Sponsored by:
Assemblyman DANIEL R. BENSON
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Assemblywoman NANCY J. PINKIN
District 18 (Middlesex)
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
Assemblyman WAYNE P. DEANGELO
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen Moen, Peterson, DiMaio, Conaway and Zwicker
SYNOPSIS
Establishes pilot program in DOE to support FIRST Robotics Programs in school districts.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing a robotics competition pilot program in the Department of Education.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Commissioner of Education shall establish a three-year pilot program that provides grant funding to school districts to participate in FIRST Robotics Competitions. The purpose of the pilot program shall be to:
(1) increase opportunities for students to participate in FIRST Robotics Competitions;
(2) motivate students to pursue education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; and
(3) improve students’ knowledge in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
b. A school district that wants to participate in the pilot program shall submit an application to the commissioner in such form as required by the commissioner. The school district shall select no more than one school serving students from grades nine through 12 to participate in the pilot program.
c. The commissioner shall select up to 12 school districts for participation in the pilot program. The commissioner shall select districts in the northern, central, and southern regions of the State and shall seek a cross section of school districts from urban, suburban, and rural areas of the State. The commissioner shall award grants, within the limit of available State appropriations, to selected school districts to be used to support the development and implementation of a FIRST Robotics Program in the selected schools. The commissioner shall determine the amount of each grant awarded under the program and may award multi-year grants. Grants awarded pursuant to this subsection shall be used by school districts to provide coaching stipends, purchase materials for competitions, finance competition travel expenses, and register for events. School districts selected by the commissioner to participate in the pilot program may apply for additional funding as teams in the school district become eligible to participate in FIRST Robotics Program’s district, district championship, and world championship events.
d. Three years following the establishment of the pilot program, the commissioner shall submit a report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1). The report shall contain information on the implementation of the pilot program, the number of students participating in the program, and the recommendations of the commissioner on continuing, expanding, or modifying the program.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes a three-year pilot program in the Department of Education to establish FIRST Robotics Teams in school districts. The purpose of the pilot program will be to (1) increase opportunities for students to participate in FIRST Robotics Competitions; (2) motivate students to pursue education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; and (3) improve students’ knowledge in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
A school district that wants to participate in the pilot program will submit an application to the commissioner. The school district will select no more than one school serving students from grades nine through 12 to participate in the pilot program. The commissioner will select up to 12 school districts for participation in the pilot program. The commissioner will award grants, within the limit of available State appropriations, to selected school districts to be used to support the development and implementation of a FIRST Robotics program in the selected schools. The commissioner will determine the amount of each grant awarded under the program and may award multi-year grants. Grants may be used by school districts to provide coaching stipends, purchase materials for competitions, finance competition travel expenses, and register for events. School districts selected to participate in the pilot program may apply for additional funding as teams in the school district become eligible to participate in FIRST Robotics Program’s district, district championship, and world championship events.
At the conclusion of the pilot program, the commissioner will submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature. The report will contain information on the implementation of the pilot program, the number of students participating in the program, and the recommendations of the commissioner on continuing, expanding, or modifying the program.