Bill Text: NJ A3338 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Allows school districts and requires public colleges to enter into dual enrollment agreements to provide college-level instruction to high school students through courses offered on college or high school campuses.*
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 17-9)
Status: (Passed) 2014-12-03 - Approved P.L.2014, c.74. [A3338 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-A3338-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman VINCENT PRIETO
District 32 (Bergen and Hudson)
Assemblyman PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.
District 18 (Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Requires all school districts and public colleges to enter into dual enrollment agreements to provide college-level instruction to high school students through courses offered on college or high school campus.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning dual enrollment programs, supplementing chapter 61C of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, and repealing P.L.1986, c.193 and P.L.1986, c.194.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Within one year of the effective date of this act, a school district with a high school shall enter into a dual enrollment agreement with one or more public institutions of higher education.
b. Within one year of the effective date of this act, a public institution of higher education shall enter into a dual enrollment agreement with one or more school districts with a high school.
c. A dual enrollment agreement between a public institution of higher education and a school district shall delineate the dual enrollment program pursuant to which instruction is provided to high school students through courses offered by the institution of higher education on its campus or on the campus of the public high school for college credit or credit toward a career certificate.
d. The dual enrollment agreement shall include:
(1) a description of the courses available to students eligible to participate in the dual enrollment program;
(2) a description of the student eligibility requirements for initial and continuing participation in the dual enrollment program, which shall include a provision that ensures that an eligible student is not excluded from participation because of an inability to pay;
(3) a description of the process by which a student and his parent or guardian exercise the option to participate in the dual enrollment program;
(4) a provision ensuring that any dual enrollment course taught on the high school campus is equivalent in rigor to courses taught on the campus of the institution of higher education;
(5) a description of the process by which a student and his parent or guardian are informed about opportunities for student participation in the dual enrollment program; and
(6) such other items as deemed appropriate by the Commissioner of Education and the Secretary of Higher Education.
2. A public institution of higher education shall accept the course credit of a student who successfully completes a course under the dual enrollment program.
3. The Commissioner of Education and the Secretary of Higher Education shall submit annually a joint report to the Governor and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), on dual enrollment programs in the State. The report shall include, but need not be limited to: information related to the utilization of dual enrollment programs throughout the State, including information specific to the income-level and location within the State of participating students; the effect dual enrollment programs have on reducing the average time-to-degree completion and increasing the likelihood of college graduation for participating students; an analysis of the rigor of the courses taken pursuant to the dual enrollment program; and recommendations for any suggested changes to the dual enrollment program.
4. The State Board of Education and the Secretary of Higher Education each shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
5. The following sections are repealed:
Sections 1 and 3 of P.L.1986, c.194 (C.18A:61C-1 and C.18A:61C-3); and
Sections 1 through 7 of P.L.1986, c.193 (C.18A:61C-4 through C.18A:61C-9).
6. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that within one year of its effective date, all school districts with high schools must enter into a dual enrollment agreement with at least one public institution of higher education. Similarly, within the one-year time frame, all public institutions of higher education must enter into dual enrollment agreements with one or more school districts with a high school. A dual enrollment agreement will delineate information concerning a dual enrollment program pursuant to which instruction is provided to public high school students through courses offered by the institution of higher education, either on its campus or on the high school campus. The credit may be used toward a career certificate or an associate or baccalaureate degree.
The bill requires the dual enrollment agreement to include:
· a description of the courses available to students eligible to participate in the dual enrollment program;
· a description of the student eligibility requirements for initial and continuing participation in the program, including a provision that ensures that an eligible student is not excluded from participation because of an inability to pay;
· a description of the process by which students and their parents or guardians exercise the option to participate in the program;
· a provision ensuring that any dual enrollment courses taught on the high school campus are equivalent in rigor to courses taught on the campus of the institution of higher education;
· a description of the process by which students and their parents or guardians are informed about opportunities for student participation in the program; and
· any other items deemed appropriate by the Commissioner of Education and the Secretary of Higher Education.
The bill specifies that a public institution of higher education is required to accept the course credit of a student who successfully completes a course under the dual enrollment program.
Under the provisions of the bill a joint report will be submitted annually by the Commissioner of Education and the Secretary of Higher Education to the Governor and to the Legislature on dual enrollment programs in the State. The report will include: information related to the utilization of dual enrollment programs throughout the State, including information specific to the income-level and location within the State of participating students; the effect dual enrollment programs have on reducing the average time-to-degree completion and increasing the likelihood of college graduation for participating students; an analysis of the rigor of the courses taken pursuant to the dual enrollment program; and recommendations for and suggested changes to the dual enrollment program.
The bill repeals two dual enrollment programs which did not require the participation of institutions of higher education. This bill seeks to increase the availability of dual enrollment courses for public high school students by requiring the participation of all school districts and all public institutions of higher education, both four-year and two-year, in dual enrollment programs.
