NJ S1005

Principals must make a preliminary determination whether a reported incident constitutes harassment, intimidation, or bullying before initiating a formal investigation, in consultation with the anti-bullying specialist.

Principals must hold separate meetings with the parents or guardians of each student involved within seven days of notifying them about the alleged incident to assist in making the preliminary determination.

The deadline for completing bullying investigations is extended from 10 school days to 30 school days from the date of the written report to accommodate the new preliminary determination process.

School districts must update their anti-bullying policies to include these new requirements for preliminary determinations and parent meetings.