Commissioner’s Annual Report to the Education Committees of the Senate and General Assembly - Student Safety and Discipline in New Jersey Public Schools - July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023

Oct 15, 2026

Commissioner’s Annual Report to the Education Committees of the Senate and General Assembly summarizes statewide data gathered by the New Jersey Department of Education from 2022-23 on student safety, disciplinary infractions, and their consequences. It analyzes incidents of school violence, harassment, intimidation and bullying (HIB), suspensions, related educator professional development, and outcomes such as arrests, removals, and expulsions. The report explains the Student Safety Data System (SSDS) reporting migration and highlights key patterns and initiatives to strengthen school climate and social emotional learning.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages42

Reading Time1 h 46 min

AccessFree to download

Executive Summary

Introduction

Key Findings

SSDS Incidents

School Police Reports

HIB Investigations and Confirmed Incidents

Nature of HIB

HIB Trainings

HIB Programs

Disciplinary Actions

Restraint and Seclusion

Initiatives to Improve School Safety

Department’s Response

Department’s Future Objectives

Commissioner’s Annual Report to the Education Committees of the Senate and General Assembly on Student Safety and Discipline in New Jersey Public Schools July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 New Jersey Department of Education 100 River View Plaza, P.O. Box 500 Trenton, NJ 08625-0500 State Board of Education | Member | County | | --- | --- | | Kathy Goldenberg
President | Burlington | | Andrew J. Mulvihill
Vice President | Sussex | | Arcelio Aponte | Middlesex | | Mary G. Bennett | Essex | | Mary Beth Berry | Hunterdon | | Elaine Bobrove | Camden | | Fatimah Burnam-Watkins | Union | | Ronald K. Butcher | Gloucester | | Jack Fornaro | Warren | | Nedd James Johnson, Ed. D | Salem | | Jeanette Peña | Hudson | | Joseph Ricca, Jr., Ed.D | Morris | | Sylvia Sylvia-Cioffi | Monmouth | Kevin Dehmer Acting Commissioner Secretary Table of Contents State Board of Education .................................................................................... 2 Table of Contents ............................................................................................... 3 Executive Summary ............................................................................................ 4 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 6 Key Findings........................................................................................................ 7 SSDS Incidents ..................................................................................................................................................... 7 School Police Reports ........................................................................................................................................ 11 HIB Investigations and Confirmed Incidents ..................................................................................................... 12 Nature of HIB..................................................................................................................................................... 16 HIB Trainings ..................................................................................................................................................... 21 HIB Programs..................................................................................................................................................... 23 Disciplinary Actions ........................................................................................................................................... 25 Restraint and Seclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 28 Initiatives to Improve School Safety ................................................................. 32 Department’s Response .................................................................................................................................... 32 Department’s Future Objectives ....................................................................................................................... 40 Executive Summary Annually, the Department of Education (Department) collects data from school districts across the state on disciplinary infractions and their consequences. These data are analyzed in a state-level report developed by the Department for the Governor and the Legislature to fulfill the requirements of the Public School Safety Law N.J.S.A. 18A:17-46 through 48. This report includes statewide data on incidents of school violence, harassment, intimidation and bullying and school suspensions as well as related professional development for educators. School districts can use both statewide data and their local data to evaluate the efficacy of efforts to maintain a positive school climate, foster social emotional learning, and provide interventions for students who exhibit patt

FAQs

What data does the report collect and how is it used?

The Department collects statewide data from school districts on disciplinary infractions and their consequences. The analyzed results are used to support requirements under New Jersey’s Public School Safety Law and to inform the Governor and Legislature.

What is the Student Safety Data System (SSDS) and why does it matter for this report?

SSDS is the reporting system the Department migrated to beginning with the 2017-18 school year, with improved definitions, fields, and guidance. 2018-19 and 2017-18 are treated as baseline years because districts continued aligning local systems with SSDS.

What key outcomes were reported for 2022-23?

The report states that incidents resulted in police reports, mandatory referrals, arrests, and student suspensions. It also reports HIB training and program counts, as well as student removals and expulsions.

Oct 15, 2026

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