Bill Text: NJ A1299 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Revises certain endorsements to the instructional certificate, requires certified teachers in licensed child care centers located in Early Childhood Program Aid districts, and establishes a loan program to assist in the attainment of certification.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-12 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee [A1299 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-A1299-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
214th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2010 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman DAVID W. WOLFE
District 10 (Monmouth and Ocean)
Assemblyman JOSEPH R. MALONE, III
District 30 (Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Revises certain endorsements to the instructional certificate, requires certified teachers in licensed child care centers located in Early Childhood Program Aid districts, and establishes a loan program to assist in the attainment of certification.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act concerning early childhood education and supplementing 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:
"Abbott district" means an Abbott district as defined in section 3 of P.L.1996, c.138 (C.18A:7F-3);
"Average annual loan amount" means the total loan amount received pursuant to section 6 of this act divided by the number of years in which a loan was received;
"ECPA district" means a district that qualifies for early childhood program aid pursuant to section 16 of P.L.1996, c.138 (C.18A:7F-16);
"State authorized provider of preschool programs" means a private entity which has contracted to provide early childhood education programs for an ECPA district and which is licensed by the Department of Human Services to provide child care services pursuant to P.L.1983, c.492 (C.30:5B-1 et seq.).
2. a. The State Board of Education shall authorize a preschool through grade three endorsement to the instructional certificate. The endorsement shall entitle the holder to teach children in district preschool education programs and in grades kindergarten through three and in preschool education programs provided by a State authorized provider of preschool programs. The State board shall establish appropriate requirements for the endorsement that provide a teacher with the special knowledge and skills necessary to work with young children.
b. The State Board of Education shall revise the elementary education endorsement in effect upon the enactment of this act which authorizes the holder to teach children in grades nursery through eight. The revised endorsement shall entitle the holder to teach children in grades kindergarten through eight. The board shall establish appropriate requirements for the endorsement that provide a teacher with the special knowledge and skills necessary to work with children in these grades.
3. a. Except as otherwise provided in section 5 of this act, beginning on September 1, 2003, a teacher newly hired to teach in a preschool program operated by a non-Abbott ECPA district shall possess a preschool through grade three endorsement to the instructional certificate in order to teach children in grades prekindergarten through three.
b. Except as otherwise provided in section 5 of this act, beginning on September 1, 2001, a teacher newly hired to teach in a preschool program operated by an Abbott district shall possess a preschool through grade three endorsement to the instructional certificate in order to teach children in grades prekindergarten through three.
Any waiver to the requirement of this subsection shall be granted by the Commissioner of Education only if it is consistent with the March 7, 2000 order of the New Jersey Supreme Court in Abbott v. Burke, 163 N.J. 95 (2000).
4. a. Except as otherwise provided in section 5 of this act, beginning on September 1, 2003, any teacher who is employed by a State authorized provider of preschool programs in an Abbott district shall possess the preschool through grade three endorsement to the instructional certificate; except that such a teacher who does not possess a bachelor's degree shall possess the preschool through grade three endorsement beginning on September 1, 2004. A teacher who does not possess a bachelor's degree on the effective date of this act, shall annually provide to the commissioner such documentation as the commissioner may require of satisfactory progress toward the attainment of that degree and the preschool through grade three endorsement required pursuant to this subsection.
Any waiver to the requirements of this subsection shall be granted by the Commissioner of Education only if it is consistent with the March 7, 2000 order of the New Jersey Supreme Court in Abbott v. Burke, 163 N.J. 95 (2000).
b. Except as otherwise provided in section 5 of this act, beginning on September 1, 2003, any teacher who is employed by a State authorized provider of preschool programs in a non-Abbott ECPA district shall possess the preschool through grade three endorsement to the instructional certificate; except that such a teacher who does not possess a bachelor's degree shall possess the preschool through grade three endorsement beginning on September 1, 2006. A teacher who does not possess a bachelor's degree on the effective date of this act shall annually provide to the commissioner such documentation as the commissioner may require of satisfactory progress toward the attainment of that degree and the preschool through grade three endorsement required pursuant to this subsection.
c. Beginning on September 1, 2002, any teacher assistant who assists in a preschool program and is employed by an Abbott or non-Abbott ECPA district or a State authorized provider of preschool programs shall possess a child development associate credential (CDA) or its equivalent.
5. Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 3 and 4 of this act, a teacher who holds an instructional certificate endorsed for nursery school or preschool as of the effective date of this act shall not be required to hold a preschool through grade three endorsement in order to teach children in grades covered by the nursery school or preschool endorsement in a public school district, in a State authorized provider of preschool programs or in any other licensed child care center.
