Bill Text: NJ A969 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires State Board of Education to adopt standards and benchmarks of performance for the improvement of teacher preparation programs and teacher certification candidates who complete the programs, and develop a program rating system.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-16 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee [A969 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-A969-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
216th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2014 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman TROY SINGLETON
District 7 (Burlington)
SYNOPSIS
Requires State Board of Education to adopt standards and benchmarks of performance for the improvement of teacher preparation programs and teacher certification candidates who complete the programs, and develop a program rating system.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act concerning teacher preparation programs 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. The State Board of Education shall establish standards for the continuous improvement of teacher preparation programs and the performance of candidates for teacher certification who complete the programs. The standards shall include benchmarks for performance that include, but need not be limited to:
(1) test score data for each State test of subject matter knowledge required for each endorsement to the instructional certificate; and
(2) the maximum number of times each candidate who completes the teacher preparation program takes the appropriate State test of subject matter knowledge before receiving a passing score.
Each teacher preparation program shall annually report to the Department of Education the program's performance on the benchmarks established pursuant to this subsection. The department shall make the information available for public inspection on the department's Internet website.
b. The State board shall appoint an advisory committee to make recommendations to the board on the establishment of the standards and benchmarks required pursuant to subsection a. of this section. The committee shall include one representative of the New Jersey Education Association, one representative of the American Federation of Teachers-New Jersey, one representative of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association, one representative of the New Jersey School Boards Association, one representative of the New Jersey Association of School Administrators, one representative of the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities, and one representative of the New Jersey Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
c. In addition to the requirements of subsection a. of this section, each teacher preparation program shall annually report the following information to the department:
(1) the attrition, retention, and completion rates of candidates for teacher certification enrolled in the teacher preparation program;
(2) the average score of candidates for teacher certification on the appropriate State test of subject matter knowledge required for each endorsement to the instructional certificate;
(3) the percentage of candidates for teacher certification who complete the teacher preparation program who obtain employment in a full-time teaching position or in a part-time teaching position within nine months of the completion of the program; and
(4) the name of the school district, nonpublic school, or other entity where the candidate for teacher certification obtained employment in a full-time or part-time teaching position.
d. Not later than July 1, 2016, the State board shall establish a rating system for teacher preparation programs based on the performance of those programs as demonstrated by the data collected pursuant to subsections a. and c. of this section for the three most recent academic years. The department shall make the ratings available for public inspection on its Internet website.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the State Board of Education to establish standards for the continuous improvement of teacher preparation programs and the performance of candidates for teacher certification who complete the programs. The standards are to include benchmarks for performance that include test score data for each State test of subject matter knowledge required for a teaching certificate, and the maximum number of times each candidate for teacher certification who completes the teacher preparation program takes the appropriate State test of subject matter knowledge before receiving a passing score. Each teacher preparation program will annually report its performance on the benchmarks to the Department of Education, and the department will make the information available for public inspection on its website. The bill directs the State board to establish an advisory committee to make recommendations to the board on the establishment of the standards and benchmarks. The advisory committee will be composed of representatives of various education and higher education organizations.
In addition to the above information, each teacher preparation program will annually report:
(1) the attrition, retention, and completion rates of candidates for teacher certification enrolled in the program;
(2) the average score of candidates for teacher certification on the appropriate State test of subject matter knowledge required for each endorsement to the instructional certificate;
(3) the percentage of candidates for teacher certification who complete the program who obtain a full-time or part-time teaching position within nine months of completion of the program; and
(4) the name of the school district, nonpublic school, or other entity where the candidate obtained employment.
Based on the reported information, the State board is to establish a rating system for teacher preparation programs and make the ratings available for public inspection on its website.
