Bill Text: NJ S2028 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes teacher certification route for candidates with Montessori teaching credentials.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee [S2028 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S2028-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator VIN GOPAL
District 11 (Monmouth)
Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes teacher certification route for candidates with Montessori teaching credentials.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning teacher certification 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. As used in this section:
"Certificate of eligibility" means a certificate with lifetime validity issued by the State Board of Examiners to candidates who meet degree, academic, and applicable test requirements for teacher certification.
"Provisional certificate" means a certificate issued by the State Board of Examiners to candidates who hold either a certificate of eligibility or a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing and are employed as part of a State approved district training program or residency leading to standard certification.
"Standard instructional certificate" means a permanent certificate issued to a person who has met all teacher certification requirements.
b. The State Board of Education shall authorize a route to teacher certification for candidates seeking a certificate of eligibility with a preschool through grade three endorsement or an elementary school (kindergarten through six) endorsement who possess a Montessori teaching credential. To be eligible for this route to teacher certification, a candidate shall:
(1) hold a Montessori teaching credential issued by the American Montessori Society, the Association Montessori Internationale, or an institution accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education;
(2) hold a bachelor's degree in any field from an accredited institution of higher education; and
(3) meet the applicable test requirements for a certificate of eligibility.
In order to obtain a provisional or standard instructional certificate, a candidate seeking a certificate of eligibility with a preschool through grade three endorsement or an elementary school (kindergarten through grade six) endorsement who meets the criteria established pursuant to this section shall not be required to complete:
(1) 50 hours of pre-professional experience or credits of preschool through grade three pedagogy at a Department of Education-approved institution of higher education;
(2) 350 hours of credits or coursework after employment; or
(3) 24 credits after employment.
c. The State Board of Examiners shall issue a certificate of eligibility to a candidate who meets the criteria established pursuant to this section. A candidate eligible for a certificate of eligibility pursuant to this section shall not be required to complete a State- approved educator preparation program, but shall be required to complete a Montessori teacher preparation program that:
(1) is affiliated with the American Montessori Society, the Association Montessori Internationale, or is accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education; and
(2) requires a minimum of 200 academic hours and 400 practicum hours.
d. The State Board of Education shall promulgate regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), necessary to effectuate the provisions of this section.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the State Board of Education to authorize a route to teacher certification for candidates who possess a Montessori teaching credential. The provisions of the bill apply to candidates seeking a certificate of eligibility with preschool through grade three endorsement or an elementary school (kindergarten through grade six) endorsement.
To be eligible for this route to teacher certification, a candidate is required to:
• hold a Montessori teaching credential issued by the American Montessori Society, the Association Montessori Internationale, or an institution accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education;
• hold a bachelor's degree in any field from an accredited institution of higher education; and
• meet the applicable test requirements for a certificate of eligibility.
The Montessori certification supplants the 50 pre-service hours required through the alternative route, in addition to the educational requirements of the provisional teacher program. In order to obtain a provisional or standard instructional certificate, a candidate seeking a certificate of eligibility with a preschool through grade three endorsement or an elementary school (kindergarten through six) endorsement who meets the criteria established under this bill is not required to complete:
• 50 hours of pre-professional experience or credits of preschool through grade three pedagogy;
• 350 hours of credits of coursework after employment if the candidate is seeking an elementary school (kindergarten through grade six) endorsement; or
• 24 credits after employment if the candidate is seeking a preschool through grade three endorsement.
Under the bill, the State Board of Examiners will issue a certificate of eligibility to a candidate who meets the criteria established under the bill. A candidate eligible for a certificate of eligibility will not be required to complete a State-approved education preparation program, but will be required to complete a Montessori teacher preparation program that:
• is affiliated with the American Montessori Society, the Association Montessori Internationale, or is accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education; and
• requires a minimum of 200 academic hours and 400 practicum hours.
The bill defines "certificate of eligibility" as a certificate with lifetime validity issued by the State Board of Examiners to candidates who meet the degree, academic, and applicable test requirements for teacher certification.
