Sponsored by:
Assemblyman VINCENT PRIETO
District 32 (Bergen and Hudson)
Assemblyman PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.
District 18 (Middlesex)
Assemblyman ANTHONY M. BUCCO
District 25 (Morris and Somerset)
Assemblyman TIMOTHY J. EUSTACE
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblyman CHARLES MAINOR
District 31 (Hudson)
Assemblywoman SHEILA Y. OLIVER
District 34 (Essex and Passaic)
Assemblyman JOSEPH A. LAGANA
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblyman DAVID P. RIBLE
District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywomen Pinkin, Jasey, Watson Coleman, Assemblymen Caputo, Wolfe and Singleton
SYNOPSIS
Provides that if a career and technical education program of a county vocational school district is taught in an industry setting, off-site location will be exempt from certain State regulations.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning county vocational school districts and supplementing chapter 54 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 Legislature finds and declares that:
a. The economic prosperity of New Jersey depends on a strong pipeline of workers with the academic, technical, and career readiness skills to fill current and future jobs;
b. Expanding access to career and technical education and engaging employers in the development and delivery of technical education are crucial for the State’s economic growth and critical strategies for keeping New Jersey competitive in the global economy;
c. While almost 32,000 full-time and shared-time students are currently enrolled at New Jersey’s county vocational school districts, the demand for a career and technical education exceeds the space available at most schools;
d. On a Statewide basis, county vocational school districts receive nearly 2.5 applications for each available space, and in some counties, and for certain programs, the demand is much greater. In 2013, roughly 16,700 students seeking career and technical education programs were not able to be accommodated;
e. Given the immediate shortage of space for career and technical education program expansion, employers can play a significant role in helping to meet short-term needs by hosting career and technical education programs in an industry setting and offering work-based learning opportunities for students;
f. This type of public-private partnership is a desirable mechanism to address the needed expansion of career and technical education programs and would give students access to equipment and technology that is expensive or difficult to replicate in public school district settings; and
g. In order to facilitate this worthwhile partnership, career and technical education programs taught in industry settings should be exempted from certain unnecessarily restrictive State regulations.
2. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law or regulation to the contrary, in the case of a career and technical education program of a county vocational school district taught at a location other than the county vocational school district:
(1) The educational facility standards for new construction pursuant to N.J.A.C.6A:26-6.3 shall not apply to the location at which the career and technical education program is taught;
(2) The location at which the career and technical education program is taught shall not require approval as a temporary facility pursuant to N.J.A.C.6A:26-8.1; and
(3) The long range facilities plan of the county vocational school district shall not be required to take into consideration any career and technical education programs taught at a location other than the county vocational school district.
b. The location at which the career and technical education program is taught shall meet the requirements of the uniform construction code and all applicable health and safety standards.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
Career and technical education programs of county vocational school districts are crucial to the economic growth of New Jersey, but there is currently a shortage of space for all students wishing to enroll in these types of programs. An important mechanism which has been identified for expanding access to these programs is to teach them in industry settings. In order to encourage this type of public-private partnership whereby the career and technical education program is taught, not on the campus of the county vocational school district, but in industry settings, this bill provides that:
a. The educational facility standards for new construction pursuant to N.J.A.C.6A:26-6.3 will not apply to the off-site location at which the career and technical program is taught;
b. The off-site location at which the career and technical program is taught will not require approval as a temporary facility pursuant to N.J.A.C.6A:26-8.1; and
c. The long range facilities plan of the county vocational school district will not be required to take into consideration any career and technical education programs taught at off-site locations.
The bill provides, however, that the off-site location must meet the requirements of the uniform construction code and all applicable health and safety standards.