New York A 1287: Enacts the "Place a child in every school seat act of 2017" for the purposes of awareness of and incentives to improve school attendance

Bill Text

STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1287
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 11, 2017
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ROZIC -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to enacting the "Place a
child in every school seat act of 2017"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Place a
2 child in every school seat act of 2017".
3 § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 3205-a to
4 read as follows:
5 § 3205-a. "Place a child in every school seat act of 2017"; public
6 awareness of public school attendance; incentives to improve attendance.
7 1. The department is hereby directed to establish a public awareness and
8 education campaign that includes, but is not limited to, emphasizing the
9 benefits of attending school and earning, at a minimum, a high school
10 diploma, and the potential consequences related to dropping out of
11 school. Such public awareness and education campaign shall be directed
12 at minors whose attendance at school is required pursuant to section
13 thirty-two hundred five of this part and at their parents or guardians
14 and shall utilize a variety of media such as, but not limited to, tele-
15 vision, billboards, radio, and internet.
16 2. The department is hereby directed to create an incentive program to
17 improve student attendance required pursuant to section thirty-two
18 hundred five of this part. Incentives shall be developed with the advice
19 and consent of the board of regents as to an appropriate but motivation-
20 al incentive that will appeal to students in all parts of the state and
21 in all income brackets. The department is encouraged to develop incen-
22 tives directed at students specifically so as to motivate excitement and
23 enthusiasm for attendance. Such an incentive program and/or awards shall
24 be based on a district's overall attendance or most improved attendance
EXPLANATION--Matter in (underscored) is new; matter in bracketsitalics
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00512-01-7

A. 1287 2
1 as a percentage of the student body from the previous year. Incentives
2 may be awarded to more than one school district in each school year.
3 3. The department is directed to make a good faith effort to seek
4 federal government and/or private resources to supplement appropriated
5 funds to develop the programs created pursuant to subdivisions one and
6 two of this section.
7 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.