NJ S2633

Commissioner of Education must conduct or contract a study examining COVID-19's impact on K-12 student attendance during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years, analyzing chronic absenteeism and dropout rates disaggregated by grade, district, race, gender, special education status, English learner status, and free/reduced meal eligibility.

Secretary of Higher Education must conduct or contract a parallel study examining COVID-19's impact on college and university enrollment and undergraduate retention rates during the same period, disaggregated by race, gender, age, residence, and academic program.

Both studies must analyze how virtual/remote instruction during the pandemic affected attendance and enrollment, with particular focus on whether certain student subgroups were disproportionately impacted.

Schools, districts, charter schools, renaissance schools, and higher education institutions must provide requested information to researchers to the extent practicable.

Study results must be published online within 5 days of completion, and summary reports submitted to the Governor and Legislature within 30 days.