S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                   256

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                               (PREFILED)

                             January 7, 2015
                               ___________

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 2016"

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, 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 of 2016".
  S  2.  The  education law is amended by adding a new section 3205-a to
read as follows:
  S 3205-A. "PLACE A CHILD IN EVERY SCHOOL SEAT  ACT  OF  2016";  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,  TELE-
VISION, 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 MOTIVATION-
AL INCENTIVE THAT WILL APPEAL TO STUDENTS IN ALL PARTS OF THE STATE  AND
IN  ALL  INCOME BRACKETS. THE DEPARTMENT IS ENCOURAGED TO DEVELOP INCEN-
TIVES 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.
              

                                                           LBD00744-01-5

A. 256                              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.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.