Bill Text: NJ SR119 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges United States DOE to reconsider NJIT's application for funding under Upward Bound for English Language Learners Program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2017-05-25 - Filed with Secretary of State [SR119 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-SR119-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator SANDRA B. CUNNINGHAM
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Urges United States DOE to reconsider NJIT's application for funding under Upward Bound for English Language Learners Program.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Senate Resolution urging the United States Department of Education to reconsider the application of the New Jersey Institute of Technology for funding under the Upward Bound for English Language Learners Program.
Whereas, The Upward Bound for English Language Learners Program (UBELLs) at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) provides fundamental support to participants in their preparation for college. The program provides opportunities for participants to succeed in their high school performance and ultimately in their higher education pursuits; and
Whereas, The goal of UBELLs is to increase the rate at which participants complete high school and enroll in, and graduate from, institutions of higher education; and
Whereas, UBELLs specifically serves English language learners who come from Newark low-income families and who are first generation college bound; and
Whereas, Services and programs offered through UBELLs include, but are not limited to, Saturday academic year classes at the NJIT campus in computers, science, math, English, and Spanish; tutoring; leadership training activities; and health and fitness activities; and
Whereas, According to NJIT, over 70 percent of current program participants are economically disadvantaged or are first generation college students and 100 percent of program participants are not native English speakers. Since the inception of the program in 1999, the project has been able to serve over 700 students in the City of Newark, which has had a large influx of families emigrating from the Caribbean and Central and South America. Over 300 students who participated in the program have graduated from high school and subsequently pursued a post-secondary education; and
Whereas, On May 5, 2017, press reports indicated that UBELLs at NJIT may end because the university submitted an application for $1.25 million in federal funds and did not double space it. NJIT is among many other institutions nationwide whose application for funding was rejected by the United States Department of Education for not following new formatting rules; and
Whereas, Under the federal DOE's decision, NJIT will not receive $250,000 in annual funding over a five-year period, will not be able to serve the 65 students currently enrolled in the program, and will need to eliminate a full-time position; and
Whereas, According to press reports on May 9, 2017, the United States Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, indicated that while program offices may suggest page limits and formatting standards such as font size and line spacing, they may not use ignoring formatting as a basis to reject grant applications; and
Whereas, While it is NJIT's intention to appeal the DOE's rejection of the application and the secretary's comments support the institution's claim, the department does not have a formal appeals process; and
Whereas, If the United States Department of Education reconsiders the NJIT application for UBELLs funding, NJIT will be able to continue in its effort to help dozens of low-income students realize the dream of college education; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House urges the United States Department of Education to reconsider New Jersey Institute of Technology's application for federal funding under the Upward Bound for English Language Learners Program so that the university may continue its critical efforts to prepare low-income students for college enrollment.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the United States Department of Education and every member of Congress elected from this State.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges the United State Department of Education to reconsider the application of the New Jersey Institute of Technology for funding under the Upward Bound for English Language Learners Program (UBELLs).
UBELLs serves low-income, first-generation college bound English language student learners from two of Newark's high schools. The program provides opportunities for participants to succeed in their high school performance and ultimately in their higher education pursuits.
The department recently rejected an application from NJIT for a five-year funding grant because the university did not follow the department's new application formatting rules. While the United States Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, indicated that formatting rules should not be the basis for the rejection of an application, the department does not have a formal appeals process. It is the intent of this resolution, therefore, to urge the United States Department of Education to reconsider the NJIT application for UBELLs funding, so that the program may continue in its efforts to help dozens of students fulfill their dream of a higher education.
