Bill Text: NJ A3989 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Authorizes a teacher leader endorsement to the instructional certificate.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-2)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2013-05-20 - Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee [A3989 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-A3989-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman MILA M. JASEY
District 27 (Essex and Morris)
Assemblyman PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.
District 18 (Middlesex)
Assemblyman DAVID W. WOLFE
District 10 (Ocean)
Assemblywoman CONNIE WAGNER
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Authorizes a teacher leader endorsement to the instructional certificate.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
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. The State Board of Education shall authorize a teacher leader endorsement to the instructional certificate. Except as provided in section 3 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), to be eligible for the teacher leader endorsement an applicant shall:
a. Complete a program of study equivalent to, at a minimum, 12 graduate credits or 180 clock hours, or a combination thereof, with an approved provider of a program of study for the teacher leader endorsement; and
b. Complete five years of full-time teaching under a valid provisional or standard certificate, or a combination thereof, issued by the State Board of Examiners.
2. A teacher shall possess a teacher leader endorsement to the instructional certificate issued by the State Board of Examiners in order to be eligible to be appointed by a board of education to one of the following positions: a mentor in a mentoring program established pursuant to section 14 of P.L.2012, c.26 (C.18A:6-127); a mentor assigned to a novice teacher in accordance with State Board of Education regulations; a member of a school improvement panel established pursuant to section 12 of P.L.2012, c.26 (C.18A:6-120); a member of a district evaluation advisory committee; a professional development coordinator; and such other non-supervisory positions as may be authorized by the State Board of Education.
3. Within one year of the effective date of this section, a teacher who has served in a school district prior to the effective date of this section as a mentor in a mentoring program established pursuant to section 14 of P.L.2012, c.26 (C.18A:6-127), a mentor assigned to a novice teacher in accordance with State Board of Education regulations, a member of a school improvement panel established pursuant to section 12 of P.L.2012, c.26 (C.18A:6-120), a member of a district evaluation advisory committee, or a professional development coordinator, may apply to the State Board of Examiners for a teacher leader endorsement and shall be issued that endorsement upon documentation of having met the requirement set forth in this section.
4. a. There shall be established a 10-member Teacher Leader Endorsement Advisory Board in the Department of Education. The members of the advisory board shall be appointed by the Commissioner of Education as follows: one officer or employee of the department; four members upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Education Association; one member upon the recommendation of the American Federation of Teachers-New Jersey; one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association; one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of School Administrators; one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey School Boards Association; and one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. The member who is an officer or employee of the department shall be a non-voting member of the advisory board.
b. Members of the advisory board, other than the member who is an officer or employee of the department, shall serve for a three-year term; except that of the initial appointees, the members appointed upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and the New Jersey School Boards Association, and one of the members appointed upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Education Association shall serve for a term of three years; the members appointed upon the recommendation of the American Federation of Teachers-New Jersey and the New Jersey Association of School Administrators, and one of the members appointed upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Education Association shall serve for a term of two years; and the member appointed upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association and two of the members appointed upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Education Association shall serve for a term of one year. No member of the board may serve more than two successive terms.
c. The advisory board shall organize no later than two months following the effective date of this section, and shall elect a chair and a vice-chair from among its members.
d. The advisory board shall, no later than six months following its organization, make recommendations to the Department of Education regarding the program of study for the teacher leader endorsement. The recommendations shall be aligned with the teacher leader model standards set forth subsection f. of this section. The recommendations regarding the program of study may include, but need not be limited to, field experiences and additional coursework acquired beyond the standards.
e. The advisory board shall meet at least monthly until it makes its recommendations to the department regarding the program of study for the teacher leader endorsement. The advisory board shall continue to meet as necessary, but not less than twice per year, to make recommendations regarding necessary adjustments to the program of study for the teacher leader endorsement and to assess outcomes associated with the various providers of the programs of study for the teacher leader endorsement.
f. Pursuant to the teacher leader model standards, a teacher with the teacher leader endorsement shall be prepared to:
(1) Foster a collaborative culture to support educator development and student learning, which shall include understanding the principles of adult learning and how to develop a collaborative culture of collective responsibility;
(2) Support collaborative team structures, including professional learning communities, and promote an environment of trust, respect, and collegiality to advance continuous improvement in instruction and student learning;
(3) Access and use research to improve practices and student learning, which shall include understanding how to use research, and how to model and facilitate with colleagues systematic inquiry and research use as a critical component of teachers' ongoing learning and development in improving teaching and learning;
(4) Promote professional learning for continuous improvement, which shall include understanding the evolving nature of teaching and learning, understanding established and emerging technologies and the school community, and sharing this knowledge with colleagues to promote, design, and facilitate job-embedded professional learning aligned with school improvement goals;
(5) Facilitate improvements in instruction and student learning, which shall include demonstrating and using a thorough understanding of the teaching and learning processes to advance the professional skills of colleagues by being a continuous learner, modeling reflective practice based on student needs, and coaching or working collaboratively with colleagues to ensure that instructional practices are aligned to a shared mission, vision, and goals;
(6) Promote the use of assessments and data for school and district improvement, which shall include being knowledgeable about research on current classroom- and school-based design and selection of appropriate formative and summative assessment methods, sharing that knowledge, and collaborating with colleagues in using assessments and other data to make informed decisions regarding student learning and in influencing school improvement practices, district improvement practices, or both;
(7) Improve outreach and collaboration with families and community, which shall include understanding the significant impact that families, cultures, and communities have on educational processes and student learning and working with colleagues to promote ongoing systematic collaboration with families, community members, business and community leaders, and other stakeholders to improve the educational system and expand student learning opportunities to support cultures of student success; and
(8) Advocate for student learning and the teaching and education profession.
