STATEMENT TO

SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE, No. 2383

with Senate Floor Amendments

(Proposed by Senator SARLO)

ADOPTED: MAY 14, 2020

      These floor amendments: 

· provide that a student would defer graduation from high school to pursue a bridge year and require that host high schools will not issue diplomas to students participating in the Bridge Year Pilot Program until after the conclusion of the bridge year;

· require that, during the fall semester of a student’s bridge year, the student will take between nine and 12 credits at the host high school, the county college that serves the county of the host high school, or a combination.  During the spring semester, the student will take between nine and 12 credits at the county college that serves the county of the host high school;

· require that a student who pursues a bridge year and participates in a spring sport sanctioned by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association will enroll in less than 12 credits, or otherwise be enrolled in a number of college credits as to not be considered a full-time college student, in each of the fall and spring semesters during the student’s bridge year;

· delete a provision of the substitute that allowed a student to take any portion of the required credits at the student’s host high school, in the event that the county college which the student is attending offers courses at the host high school; and

· eliminate language that made students participating in a bridge year eligible for financial aid under the Tuition Aid Grant Program and the New Jersey Student Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship Program and instead include language making those students eligible for financial aid under the Community College Opportunity Grant Program if they meet all applicable eligibility requirements other than the requirement to be enrolled in a course of study or curriculum leading to a degree or certificate.