ENATE, No. 411

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED JANUARY 18, 1996

 

 

By Senator BRYANT

 

 

An Act concerning the certification of teachers 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. a. The State Board of Education shall authorize a bilingual/bicultural endorsement and an English as a second language endorsement to the instructional certificate. The respective endorsements shall entitle the holder to teach limited English proficient students enrolled in bilingual/bicultural programs or English as a second language classes in the language or languages in which the holder was found proficient by the State.

    b. The State board shall establish appropriate requirements for the endorsements including the demonstration by the applicant, pursuant to uniform State standards of language proficiency, oral and written proficiency in English and, for applicants for the bilingual/bicultural endorsement, in one other language also used as a medium of instruction. The requirements for the bilingual/bicultural endorsement shall include at least 15 credits of college coursework pertaining to the special knowledge and skills necessary to teach students of limited English proficiency in bilingual education programs in one of the following areas: early childhood, elementary, content area, or special education. A holder of a bilingual/bicultural endorsement shall not teach in a subject area other than that in which the credit requirement was fulfilled. The requirements for applicants for the English as a second language endorsement shall include subject area knowledge, study of at least one foreign language, and professional preparation comparable to that required for kindergarten through 12th grade content area endorsements.

    c. As of the effective date of this act, the State board shall issue no endorsement to the instructional certificate which authorizes a teacher to teach classes for students of limited English-speaking ability pursuant to P.L.1974, c.197 (C.18A:35-15 et seq.) other than that authorized by subsection a. of this section.

    d. Teachers who, as of the effective date of this act, possess any permanent endorsement to the instructional certificate which entitles them to teach in bilingual/bicultural programs or English as a second language classes shall not be required to obtain the bilingual/bicultural endorsement or English as a second language endorsement authorized in subsection a. of this section in order to continue teaching these programs.

    e. Nothing in this act shall affect the tenure and seniority rights of teachers who, as of the effective date of this act, possess any permanent endorsement to the instructional certificate which entitles them to teach in bilingual/bicultural programs or English as a second language classes.

 

    2. The State Board of Education shall, within 120 days of the effective date of this act, promulgate rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedures Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), necessary to implement the provisions of this act.

 

    3. This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

                                                STATEMENT

 

    This bill authorizes two endorsements to the instructional certificate. The first entitles the holder to teach in bilingual/bicultural programs and the second entitles the holder to teach English as a second language classes.

    The bill provides that an applicant for the bilingual/bicultural endorsement must demonstrate foreign language and English language proficiency pursuant to uniform State standards. An applicant for the English as a second language endorsement must demonstrate oral and written English language proficiency pursuant to uniform State standards. Currently, the local school district is responsible for ensuring foreign language proficiency and there are no provisions for assessing oral language proficiency in English for either bilingual/bicultural or English as a second language teachers.

    Applicants for the English as a second language endorsement must also possess subject area knowledge, complete coursework in a foreign language and professional preparation comparable to that required for any other endorsement to the instructional certificate. Applicants for the bilingual/bicultural endorsement must obtain 15 credits of college level coursework pertaining to the special knowledge and skills necessary to work with students of limited English proficiency in the areas of early childhood, elementary, content area, or special education. The teacher may not teach pupils in an area other than that in which the credit requirement was fulfilled.

    The bill provides, however, that current holders of a permanent bilingual/bicultural or English as a second language endorsement will not be required to satisfy the requirements established by the bill for these endorsements in order to continue teaching these programs. The bill also provides a hold harmless clause protecting teachers' tenure and seniority rights.

 

 

                                                                                           

Provides for bilingual/bicultural endorsement and English as a second language endorsement to the instructional certificate and requires State to test language proficiency of applicants.