Bill Text: NJ S1630 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Amended


Bill Title: Establishes grant program for school districts and charter schools to develop dual language immersion programs.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2018-06-25 - Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Education Committee [S1630 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2018-S1630-Amended.html

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 1630

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

218th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 5, 2018

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.

District 18 (Middlesex)

Senator  M. TERESA RUIZ

District 29 (Essex)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Establishes grant program for school districts and charter schools to develop dual language immersion programs.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Senate Education Committee on May 14, 2018, with amendments.

 


An Act concerning dual language immersion programs in school districts and charter schools and supplementing chapter 6 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 Commissioner of Education, with the approval of the State Board of Education, shall establish and administer a dual language immersion program.  The purpose of the program shall be to award grants to school districts and charter schools to establish dual language immersion programs in Chinese, Spanish, French, or any other language approved by the commissioner.

     b.    Grant funds allocated under the program may be used for, but not limited to, curriculum development, materials and supplies, staff training, and program evaluation.

 

      2.   A school district or charter school may be eligible to receive a grant if:

      a.   The school district or charter school uses an instructional model that provides at least 50 percent of its instruction in 1[English and 50 percent of its instruction]1 a language described in subsection a. of section 1 of this act; 1and1

      b.   The dual language immersion program begins in kindergarten or in grade one and meets any other requirements established by the commissioner.

 

     3.    Within 90 days of the effective date of this act, the commissioner shall forward to school districts and charter schools a request for proposals for the establishment of a dual language immersion program.

     A school district or charter school which wants to apply to participate in the grant program shall submit a proposal to the commissioner in such form as prescribed by the commissioner.  The proposal shall include: a general description of the dual language immersion program; the number of potential participants; the program's potential impact on increasing biliteracy among students in the school district or charter school; and any other information that may be required by the commissioner.

 

     4.    The commissioner shall select grant recipients based upon the quality of the proposed program and its potential to increase student biliteracy.  The commissioner shall select grant recipients in the northern, central, and southern regions of the State and shall allocate to each selected school district and charter school a grant in such amount as the commissioner may deem necessary to support the dual language immersion program.

 

     5.    There is established in the Department of Education a nonlapsing revolving fund to be known as the Dual Language Immersion Program Fund.  The fund shall be used to provide grants under the dual language immersion program, and shall be credited with all moneys appropriated by the Legislature, any gifts, grants, or donations made to the fund, and any other available revenue.  Interest received on moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund.

 

     6.    This act shall take effect immediately.

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