State House Wrap Up: Week of May 8, 2023

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Education was a focal point in Trenton this week as Chairwoman Pamela Lampitt called a news conference to introduce a 12-bill legislative package designed to address the ongoing educator workforce shortage in New Jersey. Members of the General Assembly helping to champion the bill package were in attendance.  Special guests from the major education stakeholder groups were also invited to provide remarks. NJPSA’s Executive Director Karen Bingert spoke to the importance of supporting our teachers in a way that helps to maintain the energy and excitement that student teachers bring when they come into the field. This twelve bill package is the culmination of seven months of collaboration between teachers, administrators, parents, students, and legislators and was drafted with the goal of breaking down identifiable barriers that are impeding the teacher and principal pipeline. Immediately following the press event, seven of the bills in the package were heard by the Assembly Education Committee.  All seven were unanimously voted to move forward. 

 

The Educator Shortage Legislative Package:

 

A-5416  – This bill would establish a pathway to certification for paraprofessionals and support professionals. The Assembly Education Committee voted unanimously to advance this bill with committee amendments. The bill is now on Second Reading in the General Assembly.

     As amended, this bill requires the State Board of Education to authorize an alternate route to expedite the teacher certification of persons who are employed or have been employed by a school district as a paraprofessional or an instructional assistant.

     As amended, the Commissioner of Education is to develop recommendations for the alternate route and those recommendations are required to be submitted to the State board.  Under the provisions of the amended bill, in developing the recommendations, the commissioner is to consult with representatives of the education community, including the New Jersey Education Association, the New Jersey School Boards Association, the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association, the New Jersey Association of School Administrators, the New Jersey Public Charter Schools Association, and the State Professional Learning Committee.

     As amended, the bill provides that in addition to any other requirements established by the State Board of Education, the alternate route program is required to include:

     (1) a formula for applying a candidate’s direct classroom service to any student teaching requirements, provided that the candidate is currently employed by a school district and is providing direct classroom service, including tutoring.  Under the formula, the direct classroom service is to earn the candidate full credit, if appropriate;

     (2)  a requirement that the school district in which the candidate is currently employed permit the candidate to perform any required student teaching in the school district while, if possible, continuing employment as a paraprofessional or an instructional assistant; and

     (3) a formula to allow a grade point average waiver for candidates who otherwise demonstrate qualification for the expedited teacher certification.

 

A-5417  – The Assembly Education Committee voted unanimously to advance this bill. The bill is now pending before the Assembly Higher Education Committee. This bill streamlines the path for qualified teacher candidates to become teachers. The bill specifically prohibits the establishment of a cap on county college credits that may be applied toward educator preparation program requirements.  The bill also prohibits the State Board of Education from limiting the number of county college credits that may be applied towards teacher certification requirements. Current State board regulations provide that, for most candidates for teacher certification, no more than six credits earned in the field of professional education at a county college can be applied towards meeting the requirements for teacher certification.  As a result, a student who has completed more than six credits in the field of professional education at a county college prior to his or her enrollment in a bachelor’s degree program at a four-year institution of higher education will have to repeat some coursework, resulting in increased education costs and a delay in program completion.  This bill prohibits the State Board of Education from limiting the number of professional education credits earned at a county college that may be applied towards meeting the requirements for teacher certification, provided that the credits are accepted by a State-approved college professional education preparation program.

 

A-5418  – The Assembly Education Committee voted unanimously to advance this bill. The bill is now pending before the Assembly Higher Education Committee. This bill establishes the “Teacher Certification Reimbursement Fund” in the Department of Education. The purpose of the fund is to reimburse certain new teachers for the costs associated with certification, including fingerprinting requirements, testing requirements, and fees for issuing certificates. The fund is to also be used for the costs associated with certification for certain teachers holding instructional certificates who are seeking additional grade level or subject area endorsements. The fund is to consist of: any monies appropriated by the State for the purposes of the fund; any monies donated for the purposes of the fund; and all interest and investment earnings received on monies in the fund. Under the provisions of the bill, the State Board of Education is required to adopt rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of the bill, including: the criteria that a teacher is required to demonstrate in order to be eligible to receive monies from the fund, such as an income qualification; any limitations on the total amount that may be received by a teacher from the fund; the specific types of costs that may be reimbursed with monies from the fund; and the supporting documentation to be submitted in order to receive reimbursement from the fund.

 

A-5419 – The Assembly Education Committee voted unanimously to advance this bill. The bill is now on Second Reading in the General Assembly. This bill eliminates the requirement that a teacher candidate complete a basic skills test. Specifically, this bill eliminates the requirement that a candidate seeking a certificate of eligibility, a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing, a provisional certificate, or a standard instructional certificate complete a Commissioner of Education-approved test of basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills, including the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators test, in order to obtain any of these certificates.

 

A-5420 – The Assembly Education Committee voted unanimously to advance this bill. The bill is now pending before the Assembly Appropriations Committee. This bill would establish the New Jersey Student Educator Stipend Program in the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to reduce financial barriers to teacher certification. Under the bill, the program is to provide stipends of $7,200 to students completing required clinical practice through a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing educator preparation program at a public institution of higher education. A student is eligible to receive the stipend for a maximum of two academic semesters. To be eligible for a stipend, an applicant is required to: be a United States citizen, permanent resident alien, or any student eligible to complete the New Jersey Alternative Financial Aid Application; be a resident of the State; be enrolled full time in an approved program of study; and complete any steps required by the approved program of study to be eligible to apply for clinical practice. The bill requires the authority to establish an application process for the program. The authority, in coordination with the Department of Education, may establish additional eligibility requirements and minimum qualifications for the program. Additionally, the authority, in coordination with the department, is to annually collect data on the program. Finally, the bill stipulates that a student’s stipend will be terminated if the student: is dismissed from the program of study for academic or disciplinary reasons, is disqualified from employment by a school district due to the detection of criminal history record information under current law, or becomes ineligible to receive a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing for any other reason. The bill also stipulates that the stipend will be terminated if the student withdraws due to illness, but the student would not be required to repay the stipend.

 

A-5421 – The Assembly Education Committee voted unanimously to advance this bill. The bill is now on Second Reading in the General Assembly. The bill directs the State Board of Education to authorize the issuance of a Students with Disabilities Preschool through Grade 12 endorsement to the instructional certificate.  The endorsement authorizes the holder to teach students with disabilities, with the exception of students who are blind or visually impaired or deaf or hard of hearing, in all public schools and in all grade levels. Under the bill, the holder of a Students with Disabilities Preschool through Grade 12 endorsement may provide consultative services and supportive resource programs to students with disabilities in general education programs.  The bill further provides that the holder of a current students with disabilities endorsement issued administratively prior to the bill’s effective date may be granted the new endorsement upon application to the board.   Under current law, special education teachers may teach students classified with disabilities in only the grade levels specified on their other endorsements. The bill directs the State Board of Education to authorize the issuance of a Kindergarten through Grade 8 endorsement to the instructional certificate.  The endorsement will permit the holder to teach:

  •       students in all public schools in grades kindergarten through six; and

 

  •       the specialty subjects on the face of the certificate to students in grades seven and eight in all public schools. 

Under current law, numerous endorsements limit the holder to teaching either only to students in elementary level grades or only to students in middle school grades.  Finally, the bill authorizes the State Board of Education to issue a Bilingual and Bicultural Preschool through Grade 12 endorsement to the instructional certificate.  The endorsement will authorize the holder to teach bilingual and bicultural education in all public schools and in all grade levels.  Under the bill, a candidate for the endorsement is required to demonstrate oral and writing competence in English and the target language; complete an approved bilingual and bicultural education program; and meet any other requirements established by the board.  Under current law, candidates for the Bilingual and Bicultural endorsement are required to have an additional endorsement for subject or grade level to be taught. 

 

A-5422 – The Assembly Education Committee voted unanimously to advance this bill. The bill is now pending before the Assembly Appropriations Committee. The bill would permit teachers, and professional staff members who provide special services, who retired from Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) to return to employment for up to two years without reenrollment in TPAF if employment commences during the 2023-2024 school year.  This bill extends P.L.2021, c. 408, which permitted a teacher or a professional staff member providing special services, including a speech language specialist or a therapist, who retired from the Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) to return to work full-time with a board of education in a position of critical need, as determined by the Commissioner of Education, without being reenrolled in the TPAF if reemployment commences during the 2023-2024 school year. If the retired teacher or the retired professional staff member returns to work with the former employer, it must occur more than 180 days after the retirement.  This bill will permit the teacher or professional staff member to receive the TPAF retirement allowance as well as a salary.  The bill permits the return to work under a contract for one year, which may be renewed only for one additional year.  The total period of reemployment with any individual board of education is not to exceed a two-year period, unless so approved by the commissioner as being in the best interests of the school district.  Under the bill, the former member’s retirement is required to have been a bona fide retirement and any employment or reemployment under the bill is not to be prearranged before retirement.

 

A-5423 – Expands eligibility for NJCLASS Teacher Loan Redemption Program. This proposal would expand eligibility to allow more teachers to take advantage of the opportunity for loan redemption, allowing more individuals paying off student debts to be able to remain in the profession. 

 

A-5424 – Provides deduction from gross income of $500 for full-time educators and paraprofessionals and $350 for part-time educators and paraprofessionals. The bill requires a full-time employee to be employed for a minimum of 25 hours per week. The bill defines an “eligible educator” as a teacher who is employed in a school district, charter school, renaissance school project, approved private school for students with disabilities, or nonpublic school in New Jersey.  The bill additionally defines a “paraprofessional” as an individual who is employed as a school aide or classroom aide who assists a teaching staff member with the supervision of pupil activities.

