Senate Bill S8528

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8528
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             October 15, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  FAHY  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing  a  pilot
   learner  engagement  and  attendance  program of New York (LEAP-NY) in
   certain school districts of the state

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 3214-a
 to read as follows:
   § 3214-A. LEARNER  ENGAGEMENT AND ATTENDANCE PILOT PROGRAM. 1.  ESTAB-
 LISHMENT. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH A THREE-YEAR  PILOT  PROGRAM,
 TO  BE  KNOWN  AS  THE "LEARNER ENGAGEMENT AND ATTENDANCE PROGRAM OF NEW
 YORK (LEAP-NY)".
   2. ELIGIBLE DISTRICTS. ELIGIBILITY FOR PARTICIPATION  IN  THE  PROGRAM
 SHALL  BE  LIMITED  TO  THE  ONE HUNDRED LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE
 STATE, LOCATED OUTSIDE OF A CITY WITH A POPULATION  OF  ONE  MILLION  OR
 MORE,  AS  DETERMINED  ANNUALLY BY AGGREGATE STUDENT ENROLLMENT WITHIN A
 DISTRICT'S BOUNDARIES.
   3. SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS. FROM AMONG THE ELIGIBLE  DISTRICTS,  THE
 COMMISSIONER  SHALL  SELECT  FIFTEEN  DISTRICTS  TO  PARTICIPATE  IN THE
 PROGRAM. SELECTION SHALL BE MADE ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS, PURSUANT TO  AN
 APPLICATION PROCESS ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMISSIONER. IN AWARDING PARTIC-
 IPATION AND FUNDING, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL CONSIDER:
   A. THE SEVERITY OF ABSENTEEISM CHALLENGES IN THE DISTRICT;
   B.  THE DISTRICT'S PROPOSED PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTING OUTREACH AND ENGAGE-
 MENT STRATEGIES, INCLUDING HOME VISITS,  CASE  MANAGEMENT,  AND  COORDI-
 NATION WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS; AND
   C.  THE CAPACITY OF THE DISTRICT TO COLLECT AND REPORT DATA ON STUDENT
 ATTENDANCE AND PROGRAM OUTCOMES.
   4. FUNDING. PROGRAM FUNDS SHALL BE AWARDED COMPETITIVELY  TO  SELECTED
 DISTRICTS,  SUBJECT  TO APPROPRIATION, AND SHALL BE USED EXCLUSIVELY FOR
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13686-03-5
              

