S2833

An Act establishing a Teacher Apprenticeship Program and supplementing chapter 6 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:

“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Education.

“Field experience” means observing and assisting with student learning which may include, but is not limited to, providing operational support to public schools; assisting instructional staff with data entry, grading, lesson planning, parental communication, and assessment development; and conducting classroom instruction.

“Paraprofessional” means an individual who is employed in a public school as a school aide or classroom aide who assists a teaching staff member with the supervision of pupil activities.

“Program” means the Teacher Apprenticeship Program established pursuant to section 2 of this act.

“Program participant” means a public high school student entering grade 12 and a paraprofessional with an associate degree who has been accepted into the Teacher Apprenticeship Program.

“Public school” means a school district, charter school, and renaissance school in the State.

“Secretary” means the Secretary of Higher Education.

2. The Commissioner of Education, in coordination with the Secretary of Higher Education, shall establish a Teacher Apprenticeship Program, the purpose of which shall be to offer stipends and provide program participants with the education and field experience necessary to obtain a New Jersey certificate of eligibility with advanced standing.

3. a. A public school and an accredited four-year institution of higher education with a Department of Education approved educator preparation program that wish to offer the Teacher Apprenticeship Program shall jointly apply to the Department of Education in such manner as determined by the commissioner in consultation with the secretary. The application shall include, but not be limited to:

(1) a dual enrollment agreement between the public school and institution of higher education;

(2) the number of teachers in the public school and faculty at the institution of higher education available to provide college level instruction in connection with the program; and

(3) a program implementation plan which includes information on the types of services in place to support students enrolled in the program.

b. A public school and institution of higher education selected to offer the program shall jointly enter into an agreement with the department in which the public school and institution of higher education agree to provide program participants with the education and field experience necessary to obtain a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing.

4. The Teacher Apprenticeship Program shall be comprised of three stages during which a program participant shall complete the coursework and field experience necessary to obtain a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing.

a. Stage one of the program shall be open to high school students entering grade 12. A program participant who completes stage one of the program shall be awarded a School Apprentice credential. In order to complete stage one, a program participant shall:

(1) earn 30 college credits in accordance with State Board of Education regulations;

(2) author a literature review on a topic approved by the program participant’s academic advisor;

(3) perform 200 hours of field experience; and

(4) pass a commissioner-approved paraprofessional general aptitude exam.

b. Stage two of the program shall be open to individuals with a School Apprentice credential and paraprofessionals with an associate degree. A program participant who completes stage two of the program shall be awarded a Teacher Apprentice I credential. In order to complete stage two, a program participant shall:

(1) earn a cumulative total of 90 college credits in accordance with State Board of Education regulations;

(2) perform 1500 hours of field experience per year; and

(3) pass an appropriate State test of subject matter knowledge.

c. Stage three of the program shall be open to individuals with a Teacher Apprentice I credential. A program participant who completes stage three of the program shall be awarded a Teacher Apprentice II credential. In order to complete stage three, the program participant shall:

(1) earn a cumulative total of 120 college credits in accordance with State Board of Education regulations;

(2) perform 1500 hours of field experience per year;

(3) complete all necessary requirements for and obtain a bachelor’s degree; and

(4) pass a commissioner-approved performance-based assessment.

d. An individual who possesses a Teacher Apprentice II credential awarded pursuant to the provisions of this act and meets the general certification requirements including, but not limited to, citizenship, age, and examination requirements, established by the State Board of Education shall be eligible for a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing.

5. To be eligible to participate in the program, an applicant shall:

a. be a resident of New Jersey;

b. if a high school student:

(1) pass a background check administered by the Department of Education; and

(2) have a minimum cumulative grade point average of a 3.0 on a scale of 4.0, or its equivalent, at the time of application to the program; and

c. if a paraprofessional with an associate degree, have graduated from a county college with a minimum cumulative grade point average of a 3.0 on a scale of 4.0, or its equivalent.

6. a. A high school student who wishes to participate in the program shall submit an application to the public school in which the student is enrolled and to the institution of higher education that has partnered with the public school to offer the program. The application, which shall be submitted by the end of the fall semester of the applicant’s junior year of high school, shall include:

(1) an official high school transcript;

(2) a personal statement detailing the applicant’s reasons for applying to the program;

(3) two letters of recommendation; and

(4) any other information the commissioner and secretary deem appropriate.

b. A paraprofessional with an associate degree who wishes to participate in the program shall submit an application to the public school in which the paraprofessional is employed or to a public school located in the school district in which the paraprofessional resides and to the institution of higher education that has partnered with the public school to offer the program. The application shall include:

(1) official transcripts from each county college the paraprofessional has attended;

(2) a personal statement detailing the applicant’s reasons for applying to the program;

(3) three letters of recommendation, one of which shall be from a current supervisor, principal, or employing public school’s human resource officer; and

(4) any other information the commissioner and secretary deem appropriate.

c. The public school and the institution of higher education that has partnered with the public school shall jointly select the applicants for participation in the program.

