[Second Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 4975

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED NOVEMBER 12, 2020

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  NICHOLAS CHIARAVALLOTI

District 31 (Hudson)

Assemblyman  RALPH R. CAPUTO

District 28 (Essex)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman Carter and Assemblyman Zwicker

SYNOPSIS

     Provides for postponement of New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum review for certain school districts. 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As amended by the General Assembly on November 16, 2020.

An Act concerning the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum and supplementing P.L.1975, c.212 (C.18A:7A-3 et seq.).

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

     1.    a.  Notwithstanding the provisions of section 11 of P.L.1975, c.212 (C.18A:7A-11) or any other section of law to the contrary, the Department of Education shall postpone the comprehensive review under the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum ²[until the 2021-2022 school year for] of² any school district that ¹[is required to undergo]¹:

     (1)   ¹is required to undergo¹ a comprehensive review in the ¹[2019-2020] 2020-2021¹ school year¹[, which review was not completed due to the COVID-19-related school closures]¹; ¹[or] and¹

     (2) ¹[a comprehensive review in the 2020-2021 school year] was designated as a high performing district pursuant to section 14 of P.L.1975, c.212 (C.18A:7A-14) in the school district’s most recent comprehensive review¹.

     b.    If ²the comprehensive review of² a school district is ²[required to undergo a comprehensive review in the 2021-2022 school year due to the postponement provided] postponed² under subsection a. of this section, then the school district shall undergo its next ²[following]² comprehensive review three years after the school year in which its comprehensive review was originally scheduled to take place.

     c.     ¹[The postponement of the comprehensive review for school districts under subsection a. of this subsection shall not disrupt the comprehensive review schedule for any other school district.

     d.    Notwithstanding the provisions of this section to the contrary, the Commissioner of Education may exempt a school district, upon request, from the postponement of the comprehensive review required pursuant to this section] A school district that is required to undergo a comprehensive review in the 2020-2021 school year and was not designated as a high performing district pursuant to section 14 of P.L.1975, c.212 (C.18A:7A-14) in the school district’s most recent comprehensive review shall undergo a comprehensive review under the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum in the 2020-2021 school year, except that such a district may postpone its comprehensive review until the 2021-2022 school year if the district provides written notification to the Commissioner of Education that it is not able to complete the review due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

d.  If a school district postpones its comprehensive review until the 2021-2022 school year pursuant to subsection c. of this section, then the school district shall undergo its next following comprehensive review three years after the school year in which its comprehensive review was originally scheduled to take place¹.  

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately.