[Second Reprint]

SENATE, No. 2833

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED AUGUST 17, 2020

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  M. TERESA RUIZ

District 29 (Essex)

Senator  SHIRLEY K. TURNER

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Senator Pou

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Establishes Teacher Residency Program.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on May 20, 2021, with amendments.

  


An Act establishing a Teacher 2[Apprenticeship] Residency2 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.

     2“Non-certificated staff member” means a member of the staff, including a paraprofessional, of any public school holding office, position, or employment of such character that the qualifications, for such office, position, or employment, do not require the staff member to hold a valid and effective standard, provisional, or emergency certificate issued by the State Board of Examiners.2

     “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 2[Apprenticeship] Residency2 Program established pursuant to section 2 of this act.

     “Program participant” means a public high school student entering grade 12 2[and] who has been accepted into the Teacher Residency Program, or2 a 2[paraprofessional with] non-certificated staff member who has obtained a minimum of 60 college credits or2 an associate degree who has been accepted into the Teacher 2[Apprenticeship] Residency2 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 2[Apprenticeship] Residency2 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 2[four-year]2 institution of higher education with a Department of Education approved educator preparation program that wish to offer the Teacher 2[Apprenticeship] Residency2 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 2[Apprenticeship] Residency2 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 2[School Apprentice] Teacher Trainee2 credential.  In order to complete stage one, a program participant shall:

     (1)   earn 2[30] a minimum of 152 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; 2and2

     (3)   perform 200 hours of field experience2[; and

     (4)   pass a commissioner-approved paraprofessional general aptitude exam]2.

     b.    Stage two of the program shall be open to individuals with a 2[School Apprentice] Teacher Trainee2 credential and 2[paraprofessionals with] non-certificated staff members who have obtained a minimum of 60 college credits or2 an associate degree.  A program participant 2enrolled in an educator preparation program2 who completes stage two of the program shall be awarded a Teacher 2[Apprentice] Resident2 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 2[1500] a minimum of 7202 hours of field experience 2[per year]2; 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 2[Apprentice] Resident2 I credential.  A program participant who completes stage three of the program shall be awarded a Teacher 2[Apprentice] Resident2 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 2[1500] a minimum of 10002 hours of field experience 2[per year]2;

     (3)   complete 2an educator preparation program and2 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 2[Apprentice] Resident2 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 2[paraprofessional with] non-certificated staff member who has obtained a minimum of 60 college credits or2 an associate degree, have 2[graduated from a county college with] maintained2 a minimum cumulative grade point average of a 3.0 on a scale of 4.0, or its equivalent 2while enrolled in or upon graduation from an institution of higher education, as applicable2.

 

     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 2[paraprofessional with] non-certificated staff member who has obtained a minimum of 60 college credits or2 an associate degree who wishes to participate in the program shall submit an application to the public school in which the 2[paraprofessional] non-certificated staff member2 is employed or to a public school 2[located in the school district in which the paraprofessional resides] offering the Teacher Residency Program2 and to the institution of higher education that has partnered with the public school to offer the program.  2An application shall be accepted in a manner determined by the partnering public school and institution of higher education.2  The application shall include 2, but not be limited to, the following2:

     (1)   official transcripts from each 2[county college] institution of higher education2 the 2[paraprofessional] non-certificated staff member2 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.

     2d.     As a condition of acceptance into the program, a program participant shall enter into an agreement with the Department of Education to maintain employment as a teaching staff member in the State for four years following completion of the program.  A program participant who is unable to obtain employment as a teaching staff member in the State following completion of the program may seek a waiver from the department exempting the program participant from the provisions of this paragraph.  The department shall establish guidelines governing the provisions of this subsection.2

 

     7.    a.  A program participant shall receive 2[a yearly]2 stipend 2[award] awards2 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 2[per year]2 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 2[four-year]2 institution of higher education that has partnered with the public school under the program and complete all required hours of field experience.

     c.     2[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] The commissioner and secretary may determine to provide additional stipend awards to a program participant whose course of study while enrolled in the program may lead to a subject area endorsement in any subject area in which there is a shortage of teachers in the State as determined by the commissioner2.

 

     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.

 

     110.  This act shall take effect on the first day of the 13th month next following the date of enactment, except the Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education, may take any anticipatory administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the timely implementation of this act.1