 

A-5425 – Requires state Board of Education to reduce clinical practice requirements for certain teacher candidates.   A “certificate of eligibility with advanced standing” is defined as a certificate with lifetime validity issued by the State Board of Examiners to candidates who meet degree, academic, and test requirements for teacher certification and complete an educator preparation program.  The bill defines “clinical practice” as a field-based experience or internship in a kindergarten through grade 12 environment where a teacher candidate demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to be an effective educator.

     Under current State Board of Education regulations, a teacher candidate seeking a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing is required to complete clinical practice that (1) occurs during at least two semesters; and (2) includes the completion of at least 175 hours prior to one full-time semester, of which at least 100 of the 175 hours are to be completed in the semester immediately preceding the semester of full-time clinical practice.

       This bill authorizes the State Board of Education to reduce these clinical practice requirements.  This bill requires the Commissioner of Education to develop recommendations for reducing the clinical practice requirements and those recommendations are required to be submitted to the State board.  In developing the recommendations, the commissioner is required to consult with representatives of the education community including, but not limited to, the New Jersey Education Association, the New Jersey School Boards Association, the New Jersey Association of School Administrators, and the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association.

     It is the intent of this bill to reduce the 175 hours of clinical practice in order for a teacher candidate to fulfill the clinical practice requirements in only one semester.  Reducing the amount of clinical practice hours will help eliminate the burden of a costly and redundant second semester of clinical practice.

 

A-5426 – Establishes New Jersey Student Educator Tuition Remission Program. Under the bill, the program is to provide tuition remission, up to a student’s full eligible tuition expenses, to students completing required clinical practice through a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing educator preparation program at a public institution of higher education. A student is eligible to receive tuition remission for a maximum of two academic semesters. To be eligible for tuition remission, an applicant is required to: be a United States citizen, permanent resident alien, or any student eligible to complete the New Jersey Alternative Financial Aid Application; be a resident of the State; be enrolled full time in an approved program of study; and complete the necessary steps to apply for clinical practice. The Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, in coordination with the Department of Education, may establish additional eligibility requirements and minimum qualifications for the program. Additionally, the authority, in coordination with the department, is to annually collect data on the program. Finally, the bill stipulates that a student’s tuition remission be terminated and required to be repaid if a student: is dismissed from the program of study for academic or disciplinary reasons, is disqualified from employment by a school district due to the detection of criminal history record information under current law, or becomes ineligible to receive a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing for any other reason. The bill also stipulates that tuition remission is to be terminated if the student withdraws due to illness, but the student would not be required to repay the tuition remission.

 

A-5427  – Prohibits commissioner of education from approving certain tests for teacher certification candidates with extended retake waiting periods.  Under current State Board of Education regulations, a candidate for teacher certification is required to demonstrate basic skills proficiency through the achievement of a minimum score on a commissioner-approved test of basic reading, writing, and mathematics.  Currently, the Department of Education uses the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators test (Praxis) as the sole commissioner-approved measure of basic skills proficiency. The test provider of the Praxis mandates that a teacher candidate wait at least 28 days after the previous test to be eligible to retake the test.  Pursuant to the test provider’s policy, any teacher candidate that violates the retake policy will have his or her test scores canceled without reimbursement of test fees. This bill prohibits the commissioner from approving any assessment of basic skills and any subject matter test for a candidate for teacher certification that mandates a retake waiting period of more than 14 days. Alternatively, the regulations provide that a candidate for teacher certification may meet the basic skills testing requirement by demonstrating a score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), ACT Assessment (ACT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) at or above the cut score for the year in which the exam was taken.  The provisions of the bill do not affect the retake waiting periods for the SAT, ACT, and GRE.

 

NJPSA Director of Government Relations Debbie Bradley provided testimony in strong support for the entire package of bills considered by the AED Committee to foster, support, strengthen and retain teachers and other education professionals in New Jersey schools. We look forward to supporting this legislative package as it moves forward, hopefully quickly. 

 

If you would like to discuss the bill package to address the teacher workforce shortage in New Jersey, or have questions about any of the legislative initiatives that moved this week, please contact your NJPSA Government Relations team:  Department Director Debbie Bradley dbradley@njpsa.org or Assistant Director Jennie Lamon jlamon@njpsa.org.  

 

If you are interested in legislation and education policy, please consider joining the NJPSA Legislative Committee.  We meet approximately every other month to discuss and develop positions on pending legislation and regulations.  We always have lively and often entertaining discussions! Email jlamon@njpsa.org for more information or to join our committee! 

 

Please enjoy the weekend, and remember to unplug and take some time for self-care.  We appreciate your advocacy – and all that you do. Happy Mother’s Day to all who are celebrating on Sunday!