NY S08528

Establishes LEAP-NY, a three-year pilot program to reduce chronic absenteeism in schools through outreach, case management, and family engagement strategies

Limits eligibility to the 100 largest school districts outside New York City, with 15 districts selected competitively based on severity of absenteeism challenges and implementation capacity

Requires participating districts to create learner engagement teams that conduct home visits and outreach to students with 5+ consecutive unexcused absences or 10+ total unexcused absences in a semester

Teams must assess root causes of absenteeism (transportation, housing, health, caregiving) and connect families to community services, with each chronically absent student receiving a written re-engagement plan

Mandates annual district reporting on absenteeism rates disaggregated by demographics, with the commissioner submitting interim and final reports to the governor and legislature on program effectiveness and potential statewide expansion