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Bill

Bill

S 4116

Requires certain school districts and DOE to address chronic absenteeism.

2024-2025 Regular Session Introduced by Shirley Turner

New Jersey bill requires school districts and DOE to create intervention plans targeting chronically absent students to improve academic outcomes and reduce dropout risk.

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee
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Bill Summary · S 4116

Legislative bill overview

S 4116 requires school districts and the New Jersey Department of Education to develop and implement strategies to address chronic absenteeism among students. The bill mandates that districts identify chronically absent students and create intervention plans to improve attendance rates.

Why is this important

Chronic absenteeism is strongly correlated with academic failure, grade retention, and dropout rates. By requiring systematic intervention, the bill aims to address a significant barrier to educational achievement that disproportionately affects low-income and minority students.

Potential points of contention

  • Implementation costs: School districts may lack funding for new staff, attendance tracking systems, or family support services needed to effectively reduce absenteeism
  • Root cause complexity: Chronic absenteeism often stems from poverty, mental health issues, transportation barriers, or family instability—conditions that schools alone cannot resolve without additional community resources
  • Accountability and measurement: Unclear standards for what constitutes "addressing" absenteeism and how success will be measured could lead to inconsistent implementation across districts
  • Privacy and intervention scope: Questions about appropriate data collection on absences and the extent to which schools can mandate family involvement or referrals to social services

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

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