Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JOSEPH A. LAGANA
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblyman VINCENT MAZZEO
District 2 (Atlantic)
Assemblyman TROY SINGLETON
District 7 (Burlington)
Assemblyman TIMOTHY J. EUSTACE
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblyman HERB CONAWAY, JR.
District 7 (Burlington)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman DeAngelo
SYNOPSIS
Requires DOE to create military-connected student identifier for inclusion in student-level database.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the maintenance of certain student information and supplementing chapter 7E 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. As used in this section, “military-connected student” means a student enrolled in a public school in the State who is a dependent of a member of:
(1) the armed forces of the United States, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard;
(2) the National Guard; or
(3) any other reserve component of the armed forces.
b. Beginning in the 2015-2016 school year, the student-level database maintained by the Department of Education shall include an identifier for military-connected students. The identifier shall distinguish between the categories of military-connected students as established pursuant to paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection a. of this section.
c. The Commissioner of Education shall include information in the report issued pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1995, c.235 (C.18A:7E-1 et seq.), that summarizes the academic engagement and outcomes of military-connected students, including attendance rates, performance on State assessments, high school graduation rates, and post-secondary plans. The information shall be consistent with the provisions of the “Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974” (20 U.S.C. s.1232g).
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Department of Education, beginning in the 2015-2016 school year, to maintain an indicator for military-connected students in its student-level database. The bill also requires the Commissioner of Education to annually report statistics on the academic engagement and outcomes of these students, including attendance rates, performance on the State assessments, high school graduation rates, and post-secondary plans. The reported information must be consistent with the provisions of federal law that protect the confidentiality of student records.