ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 762

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MAY 10, 2018

      The Assembly Education Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 762 with committee amendments.

      As amended, this bill provides that beginning with the 2018-2019 grade nine class, the State Board of Education will require that the high school graduation requirement on financial literacy include instruction on available State and federal tuition assistance programs, including grants, scholarships, and student loans.  The instruction must incorporate issues associated with student loan debt, the requirements for repayment of that debt, and the consequences of the failure to repay student loan debt in a timely manner.

      The bill also provides that a school district must ensure that a student enrolled in high school meets with a guidance counselor during either the second or third year of high school to discuss State and federal tuition assistance programs that may be available to the student to finance postsecondary educational opportunities.  The guidance counselor must also discuss options available to the student for dual enrollment in high school and an institution of higher education that will enable the student to earn college credit while still in high school and reduce the overall cost of a higher education.

As reported by the committee, this bill is identical to Assembly Bill No. 2773 which also was reported by the committee on this same date.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

      The committee amended the bill to provide that the 2018-2019 grade nine class rather than the 2017-2018 grade nine class will be the first class to which the provisions of section 1 of the bill will be applicable.