New Jersey Assembly Bill A1612

New Jersey 2024-2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/9/24
• Refer: 1/9/24

Caption

Requires school district that includes any of grades 9 through 12 to biannually provide to local Workforce Investment Board list of students who left school prior to graduation.

Impact

The implementation of Bill A1612 is expected to enhance communication between educational institutions and workforce development entities. By formally mandating that school districts report this information, the bill aims to strengthen the efforts to track and support at-risk students who have dropped out. This could lead to better-targeted interventions and resources tailored to aiding these individuals in re-engaging with their education or entering the workforce.

Summary

Bill A1612 requires school districts in New Jersey that include any of grades 9 through 12 to biannually provide a list of students who left school prior to graduation to the local Workforce Investment Board. This data must include the name, last known address, and telephone number of the students who did not indicate an intention to complete their high school education elsewhere. The lists are to be submitted twice a year, on February 15 and July 15.

Contention

Notably, there may be concerns regarding student privacy and data protection, as the bill mandates the sharing of personal details of students. Critics might argue that this could lead to challenges in safeguarding sensitive information and ensuring that the data is used appropriately by Workforce Investment Boards. Additionally, the effectiveness of this measure in actually lowering dropout rates and improving educational outcomes has yet to be fully assessed, lending to debates over its potential real-world implications.