SENATE, No. 3468

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2021

Sponsored by:

Senator  VIN GOPAL

District 11 (Monmouth)

SYNOPSIS

     Mandates educator preparation programs provide training on anti-bias instructional methods to candidates for teaching certification.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

An Act concerning certain training for prospective teachers 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.    a.  Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, all candidates for teaching certification who have completed an educator preparation program at an institution of higher education in the State that is a commissioner-approved educator preparation program provider shall have satisfactorily completed a course or training on anti-bias instructional methods that includes, but shall not be limited to, information on implicit bias, institutional bias, and structural bias.

     b. All institutions of higher education in the State that are commissioner-approved educator preparation program providers shall review and update their educator preparation programs to implement the requirements of this section and submit the revisions to the Department of Education for approval.

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately. 

STATEMENT

     This bill provides that beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, all candidates for teaching certification who have completed an educator preparation program at an institution of higher education in the State that is a commissioner-approved educator preparation program provider must have satisfactorily completed a course or training on anti-bias instructional methods that includes, but is not limited to, information on implicit bias, institutional bias, and structural bias. 

     The bill also provides that all institutions of higher education in the State that are commissioner-approved educator preparation program providers will review and update their educator preparation programs to implement the bill’s requirements and submit the revisions to the Department of Education for approval.