Bill Text: NJ S1039 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires teacher preparation program for instuctional certificate to include certain amount of instruction or clinical experience in special education and for students with disabilities endorsement to include credit hours in autism spectrum disorder.*
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-11-16 - Reported from Senate Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading [S1039 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-S1039-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
Directs State Board of Education to develop autism spectrum disorder endorsement and requires all teacher preparation programs to include a special education component.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning special education 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. In addition to any other requirements adopted by the State Board of Education for teacher preparation programs, the State board shall require that the preparation program for an instructional certificate include a minimum of 6 semester credit hours in special education.
2. a. The State Board of Education shall develop an autism spectrum disorder endorsement that authorizes the holder to teach special education to students with autism. In addition to the content areas that the teacher's endorsements authorize, the holder of an autism spectrum disorder endorsement also may provide consultative services and supportive resource programs including modification and adaption of curriculum and instruction to students with autism in general education programs in grades preschool through 12.
b. The State board shall establish requirements for teacher preparation programs for the autism spectrum disorder endorsement.
3. A teacher holding the Students with Disabilities endorsement issued by the State Board of Education prior to the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) may continue to teach students with autism in grades preschool through 12 if the teacher can demonstrate to the school district at which the teacher is employed content knowledge appropriate to the content and the content level to be taught.
4. The State Board of Education shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this act.
5. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that, in addition to any other requirements adopted by the State Board of Education for teacher preparation programs, the State board must require that the preparation program for an instructional certificate include a minimum of 6 semester credit hours in special education.
The bill also directs the State board to develop an autism spectrum disorder endorsement that authorizes the holder to teach special education to students with autism. Under the bill, in addition to the content areas that the teacher's endorsements authorize, the holder of an autism spectrum disorder endorsement also may provide consultative services and supportive resource programs including modification and adaption of curriculum and instruction to students with autism in general education programs in grades preschool through 12. The bill directs the State board to establish requirements for teacher preparation programs for the autism spectrum disorder endorsement.
The bill provides that a teacher holding the Students with Disabilities endorsement issued by the State Board of Education prior to the effective date of this bill may continue to teach students with autism in grades preschool through grade 12 if the teacher can demonstrate to the school district at which the teacher is employed content knowledge appropriate to the content and the content level to be taught.