 S. 8528                             2
 
 ACTIVITIES  DESIGNED  TO  REDUCE  CHRONIC  ABSENTEEISM,  IMPROVE  FAMILY
 ENGAGEMENT,  AND  CONNECT  STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WITH NECESSARY ACADEMIC
 AND NON-ACADEMIC SUPPORTS.
   5.  OUTREACH  TEAMS.  A.  EACH  PARTICIPATING DISTRICT SHALL ESTABLISH
 LEARNER ENGAGEMENT AND ATTENDANCE TEAMS, COMPRISED OF TRAINED STAFF AND,
 WHERE FEASIBLE, COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
   B. TEAMS SHALL CONDUCT OUTREACH TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE:
   (1) ACCUMULATED FIVE CONSECUTIVE UNREPORTED OR UNEXCUSED  ABSENCES  ON
 INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS;
   (2)  ACCUMULATED TEN OR MORE TOTAL UNREPORTED OR UNEXCUSED ABSENCES ON
 INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS WITHIN A SEMESTER, OR WITHIN THE FIRST TWO MONTHS  OF
 THE SCHOOL YEAR; OR
   (3)  MET OTHER APPROPRIATE CRITERIA FOR OUTREACH, AS DETERMINED BY THE
 LEARNER ENGAGEMENT AND ATTENDANCE TEAM.
   C. OUTREACH MAY  INCLUDE  DIRECT  PHONE  CALLS,  HOME  VISITS,  AND/OR
 IN-PERSON MEETINGS WITH THE STUDENT AND FAMILY.
   D. EACH TEAM SHALL INCLUDE AT A MINIMUM ONE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT SPECIAL-
 IST  OR  SOCIAL  WORKER, ONE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE LOCAL COUNTY SOCIAL
 SERVICES DEPARTMENT OR A COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION WITH EXPERTISE  IN
 CHILD WELFARE PREVENTION, AND MAY ALSO INCLUDE TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS,
 PARENTS, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION STAFF.
   6.  CASE  MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT. A. TEAMS SHALL ASSESS THE UNDERLYING
 CAUSES OF A STUDENT'S ABSENTEEISM, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO,  TRANS-
 PORTATION  BARRIERS, HOUSING OR FOOD INSECURITY, HEALTH OR MENTAL HEALTH
 NEEDS, AND CAREGIVING RESPONSIBILITIES.
   B. TEAMS SHALL CONNECT FAMILIES TO APPROPRIATE SERVICES, INCLUDING BUT
 NOT LIMITED TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES, AND
 SCHOOL-BASED SUPPORTS. EACH PARTICIPATING DISTRICT SHALL BE  RESPONSIBLE
 FOR IDENTIFYING AND MAINTAINING A DIRECTORY OF AVAILABLE COMMUNITY-BASED
 ORGANIZATIONS  AND  SERVICE  PROVIDERS WITHIN ITS REGION, AND FOR ESTAB-
 LISHING REFERRAL PROCESSES TO ENSURE FAMILIES ARE CONNECTED  EFFECTIVELY
 AND  CONSISTENTLY.  THE  DEPARTMENT MAY ISSUE REGULATIONS OR GUIDANCE TO
 SUPPORT DISTRICTS IN FULFILLING THESE RESPONSIBILITIES.
   C. EACH CHRONICALLY ABSENT STUDENT SHALL HAVE A WRITTEN  RE-ENGAGEMENT
 PLAN, DEVELOPED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE STUDENT AND FAMILY.
   7.  DATA  USE  AND  MONITORING.  A.  EACH PARTICIPATING DISTRICT SHALL
 IMPLEMENT OR ENHANCE SYSTEMS TO TRACK STUDENT ATTENDANCE DAILY, IDENTIFY
 CHRONICALLY ABSENT STUDENTS, AND PROVIDE DATA TO THE DEPARTMENT.
   B. ATTENDANCE DATA SHALL BE REVIEWED WEEKLY  BY  ENGAGEMENT  TEAMS  TO
 PRIORITIZE INTERVENTIONS.
   8.  STATE SUPPORT AND TRAINING. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE TRAINING,
 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND MODEL PROTOCOLS FOR OUTREACH,  HOME  VISITING,
 AND CASE MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING TRAUMA-INFORMED AND CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE
 PRACTICES.
   9.  RESTRICTED  PRACTICES.  INTERVENTIONS  UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE
 SUPPORTIVE IN NATURE. REFERRAL TO TRUANCY PROCEEDINGS, CHILD  PROTECTIVE
 SERVICES,  OR LAW ENFORCEMENT SHALL ONLY BE CONSIDERED AFTER THE FAILURE
 OF AN INITIAL INTERVENTION.
   10. REPORTING. A. EACH PARTICIPATING DISTRICT SHALL ANNUALLY SUBMIT TO
 THE COMMISSIONER A REPORT INCLUDING:
   (1) CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM RATES BEFORE AND DURING IMPLEMENTATION;
   (2) DISAGGREGATED DATA BY GRADE,  RACE/ETHNICITY,  DISABILITY  STATUS,
 AND ENGLISH LEARNER STATUS;
   (3)  THE NUMBER OF HOME VISITS AND FAMILY OUTREACH CONTACTS COMPLETED;
 AND
   (4) A DESCRIPTION OF SUPPORTS AND SERVICES PROVIDED TO FAMILIES.
 S. 8528                             3
 
   B. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL TRANSMIT AN INTERIM REPORT TO  THE  GOVERNOR
 AND  THE  LEGISLATURE ONE YEAR AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION,
 AND A FINAL REPORT NO LATER THAN TWO YEARS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE  DATE  OF
 THIS  SECTION WITH ANALYSIS OF PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
 ON WHETHER TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM STATEWIDE.
   §  2. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a
 law.