S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2190
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             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 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".
   §  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 EDUCA-
 TION 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.
                                                            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.