Directs Secretary of Higher Education to conduct study to determine extent and cause of outmigration of high school graduates to out-of-State colleges.

A1963

ASSEMBLY, No. 1963

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO

District 20 (Union)

Assemblyman GABRIEL RODRIGUEZ

District 33 (Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� Directs Secretary of Higher Education to conduct
study to determine extent and cause of outmigration of high school graduates to
out-of-State colleges.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.

��

An Act
concerning the outmigration of high school graduates to
out-of-State colleges.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� The Secretary of Higher
Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education, shall conduct a
study to determine the extent and causes of the outmigration of New Jersey�s
high school graduates to out-of-State colleges and universities.� The study
shall include, but need not be limited to:

���� a.��� a survey of high school
seniors enrolled in public and nonpublic schools in the State to determine the
reasons why some students choose a public or independent institution of higher
education in New Jersey and why some choose an out-of-State institution;

���� b.��� a review of the academic
characteristics of students who choose an in-State institution and students who
choose an out-of-State institution;

���� c.��� a review of the
socio-economic characteristics of the families of students who choose an
in-State institution and the families who choose an out-of-State institution;

���� d.��� a review of the academic
quality of the out-of-State institutions at which New Jersey high school
graduates choose to enroll and a comparison of the academic ranking of those
institutions with New Jersey�s public and independent institutions of higher
education;

���� e.��� a survey of and
consultation with public and nonpublic high school guidance counselors in order
to receive their input on the reasons for the outmigration of high school
graduates;

���� f.���� an analysis of the
extent to which the outmigration of high school graduates is impacted by the
small geographic size of the State and the desire of college students to
experience independent living at a distance from their families; and

���� g.��� a review of available
literature and data on the outmigration of high school graduates in New Jersey
and other states.

���� 2.��� Within one year of the
effective date of this act, the secretary shall submit a report of its study to
the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164
(C.52:14-19.1).� The report shall include, but need not be limited to, an
overview of the extent of the outmigration of New Jersey high school graduates,
the secretary�s findings on the reasons for the outmigration, and the
secretary�s analysis of what, if any, actions the State might take to reverse the
flow of students to out-of-State institutions.

���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill directs the
Secretary of Higher Education to conduct a study to determine the extent and
causes of the outmigration of New Jersey�s high school graduates to
out-of-State colleges and universities.� The study will include, but need not
be limited to:

�

a survey of high school seniors enrolled in public and nonpublic
schools in the State to determine the reasons why a student might choose an
out-of-State institution;

�

a review of the academic characteristics of students who choose
an in-State institution and students who choose an out-of-State institution;

�

a review of the socio-economic characteristics of the families of
students who choose an in-State institution and the families who choose an
out-of-State institution;

�

a review of the academic quality of the out-of-State institutions
in which New Jersey high school graduates choose to enroll and a comparison of
the academic ranking of those institutions with New Jersey�s public and
independent institutions of higher education;

�

a survey of and consultation with public and nonpublic high
school guidance counselors on the reasons for the outmigration of high school
graduates;

�

an analysis of the extent to which the outmigration of high
school graduates is impacted by the small geographic size of the State and the
desire of college students to experience independent living at a distance from
their families; and

�

a review of available literature and data on the outmigration of
high school graduates in New Jersey and other states.

���� The
bill requires the secretary to prepare and submit a report of the study�s
findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature within one
year of the bill�s effective date.