5. a. A New Jersey institution of higher education, an educational organization, or other non-profit entity, or a combination thereof, may apply to the Department of Education to offer a program of study for the teacher leader endorsement.
b. An application to offer a program of study for the teacher leader endorsement shall include:
(1) Documentation of the requirement for admission of a candidate into the program of study, including evidence of an instructional certificate issued by the State Board of Examiners; and
(2) Documentation of the program of study's instructional component, including:
(a) organization, timeline, and guiding principles;
(b) program curriculum and corresponding time allocations;
(c) alignment of curriculum with the teacher leader model standards as set forth in section 4 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill);
(d) alignment of learning opportunities with the teacher leader model standards as set forth in section 4 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill);
(e) a description of the key pedagogical approaches to be used;
(f) the names and qualifications of program instructors;
(g) descriptions of other professional experiences available through the program, such as professional learning and networking opportunities; and
(h) the procedure and evidence for determining a candidate's eligibility for the endorsement.
c. The Department of Education shall approve programs of study that meet the standards adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to section 7 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
d. The department shall collect data from the approved providers of the program of study regarding the number of teacher leader endorsements issued to teachers enrolled in the program of study, the effectiveness of the program of study, and such other data deemed appropriate by the department. The data collected shall be provided to the Teacher Leader Endorsement Advisory Board to support the board's work.
6. Nothing in this act shall be construed to limit the right to determine any additional compensation and release time for the responsibilities of a teacher with a teacher leader endorsement, in addition to any other terms and conditions of employment related to these teachers, through collective negotiations.
7. 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.), to:
a. Set standards for the program of study for the teacher leader endorsement; and
b. Set standards for the approval of providers of programs of study for the teacher leader endorsement.
8. This act shall take effect 90 days after the date of enactment, except that section 2 shall not become effective until the fourth full school year following such time as the State Board of Education adopts regulations setting forth the standards for the program of study for the teacher leader endorsement.
STATEMENT
This bill authorizes a teacher leader endorsement to a teacher's instructional certificate. Under the provisions of the bill, a teacher will be required to be issued this endorsement in order to be appointed by a board of education to one of the following positions: a mentor in a mentoring program established pursuant to section 14 of P.L.2012, c.26 (C.18A:6-127); a mentor assigned to a novice teacher pursuant to State Board of Education regulations; a member of a school improvement panel established pursuant to section 12 of P.L.2012, c.26 (C.18A:6-120); a member of a district evaluation advisory committee; a professional development coordinator; and such other non-supervisory positions as may be authorized by the State Board of Education. This requirement will not take effect, however, until after the fourth full school year following such time as the State Board of Education has adopted regulations setting forth the standards for the program of study for the teacher leader endorsement.
In order to be eligible for the teacher leader endorsement, an applicant will be required to: complete a program of study equivalent to, at a minimum, 12 graduate credits or 180 clock hours; and complete five years of full-time teaching under a valid provisional or standard certificate, or a combination thereof, issued by the State Board of Examiners. An exception to these requirements is provided which would allow teachers who have served in specific positions in the school district to apply to the State Board of Examiners within one year of the bill's effective date for the teacher leader endorsement and to be issued the endorsement upon documentation of having served in one of the specified positions.
The bill establishes a Teacher Leader Endorsement Advisory Board in the Department of Education which will make recommendations to the Department of Education regarding the program of study for the teacher leader endorsement. The advisory board will continue to meet after the recommendations are made in order to continue to advise the department regarding any necessary adjustments to the program of study for the teacher leader endorsement and to assess the outcomes associated with the various providers of the program of study for the endorsement.
Under the provisions of the bill, a State institution of higher education, an educational organization, or other non-profit entity, or a combination thereof, may apply to the Department of Education to offer a program of study leading to the issuance of the teacher leader endorsement. The State Board of Education is required to promulgate regulations that set standards for the approval of these providers, and the department will, in accordance with those standards, approve providers.
