ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 858

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 6, 2018

      The Assembly Education Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 858 (1R).

     Under State Board of Education regulations, in order to teach health and physical education, physical education, or health in grades kindergarten through six in a public school, a teacher is not required to have these specific endorsements to the instructional certificate.  A teacher with an elementary school endorsement, pursuant to certain regulations, would be permitted to teach these courses.

     This bill requires that: (1) teachers appointed by a board of education to teach health and physical education in grades kindergarten through six possess a health and physical education endorsement to the instructional certificate; (2) teachers appointed to teach physical education in grades kindergarten through six possess a physical education endorsement to the instructional certificate; and (3) teachers appointed to teach health in grades kindergarten through six possess either a health endorsement to the instructional certificate or a school nurse endorsement to the educational services certificate.  However, the bill exempts from the bill’s endorsement requirements persons who teach former Abbott district kindergarten students under a contract between the former Abbott district and a licensed child care center or other provider.  The bill also includes a “grandfather” provision that will allow teachers who received an elementary school endorsement prior to the bill’s effective date to continue to teach health and physical education, physical education, or health at these grade levels.

      As reported by the committee, this bill is identical to Assembly Bill No. 674 with Assembly committee amendments, which also was reported by the committee on this same date.