What's happening
This bill requires New York to launch a public awareness campaign and incentive program to improve student attendance in public schools.
Why it matters
Targets both students and parents/guardians. By focusing its public awareness campaign on minors and their families, the bill recognizes that improving attendance requires buy-in from households, not just students, potentially increasing the effectiveness of school attendance initiatives.
Emphasizes positive incentives over punitive measures. The law directs the education department to create motivational incentives, such as awards for overall or improved attendance, rather than relying solely on penalties for truancy, which could foster a more supportive school culture and encourage student engagement.
Aims for inclusivity and equity. The requirement that incentives appeal to students in all regions and income brackets suggests an effort to design programs that don’t leave out lower-income or rural districts, addressing disparities in attendance and access to resources.
Seeks additional funding sources. By mandating a “good faith effort” to secure federal or private funding, the bill acknowledges that state resources may be limited and encourages leveraging external partnerships to enhance program reach and sustainability.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Boost School Attendance Statewide
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 25
1 Co-sponsor
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2190
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 22, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ROZIC, BLAKE -- 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"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Place a child in every school seat act".
§ 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 3205-a to read as follows:
§ 3205-a. "Place a child in every school seat act"; public awareness of public school attendance; incentives to improve attendance. 1. The department is hereby directed to establish a public awareness and education campaign that includes, but is not limited to, emphasizing the benefits of attending school and earning, at a minimum, a high school diploma, and the potential consequences related to dropping out of school. Such public awareness and education campaign shall be directed at minors whose attendance at school is required pursuant to section thirty-two hundred five of this part and at their parents or guardians and shall utilize a variety of media such as, but not limited to, television, billboards, radio, and internet.
2. The department is hereby directed to create an incentive program to improve student attendance required pursuant to section thirty-two hundred five of this part. Incentives shall be developed with the advice and consent of the board of regents as to an appropriate but motivational incentive that will appeal to students in all parts of the state and in all income brackets. The department is encouraged to develop incentives directed at students specifically so as to motivate excitement and enthusiasm for attendance. Such an incentive program and/or awards shall be based on a district's overall attendance or most improved attendance
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01439-01-9
A. 2190 2
as a percentage of the student body from the previous year. Incentives may be awarded to more than one school district in each school year.
3. The department is directed to make a good faith effort to seek federal government and/or private resources to supplement appropriated funds to develop the programs created pursuant to subdivisions one and two of this section.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.