Establishes task force to examine school discipline practices including racial disparities and effectiveness.

A4348

ASSEMBLY, No. 4348

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� SHANIQUE SPEIGHT

District 29 (Essex and Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes task force to examine school discipline
practices including racial disparities and effectiveness.�

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
establishing a task force to examine school discipline
practices.

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

���� 1.��� a.� There is established
a task force for the purpose of examining, evaluating, and making
recommendations regarding discipline policies and practices in New Jersey
public schools, including any racial disparities in the implementation of the
policies and the effectiveness of the policies.

���� b.��� The task force shall
consist of the following 10 members:

���� (1)�� the Commissioner of
Education, or a designee;

���� (2)�� seven members appointed
by the Governor, who shall include: one member upon the recommendation of the
New Jersey School Boards Association; one member upon the recommendation of the
New Jersey Education Association; one member upon the recommendation of the New
Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association; one member upon the
recommendation of the New Jersey Association of School Administrators; one
member upon the recommendation of the American Federal of Teachers New Jersey;
one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Charter Schools
Association; and one member of the public who has specialized knowledge or
expertise in issues related to school discipline practices; and

���� (3)�� one member of the public
appointed by the President of the Senate and one member of the public appointed
by the Speaker of the General Assembly, both of whom have specialized knowledge
or expertise in issues related to school discipline practices.

���� c.���� Appointments to the
task force shall be made within 30 days of the effective date of this act.�
Vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same
manner as the original appointments were made.

���� d.��� Members of the task
force shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for necessary
expenditures incurred in the performance of their duties as members of the task
force within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to
the task force for its purposes.

���� 2.��� a.� The task force shall
organize as soon as practicable, but no later than 30 days following the
appointment of its members.� The task force shall choose a chairperson from
among its members and shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the
task force.

���� b.��� The Department of
Education shall provide such stenographic, clerical, and other administrative
assistants, and such professional staff as the task force requires to carry out
its work.� The task force also shall be entitled to call to its assistance and
avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or
municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require
and as may be available for its purposes.

���� 3.��� It shall be the duty of
the task force to study, evaluate, and make recommendations regarding school
discipline policies and practices in New Jersey.� The task force shall:

���� a.���� examine discipline
practices of school districts in the State and any racial disparities or
disproportionate impacts associated with the discipline practices, including
the impact of race on the suspension or expulsion of students enrolled in
preschool programs;

���� b.��� evaluate the
effectiveness of school discipline practices in the State in reducing problem
behaviors and protecting the safety and security of students and school staff;

���� c.���� study federal guidance
on school discipline issued by the United States Department of Education and
the United States Department of Justice, including the January 8, 2014 Dear
Colleague Letter on the Nondiscriminatory Administration of School Discipline and
the January 2014 document entitled �Guiding Principles: A Resource Guide for
Improving School Climate and Discipline�;

���� d.��� study other best
practices or emerging research regarding improving school climate and creating
positive and nondiscriminatory school discipline practices;

���� e.���� provide recommendations
to assist school districts in improving school discipline policies and
practices, including ensuring that discipline practices are applied in an
equitable and nondiscriminatory manner; and

���� f.���� provide recommendations
for legislation concerning school discipline policies and practices.

���� 4.��� The task force shall
issue a final report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor, and
to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), no
later than 12 months after the task force organizes.

���� 5.��� This act shall take
effect immediately, and the task force shall expire 30 days after the issuance
of its report.

STATEMENT

���� This bill establishes a
ten-member task force to examine, evaluate, and make recommendations regarding
discipline policies and practices in New Jersey public schools, including any
racial disparities in the implementation of those policies and the effectiveness
of the policies. The task force will consist of 10 members.� One member will be
appointed by the Commissioner of Education or a designee.� Seven members will
be appointed by the Governor, who will include: one member upon the
recommendation of the New Jersey School Boards Association; one member upon the
recommendation of the New Jersey Education Association; one member upon the
recommendation of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association; one
member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of School
Administrators; one member upon the recommendation of the American Federation
of Teachers New Jersey; one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey
Charter Schools Association; and one member of the public who has specialized
knowledge or expertise in issues related to school discipline practices.� The
President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly will each
appoint a public member with specialized knowledge or expertise in issues
related to school discipline practices.

���� Under the bill, the task force
is charged with studying, evaluating, and making recommendations regarding
school discipline policies and practices in New Jersey. The task force will:

�

examine discipline practices of school districts in the State and
any racial disparities or disproportionate impacts associated with the
discipline practices, including the impact of race on the suspension or
expulsion of students enrolled in preschool programs;

�

evaluate the effectiveness of school discipline practices in the
State in reducing problem behaviors and protecting the safety and security of
students and school staff;

�

study federal guidance on school discipline issued by the United
States Department of Education and the United States Department of Justice,
including the January 8, 2014 Dear Colleague Letter on the Nondiscriminatory
Administration of School Discipline and the January 2014 document entitled
�Guiding Principles: A Resource Guide for Improving School Climate and
Discipline�;

�

study other best practices or emerging research regarding
improving school climate and creating positive and nondiscriminatory school
discipline practices;

�

provide recommendations to assist school districts in improving
school discipline policies and practices, including ensuring that discipline
practices are applied in an equitable and nondiscriminatory manner; and

�

provide recommendations for legislation concerning school
discipline policies and practices.

���� The task force is required to
issue a final report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and
the Legislature within 12 months of its organization.