6. a. There is established in the Department of Education an Early Childhood Education Loan and Loan Redemption Program. The program shall provide direct loans to fund the cost of attendance at a program sponsored by a public or independent institution of higher education or other institution as approved by the Commissioner of Education for the following purposes:
(1) to enable teachers or teacher assistants employed by a State authorized provider of preschool programs to obtain the preschool through grade three endorsement to the instructional certificate. Loans shall also be made available to finance the costs of any remedial education which may be required for this purpose; and
(2) to enable teacher assistants, whether employed by an Abbott or non-Abbott ECPA district or a State authorized provider of preschool programs, to obtain a child development associate credential (CDA) or its equivalent. Loans shall also be made available to finance the costs of any remedial education which may be required for this purpose.
b. Within the limit of available appropriations, loans shall be made to eligible individuals in a maximum amount of $5,000 per year. A loan shall cover the costs of attendance pursuant to subsection a. of this section, which shall include tuition, books, and other necessary fees and expenses related to the educational program. In no academic year shall a participant be eligible for a loan greater than the total cost of attendance, less the total value of all scholarships and grants received by the participant for that academic year. A loan recipient may apply for loan renewals to finance the subsequent years of the educational program; except that the total amount of loan indebtedness for any loan recipient under the program shall not exceed $30,000.
c. A loan made pursuant to this section shall be redeemed by a program participant upon execution of a contract between the participant and the commissioner. In the case of a program participant seeking the preschool through grade three endorsement, loans shall be redeemed, following receipt of the preschool through grade three endorsement, in an amount equal to the average annual loan amount received by the participant for each year of employment as a teacher by a State authorized provider of preschool programs. In the case of a program participant seeking the child development associate credential (CDA) or its equivalent, loans shall be redeemed following receipt of the child development associate credential (CDA) in an amount equal to the average annual loan amount for each year of employment as a teacher assistant in a preschool education program operated by an Abbott or non-Abbott ECPA district or by a State authorized provider of preschool programs.
d. Loans made pursuant to this section shall not bear interest or finance charges during the time the participant is enrolled in an approved program or is engaged in approved redemption service pursuant to this section.
e. In order to maintain eligibility for the loan program, a participant shall annually provide to the commissioner such documentation as the commissioner shall require of satisfactory progress in the educational program in which the participant is enrolled.
f. A teacher or teacher assistant who has entered into a redemption contract with the commissioner may nullify the contract by submitting written notification to the commissioner and assuming full responsibility for repayment of the full amount of the loan or that portion of the loan which has not been redeemed by the State in return for partial fulfillment of the contract. The interest on the loan shall be equal to the interest rate on a loan for a term of like-duration available to the State of New Jersey at the time the loan was made. The teacher or teacher assistant seeking to nullify the contract shall be required to repay the loan or the unredeemed portion thereof in accordance with a schedule determined by the commissioner.
g. In case of a program participant's death or total and permanent disability, the commissioner shall nullify the service obligation of the participant, thereby terminating the participant's obligation to repay the unpaid balance of the loan; or where continued enforcement of the contract may result in extreme hardship, the commissioner may nullify or suspend the participant's service obligation.
7. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the State Board of Education to authorize a preschool through grade three endorsement to the instructional certificate that will entitle the holder to teach children in preschool education programs in school districts and in those provided by licensed child care centers approved by the Department of Education to provide preschool education for three- and four-year old students in public school districts. A holder of the endorsement will also be authorized to teach in grades kindergarten through three. A preschool through grade three endorsement to the instructional certificate was recently authorized by the State Board of Education and this bill provides the statutory authorization for that action.
The bill also directs the State Board of Education to revise the current elementary endorsement, which authorizes the holder to teach children in grades nursery through eight, to an endorsement which authorizes the holder to teach children in grades kindergarten through eight.
In accordance with the March 7, 2000 order of the New Jersey Supreme Court in Abbott v. Burke, 163 N.J. 95 (2000), the bill requires that effective September 1, 2001, a teacher newly hired to teach in a preschool program operated by a public school in an Abbott district must possess a preschool through grade three endorsement to the instructional certificate in order to teach children in grades prekindergarten through three. The same requirement would apply to a newly hired teacher in a non-Abbott district receiving Early Childhood Program Aid (an "ECPA district") effective September 1, 2003.
Beginning September 1, 2003, any teacher who teaches in a preschool program operated by a licensed child care center under contract with an Abbott district must be a certified teacher who possesses a preschool through grade three endorsement. In the case of a teacher who does not possess a bachelor's degree, however, the teacher will have until September 1, 2004 to obtain an instructional certificate with the required endorsement.
Any waiver of the requirements for teachers in Abbott districts must be consistent with the March 7th order of the Supreme Court.
The bill further provides that a teacher who teaches in a preschool program operated by a licensed child care center under contract with a non-Abbott ECPA district must be a certified teacher who possesses a preschool through grade three endorsement beginning September 1, 2003. Any teacher who does not possess a bachelor's degree will have until September 1, 2006 to obtain the endorsement. The bill also requires teacher assistants who assist in preschool programs, whether employed by a licensed child care center or in a non-Abbot ECPA district, to obtain a child development associate credential (CDA) beginning on September 1, 2002.
Finally, the bill establishes an Early Childhood Education Loan and Loan Redemption Program in the Department of Education. Under the program, loans will be provided to finance the cost of teachers employed by licensed child care centers in ECPA districts and teacher assistants employed by child care centers and school districts in ECPA districts to obtain the credentials required under the bill. The maximum annual loan amount would be $5,000 and a recipient may apply for loan renewals to finance the subsequent years of the educational program; however total loan indebtedness under the program may not exceed $30,000.
Under the program, loans would be redeemed, pursuant to a contract, in an amount equal to the annual average loan amount received by the loan recipient for each year of employment, following completion of the educational program, in a preschool education program in a licensed child care center or school district in an ECPA district as prescribed under the bill. The bill includes provisions which govern the procedures to be followed in the event that a loan recipient does not fulfill the contract obligations or in the case of the recipient's death or disability.
