ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 905

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: MAY 13, 1996

      The Assembly Education Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 905 with committee amendments.

      As amended by committee, this bill amends the "State Lottery Law," P.L.1970, c.13, to provide that annually $3 million of unclaimed prize money shall be appropriated to the Department of Education to award grants to public school districts to establish Reading Recovery Programs or other remedial reading programs and gifted and talented programs.

      Under the bill's provisions, annually $2 million is to be used for the establishment of Reading Recovery Programs or other remedial reading programs. A Reading Recovery Program is an early intervention program that enables the lowest 20% of first graders at risk of reading failure to develop strategies to read at average classroom levels. Research on the program indicates a high success rate in raising the reading levels of such students and that upon completion of the program they require no further remediation.

      The bill also provides that annually $1 million is to be used for the establishment of gifted and talented programs within school districts.

      The bill stipulates that no more than 3% of the funds received by the department under the bill's provisions shall be used to cover administrative costs. Also, funds distributed under the bill's provisions shall not be used to reduce expenditures from funds received by school districts and the department for Reading Recovery Programs or other remedial reading programs and gifted and talented programs from any other source.

      The committee amended the bill to authorize the use of grant funds for remedial reading programs in addition to Reading Recovery Programs. The committee amendments also provide that all grants are to be awarded in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Education's grants management process.

      This bill was prefiled for introduction in the 1996 legislative session pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review which has been performed.