This bill creates a 16-member Task Force on Student Mental Health to study how New Jersey public schools can better support students facing issues like depression, anxiety, and trauma. The group will include representatives from the state education and mental health departments, elected officials, educators, parents, and other school staff who will meet to review current services and compare them with successful programs in other states. After organizing within 30 days, the task force must submit a final report with its findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within one year, after which the group will dissolve.
This bill requires public school boards in New Jersey to create and adopt suicide prevention policies for their districts. It directs the state Department of Education to develop a model policy that schools can use as a guide when crafting their own plans. Each school district must consult with mental health professionals and community stakeholders when developing their policy, which must cover prevention, intervention, and postvention procedures. The final policies must be posted on each school district's website and made known to students, parents, and guardians.
This bill requires middle and high school districts in New Jersey to create food services advisory committees that recommend menu options reflecting students' cultural, traditional, and dietary preferences. The committees will include students, parents, school staff, and food service employees, and must meet at least three times per year to review menu options while considering nutritional standards and budget constraints. Districts must survey students to identify unmet food preferences, and if students request vegetarian or vegan options, schools must make reasonable efforts to include them in their meal programs.
This bill establishes a four-year pilot program in New Jersey to create mental health assistance programs for students in grades K-12 within selected school districts. The program would require participating districts to appoint student assistance counselors trained to identify students facing mental health challenges, provide confidential support services, and connect students with community resources. Up to 15 districts from urban, suburban, and rural areas across the state's northern, central, and southern regions would be selected to participate, with districts required to submit funding plans for sustaining the program after the pilot concludes. At the end of the pilot, each district must report on the number of students served and program effectiveness, and the Commissioner of Education will submit a final report to the Governor and Legislature with recommendations on whether to expand the program statewide.
This bill creates a five-year pilot program in New Jersey to help public schools, charter schools, and renaissance schools establish community schools that integrate education with health, family, and community services. The program will be managed by an external organization or university selected by the state, which will provide training, technical assistance, and site coordinators to support participating schools in meeting four key goals: integrated student supports, expanded learning time, family engagement, and collaborative leadership. Each county will have one public school assigned a site coordinator to help launch and manage the community school, while the state will publicly list all participating schools and share best practices statewide.
This bill requires New Jersey public schools to create policies for administering nasal seizure rescue medication and using manual vagus nerve stimulators for students with seizure disorders during emergencies. It defines specific roles for school nurses as primary responders while allowing them to designate at least two additional trained staff members to assist when the nurse is not present. The legislation mandates that designated staff receive CPR and defibrillator training, obtain written parental consent, and includes provisions protecting school employees from liability when acting in good faith during emergency medical situations.
This bill creates the Task Force on Student Mental Health in New Jersey to study mental health issues affecting public school students, such as depression, anxiety, and trauma. The 16-member task force includes state officials, educators, parents, and public members with relevant expertise, who will examine current programs and recommend ways to improve access to mental health care services. The group will review topics like student identification, counseling expansion, school safety connections, funding needs, and successful programs from other states, then submit a final report to the Governor and Legislature within one year of organizing. The task force will operate without compensation for members but may receive reimbursement for necessary expenses, and it will dissolve 30 days after issuing its report.
This bill is a concurrent resolution that urges the U.S. Department of Agriculture to revise the 20-hour weekly work requirement for college students to qualify for SNAP benefits. It directly affects college students attending institutions of higher education who currently must meet this work requirement to receive nutritional assistance. The resolution requests that the USDA approve changes to federal rules and asks the U.S. Congress to authorize state waivers for this requirement. It does not change any laws directly but serves as a formal recommendation to federal agencies and lawmakers.
This bill clarifies how New Jersey public schools must record and report student attendance by establishing specific rules for excused and unexcused absences. It requires schools to count students as present if they participate in at least half a day of instruction, whether in-person, at an off-site location, or virtually. The legislation expands excused absences to include menstrual disorders, mental or behavioral health issues, court appearances, and family deaths, while also recognizing State-excused absences for religious observances, Veterans Day, election activities, college visits, and transportation closures. Students with excused absences can make up missed work, and these absences will not appear on transcripts or employment forms, though documentation may be required for approval.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution urges the President of the United States to expand access to menstrual products in schools nationwide by interpreting Title IX to include free provision of these items. The bill directly affects students who menstruate and aims to address period poverty by ensuring adequate toilet facilities and lenient bathroom policies in federally funded schools. It argues that current Title IX protections should be broadened through federal guidance to prevent educational disparities and health risks associated with lack of access to menstrual hygiene products. The resolution does not mandate funding or policy changes but serves as a formal request to the federal government to consider these expansions.
