Sponsored by:
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex)
Senator JAMES BEACH
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Diegnan and Pou
SYNOPSIS
Grants reciprocity to teachers with certain out-of-state certificates.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act granting reciprocity to teachers with certain out-of-state certificates 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. The State Board of Examiners shall issue an instructional certificate of eligibility to an out-of-state candidate who:
a. (1) holds the equivalent of a valid certificate of eligibility or a valid provisional certificate issued by another state in a subject or grade level also offered in New Jersey; or (2) holds an emergency certificate issued by another state in an appropriate subject or grade level;
b. has passed a subject-matter test to receive his out-of-state endorsement or passed the appropriate New Jersey subject-matter test;
c. has passed a performance assessment that is approved by the state in which the certificate was issued, or, if the out-of-state candidate did not take or pass a state-approved performance assessment, the candidate shall pass a New Jersey approved performance assessment; and
d. has at least one year of effective teaching experience as documented by a letter from the candidate’s former supervisor, principal, or employing school district’s human resource officer.
2. If the out-of-state candidate has not completed an approved educator preparation program the candidate shall enroll in a New Jersey approved educator preparation program and complete any remaining college credits or coursework prior to the issuance of a standard instructional certificate.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill authorizes the State Board of Examiners to issue a certificate of eligibility to teaching candidates, including alternate route candidates, who hold the equivalent of a certificate of eligibility or a provisional certificate from another state. The bill also authorizes the board to issue a certificate of eligibility to a candidate who holds an emergency certificate issued by another state.
In order to be eligible for the certificate of eligibility, a candidate must (1) hold the equivalent of a valid certificate of eligibility or a provisional certificate from another state in a subject or grade level also offered in New Jersey. The candidate may also hold an emergency certificate issued by another state in an appropriate subject matter or grade level; (2) have passed a subject-matter test to receive the out-of-state endorsement or passed the appropriate New Jersey subject-matter test; (3) have passed a performance assessment that is approved by the state in which the certificate was issued, or, if the out-of-state candidate did not take or pass a state-approved performance assessment, the candidate must pass a New Jersey approved performance assessment; and (4) have at least one year of effective teaching experience as documented by a letter from the candidate’s former supervisor, principal, or employing school district’s human resource officer.
Under the bill, if the out-of-state candidate has not completed an approved educator preparation program the candidate will enroll in a New Jersey approved educator preparation program and complete any remaining college credits or coursework prior to the issuance of a standard instructional certificate.