[Second Reprint]

SENATE, No. 2831

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED AUGUST 17, 2020

Sponsored by:

Senator  M. TERESA RUIZ

District 29 (Essex)

Senator  JAMES BEACH

District 6 (Burlington and Camden)

Assemblywoman  ANNETTE QUIJANO

District 20 (Union)

Assemblywoman  PAMELA R. LAMPITT

District 6 (Burlington and Camden)

Assemblywoman  MILA M. JASEY

District 27 (Essex and Morris)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Diegnan, Pou, Singleton, Turner, Assemblywoman Schepisi, Assemblyman Johnson, Assemblywoman Murphy, Assemblymen Simonsen, McClellan, Assemblywomen Vainieri Huttle, McKnight, Assemblyman Danielsen, Assemblywomen Reynolds-Jackson, DiMaso and Downey

SYNOPSIS

     Requires DOE to establish Alternate Route Interstate Reciprocity Pilot Program.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As amended by the Senate on January 11, 2021.

An Act ²[granting reciprocity to teachers with certain out-of-state certificates] directing the DOE to establish an Alternate Route Interstate Reciprocity Pilot Program² 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:

²1.   The Department of Education shall establish a five-year Alternate Route Interstate Reciprocity Pilot Program. The department shall:

a.     following two complete years of program implementation, publish a progress report on the success of the program up to that point in time; and

b.    establish criteria for participating New Jersey Certificate of Eligibility educator preparation programs.  The selected educator preparation programs shall:

(1)   accept an out-of-state candidate who meets the requirements of section 3 of this act;

(2)   accept a candidate's earned credits from a prior educator preparation program for any participating out-of-state candidate who has not yet completed their educator preparation program; and

(3)   provide the department with ongoing data regarding the progress and success of all participating candidates and any candidate data necessary for a comparative progress report.²

²[1.  The] 2.  For the purposes of the Alternate Route Interstate Reciprocity Pilot Program established pursuant to section 1 of this act, the² State Board of Examiners shall issue an instructional certificate of eligibility to an out-of-state candidate who:

     a.     ²[(1)]² 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; ²[or (2)  holds an emergency certificate issued by another state in an appropriate subject or grade level;]²

     b.    has passed a subject-matter test to receive ²[his] the candidate’s² 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 ¹be issued an instructional certificate of eligibility but shall¹ pass a New Jersey approved performance assessment ¹prior to the issuance of a standard instructional certificate¹; ¹[and]¹

     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 ¹; and

e.     has been in good standing during ²[his] the candidate’s² teaching experience under the out-of-state certificate as documented in such manner as determined by the State Board of Education¹

²[2.] 3.²     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.

      ²4.   A certificate of eligibility out-of-state candidate who is enrolled in the pilot program and who meets all other requirements for issuance of a standard certificate pursuant to State Board of Education regulations shall be eligible for a standard certificate.  A certificate of eligibility candidate who successfully completes the pilot program may apply for up to one year of effective teaching experience earned out-of-state, as documented by a letter from the candidate’s former supervisor, principal, or employing school district’s human resource officer, to satisfy the requirement that the candidate earn at least two summative evaluation ratings within three consecutive years of teaching.²

²5.   At the conclusion of the five-year pilot program, the Department of Education shall submit a report evaluating the effectiveness of the pilot program to the Governor, the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), and the State Board of Education.  The report shall include an analysis of the impact of the pilot program and shall include the department’s recommendation on the feasibility of continuing the program.²

²[3.] 6.²   This act shall take effect immediately.