S2826

An Act concerning teacher certification and supplementing chapter 26 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

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

1. As used in this act:

“Limited certificate of eligibility” means a certificate issued by the State Board of Examiners to candidates who meet the criteria established pursuant to section 3 of this act.

“Limited certificate of eligibility with advanced standing” means a certificate issued by the State Board of Examiners to candidates who meet the criteria established pursuant to section 2 of this act and complete a State-approved college professional educator preparation program.

2. a. No later than six months following the date of enactment, the State Board of Education shall authorize the issuance of a limited certificate of eligibility with advanced standing to a teacher candidate who meets all other eligibility requirements for a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing, except any one of the following:

(1) the minimum grade point average requirement and all other alternative grade point average requirements or exceptions; or

(2) the requirement to achieve a minimum passing score on an appropriate State test of subject matter knowledge and all other alternative requirements or exceptions to achieving a passing score on an appropriate State test of subject matter knowledge.

b. The limited certificate of eligibility with advanced standing authorized pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall only be used for employment in a school district, charter school, or renaissance school approved to hire individuals who hold the certificate pursuant to section 4 of this act.

3. a. No later than six months following the date of enactment, the State Board of Education shall authorize the issuance of a limited certificate of eligibility to a teacher candidate who meets all other eligibility requirements to receive a certificate of eligibility, except any one of the following:

(1) the requirement to complete a minimum number of subject area course credits and all other related alternative requirements or exceptions, except that a candidate applying for a limited certificate of eligibility shall hold a bachelor’s degree at a minimum;

(2) the minimum grade point average requirement and all other alternative grade point average requirements or exceptions;

(3) the requirement to achieve a minimum score on a Commissioner of Education-approved test of basic reading, writing, and mathematical skills and all other alternative basic skills requirements or exceptions; or

(4) the requirement to achieve a minimum passing score on an appropriate State test of subject matter knowledge and all other alternative requirements or exceptions to achieving a passing score on an appropriate State test of subject matter knowledge.

b. The limited certificate of eligibility authorized pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall only be used for employment in a school district, charter school, or renaissance school approved to hire individuals who hold the certificate pursuant to section 4 of this act.

4. a. A school district, charter school, or renaissance school seeking to hire individuals who are issued limited certificates of eligibility with advanced standing or limited certificates of eligibility shall be approved by the Commissioner of Education to do so. A school district, charter school, or renaissance school shall apply to the commissioner in a manner and form to be prescribed by the commissioner. To be considered for approval to hire individuals who hold limited certificates of eligibility with advanced standing or limited certificates of eligibility, an applicant shall demonstrate a sufficient capability to provide support to new teachers and:

(1) a demographic disparity between the district’s or school’s student population and teachers; or

(2) a shortage of bilingual education teachers; or

(3) a critical need to fill teacher vacancies or a hardship caused by teacher vacancies.

b. During the first year of implementation of this act, the commissioner shall approve no less than 10 school districts, charter schools, or renaissance schools to hire individuals who hold limited certificates of eligibility with advanced standing or limited certificates of eligibility.

c. A school district, charter school, or renaissance school approved to hire individuals who hold limited certificates of eligibility with advanced standing or limited certificates of eligibility shall only hire up to 10 percent of its total teachers pursuant to this act.

d. A school district, charter school, or renaissance school approved to hire individuals who hold limited certificates of eligibility with advanced standing or limited certificates of eligibility shall annually submit a report to the commissioner evaluating the impact of hiring such individuals. The report shall contain the following information:

(1) the number of teachers who were issued a limited certificate of eligibility with advanced standing or a limited certificate of eligibility;

(2) the subject areas in which the individuals teach and the courses they teach;

(3) how the hiring of individuals who were issued the limited certificates has impacted the district’s or school’s demographic disparity between its student population and teachers as well as the effect the hiring of those individuals has had on the district’s or school’s ability to fill teacher vacancies;

(4) student achievement data for students taught by the teachers who were issued the limited certificates, as determined by the commissioner; and

(5) any other information the commissioner deems necessary.

e. The commissioner shall annually submit to the State Board of Education a report summarizing the information submitted by school districts, charter schools, and renaissance schools pursuant to subsection d. of this section.

5. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, or regulation related to the evaluation of a provisional teacher for a standard instructional certificate to the contrary, an individual who is issued a limited certificate of eligibility with advanced standing pursuant to section 2 of this act or a limited certificate of eligibility pursuant to section 3 of this act, is hired by a school district, charter school, or renaissance school approved to hire such an individual pursuant to section 4 of this act, and is teaching in the district or school under a provisional instructional certificate, shall earn a standard instructional certificate after two evaluations in which the individual scores effective or highly effective. The individual shall earn the two evaluations of effective or highly effective within four years of being issued a limited certificate of eligibility with advanced standing or a limited certificate of eligibility. This requirement shall be in addition to all other requirements for a standard instructional certificate established pursuant to State Board of Education regulations.

6. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L. 1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.

7. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

Under current State Board of Education regulations, a candidate applying to become a teacher may be issued a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing (CEAS) under the traditional route to teacher certification or a certificate of eligibility (CE) under the alternate route to teacher certification. The CEAS and CE, issued by the State Board of Examiners, authorize an individual to seek and accept employment as a teacher in New Jersey public schools.

The requirements for an individual to be issued a CEAS can be found in current State Board of Education regulations at N.J.A.C.6A:9B-8.2. In general, an individual is eligible to be issued a CEAS if the individual: holds a bachelor’s or advanced degree; completed a State Department of Education-approved CEAS educator preparation program; is recommended for State licensure by the CEAS educator preparation program; graduated with at least a 3.00 grade point average (GPA), with certain exceptions; earned a subject-specific endorsement by completing a certain number of subject area courses; and passed a test of subject matter knowledge, currently the Praxis II.

The requirements for an individual to be issued a CE can be found in current State Board of Education regulations at N.J.A.C.6A:9B-8.3. In general, a teacher candidate may be issued a CE if the individual: holds a bachelor’s or advanced degree; graduated with at least a 3.00 GPA, with certain exceptions; passed the appropriate State test of subject matter knowledge; completes certain required subject matter course requirements; and, with certain exceptions, passes a test of basic skills, currently the Praxis Core.

This bill would create a limited CEAS and a limited CE for individuals who may not meet one of the general requirements for a CEAS or CE and who are seeking employment in a school district, charter school, or renaissance school after the effective date of the bill. Individuals would be eligible for a limited CEAS if they do not meet one of the following requirements: the minimum GPA requirement, and all other alternative grade point average requirements and exceptions; or the requirement to achieve a minimum passing score on an appropriate State test of subject matter knowledge (Praxis II) and any related alternative requirements or exceptions. Individuals would be eligible for a limited CE if they do not meet one of the following requirements: any requirement to complete a minimum number of subject area course credits; the minimum GPA requirement; the requirement to achieve a minimum score on a Commissioner of Education-approved test of basic reading, writing, and mathematical skills (Praxis Core) and all other alternative basic skills requirements or exceptions; or the requirement to achieve a minimum passing score on an appropriate State test of subject matter knowledge.

An individual who holds a limited CEAS or limited CE would only be eligible to be hired at certain school districts, charter schools, and renaissance schools that are required to be approved by the Commissioner of Education in order to be permitted to hire such individuals. A district or school seeking to be approved to hire individuals holding the limited certificates must apply to the commissioner. An applicant must demonstrate a sufficient capability to provide support to new teachers and: a demographic disparity between the district’s or school’s student population and teaching staff; or a shortage of bilingual education teachers; or a critical need to fill teacher vacancies or hardship caused by teacher vacancies.

An individual who is issued a limited CEAS or a limited CE, is hired by a school district, charter school, or renaissance school approved to hire such an individual, and is teaching in the district or school under a provisional instructional certificate, will earn a standard instructional certificate after two evaluations in which the individual scores effective or highly effective. The individual must earn the two evaluations of effective or highly effective within four years of being issued a limited certificate. This would differ from current regulations regarding provisional teacher evaluations, which generally require that a provisional teacher receive at least two years of effective ratings over a consecutive three-year period. This requirement will be in addition to all other requirements for a standard instructional certificate established pursuant to State Board of Education regulations.