to effectuate the provisions of this act. The rules shall include family crisis situations, other than those listed in section 1 of this act, which shall permit a child to remain enrolled in the school district.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that if a child moves out of a school district as a result of domestic violence, sexual abuse or other family crisis, the child must have the option of remaining enrolled in that district until the end of the school year. If the child remains enrolled in the district for the remainder of the school year, the school district will be responsible for providing transportation services to the child, provided the child lives remote from the school. The State will be responsible for paying the cost of the transportation services. An elementary school pupil lives remote from school if he lives more than two miles from the school and a secondary school pupil lives remote from school if he lives more than 2 1/2 miles from the school.