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Bill

A 371

Establishes Office of School Climate in DOE and directs School Climate State Coordinator to develop central repository of resources for parents on harassment, intimidation, and bullying in schools.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Vicky Flynn

New Jersey bill creates state Office of School Climate to compile bullying resources for parents, formalizing coordination of anti-harassment information across districts.

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee
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Bill Summary · A 371

Legislative bill overview

Bill A 371 creates a new Office of School Climate within New Jersey's Department of Education and designates a State Coordinator to build a centralized database of resources for parents addressing harassment, intimidation, and bullying (HIB) in schools. The bill formalizes institutional responsibility for coordinating anti-bullying information and making it accessible to families.

Why is this important

Bullying remains a documented public health concern affecting student mental health, academic performance, and school safety. Parents currently navigate fragmented resources across districts and organizations; centralization could improve awareness and help families respond more effectively to HIB incidents. This establishes a dedicated state-level infrastructure for what many schools address inconsistently.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost and staffing: Creates a new office requiring budget allocation during discussions about education funding priorities; fiscal impact unclear
  • Authority scope: May create unclear boundaries between state coordinator role and existing district-level anti-bullying coordinators required under New Jersey law since 2011
  • Resource definition: "Central repository" is undefined—unclear whether this duplicates existing resources or requires substantial new content creation, and whether it addresses school accountability or only parent information

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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