7. a. A program participant shall receive a yearly stipend award which shall be distributed in such manner as determined by the commissioner and secretary. The total amounts awarded shall be:

(1) $2,000 during stage one of the program;

(2) $10,000 per year during stage two of the program; and

(3) $15,000 during stage three of the program.

b. In order to receive the full amount of the stipend award during stages two and three of the program, a program participant shall be enrolled full-time in a course of study at the four-year institution of higher education that has partnered with the public school under the program and complete all required hours of field experience.

c. Pursuant to criteria established by the commissioner, in consultation with the secretary, a partial distribution of the stipend award may be authorized when a program participant is unable to enroll full-time in a course of study or fails to complete the required hours of field experience.

8. A program participant, as a condition of participation, shall be required to adhere to performance standards established by the commissioner in coordination with the secretary. The standards shall include, but not be limited to, requirements that a program participant:

a. maintain residency in the State;

b. maintain a cumulative grade point average of a 3.0 or higher on a scale of 4.0, or its equivalent, while enrolled in the program; and

c. maintain satisfactory performance of field experience services rendered during the program.

9. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, shall adopt, in accordance with the “Administrative Procedures Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.

STATEMENT

This bill establishes a Teacher Apprenticeship Program, the purpose of which is to offer stipends and provide program participants with the education and field experience necessary to obtain a New Jersey certificate of eligibility with advanced standing (CEAS), a credential that allows an individual to seek and accept employment as a teacher in a public school. The Teacher Apprenticeship Program is open to public high school students entering grade 12 and paraprofessionals with an associate degree who are employed in a public school. Under the bill, a public school includes school districts, charter schools, and renaissance schools.

Under the bill, a public school and accredited four-year institution of higher education that wish to offer the program will submit an application to the Department of Education that includes: (1) a dual enrollment agreement between the public school and institution of higher education; (2) the number of teachers in the public school and faculty at the institution of higher education available to provide college level instruction in connection with the program; and (3) a program implementation plan that includes information on the types of services in place to support students enrolled in the program. A public school and institution of higher education chosen to offer the program will jointly enter into an agreement with the department in which the public school and institution of higher education agree to provide program participants with the education and field experience necessary to obtain a CEAS.

Under this bill, the Teacher Apprenticeship program will be comprised of three stages. During stage one, which is open to high school students entering grade 12, a program participant will (1) earn 30 college credits in accordance with State Board of Education regulations; (2) author a literature review on a topic approved by the student’s academic advisor; (3) perform 200 hours of field experience; and (4) pass a commissioner-approved paraprofessional general aptitude exam. During stage two, which is open to individuals who have completed stage one of the program and paraprofessionals with an associate degree, a program participant will (1) earn a cumulative total of 90 college credits; (2) perform 1500 hours of field experience per year; and (3) pass the appropriate State test of subject matter knowledge. During stage three, which is open to individuals who have completed stage two of the program, a program participant will (1) earn a cumulative total of 120 college credits; (2) perform 1500 hours of field experience per year; (3) complete all necessary requirements for and obtain a bachelor’s degree; and (4) pass a commissioner-approved performance-based assessment. Individuals who complete stage three of the program will be awarded a Teacher Apprentice II credential. Individuals with a Teacher Apprentice II credential who meet the general certification requirements established by the State Board of Education will be eligible for a CEAS.

Under the bill, a program applicant must meet certain eligibility criteria. The applicant must be a New Jersey resident; if a high school student, pass a background check and have a minimum cumulative GPA of a 3.0 at the time of application; and if a paraprofessional applicant, have had a minimum cumulative GPA of a 3.0 upon graduation from a county college.

This bill directs high school students to submit an application to the public school in which the student is enrolled and to the institution of higher education that has partnered with the public school to offer the program. A paraprofessional will submit an application to a public school where the paraprofessional is employed or to a public school located in the school district in which the paraprofessional resides and to the institution of higher education that has partnered with the public school to offer the program. The public school and institution of higher education that has partnered with the public school will jointly select the applicants for participation in the program.

Under the bill, a program participant will receive a yearly stipend award, which will be distributed in such manner as determined by the commissioner and secretary. The stipends will be awarded as follows: (1) $2,000 during stage one of the program; (2) $10,000 per year during stage two of the program; and (3) $15,000 during stage three of the program. In order to receive the full stipend award during stages two and three, the program participant must be enrolled full-time in an institution of higher education and complete all required hours of field experience. The commissioner, in consultation with the secretary, may authorize partial distribution of the stipend award when a program participant is unable to enroll full-time in a course of study or fails to complete the required hours of field experience.

Finally, under the bill, a program participant must adhere to performance standards that include: (1) maintaining residency in the State; (2) maintaining a minimum cumulative GPA of a 3.0 while enrolled in the program; and (3) maintaining satisfactory performance of field experience services rendered during the program.