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Read. Follow. Verify.New Jersey Bill A817 Requires DOE to Publish Data on Restraint and Seclusion of Students with Disabilities
Last action · January 13, 2026: Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education CommitteeSponsors: Gerry Scharfenberger and 1 other
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What This Bill Would Do
New Jersey schools must annually report data on the use of and seclusion on students with disabilities to the Department of Education, which will publish the findings online. The published reports will break down the data by county, race, gender, and age while maintaining student privacy.
School districts, , and private schools for students with disabilities must track and submit detailed usage metrics regarding physical interventions. Families, educators, and policymakers gain public transparency into how frequently and on whom restraints and seclusions are applied across the state.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
students with disabilities
Their experiences regarding physical restraint and seclusion will be formally tracked and published publicly with demographic breakdowns.
school districts
They are required to annually collect and submit data on every instance of physical restraint or seclusion used on students.
approved private schools for students with disabilities
They must comply with annual reporting requirements regarding the use of seclusion and physical restraint techniques.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who must report data on restraint and seclusion?
How will the published data be broken down?
What else do you want to know?
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
1 action- Jan 13, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
njleg.state.nj.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz35Current news / social attention level
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