A5068

An Act concerning high school curriculum requirements and supplementing chapter 7C 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 it is the goal of the State that all students achieve competency in Language Arts Literacy and Mathematics by the time of the student’s graduation from high school.

2. a. As used in this section, “cut score” means that a student has achieved one of the following scores in each subject area:

(1) in English/Language Arts:

(a) a minimum score of 24 on the verbal section of the ACT,

(b) a minimum score of 540 on the critical reading section of the SAT, or

(c) a score to be determined by the Commissioner of Education on the Language Arts Literacy section of the Statewide high school assessment; and

(2) in Mathematics:

(a) a minimum score of 23 on the mathematics section of the ACT,

(b) a minimum score of 550 on the mathematics section of the SAT, or

(c) a score to be determined by the Commissioner of Education on the mathematics section of the Statewide high school assessment.

b. The State Board of Education shall establish high school curriculum standards that include the following requirements:

(1) beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, all public school students shall be assessed using cut scores no later than the 11th grade to determine whether the student is ready for college-level, credit-bearing course work in Language Arts Literacy and Mathematics;

(2) the Commissioner of Education, in collaboration with school districts and the county colleges, shall develop and implement by the 2023-2024 school year, transition courses or other instructional opportunities to be provided in the 12th grade to students who have not achieved college and career readiness by the end of the 11th grade. The implementation of the transition courses required pursuant to this paragraph shall include an assessment or reassessment of the student after completion of the course, and may not preclude or replace enrollment in a course otherwise required for graduation from high school.

c. A student who successfully completes a transition course shall not be required to take a college placement test upon enrollment in a college or university and shall be enrolled in credit-bearing course-work. A college or university may require a student who fails to successfully complete a transition course to take a college placement test upon enrollment and to delay the student’s enrollment in credit-bearing coursework until the student demonstrates the skill levels required to pursue courses for credit.

3. The Commissioner of Education, in collaboration with the Secretary of Higher Education and school districts, shall study the development, content, and implementation of the transition courses required pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection b. of section 2 of this act. The study shall include the alignment of the transition courses to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards and whether the courses should be considered to meet high school graduation standards. The study shall also determine the appropriate assessment to be used to determine college and career readiness and how a student’s level of readiness will be reflected on the high school transcript.

A report on the study shall be submitted to the Governor, and to the Senate Higher Education and Education Committees and the General Assembly Higher Education and Education Committees, or their successor committees.

4. On or before December 1, 2022, the Commissioner of Education shall report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), concerning the feasibility of the award of a State endorsed high school diploma regardless of whether a student has completed the minimum number of required credits or four years of high school if:

a. the student is assessed as college and career ready pursuant to subsection b. of section 2 of this act; and

b. successfully completes any graduation assessment requirements established by the State board.

5. a. The Commissioner of Education shall develop a plan, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education, to improve college and career counseling that is provided to students in middle and high schools.

b. The plan developed pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall include:

(1) the identification of best practices in college and career counseling used in the State and nationally; and

(2) a recommendation for a competitive grant program to implement the identified best practices.

c. The commissioner shall submit the plan to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), no later than 90 days after the effective date of this act.

6. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill provides that beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, all public high school students will be assessed by the end of the 11th grade using cut scores to determine whether the student is ready for college-level, credit-bearing course work in Language Arts Literacy and Mathematics. The Commissioner of Education, in collaboration with school districts and county colleges, is to develop and implement by the 2023-2024 school year, transition courses or other instructional opportunities to be provided in the 12th grade to students who have not achieved college and career readiness by the end of the 11th grade. A transition course may not replace enrollment in a course otherwise required for high school graduation.

The bill directs the Commissioner of Education, in collaboration with the Secretary of Higher Education and school districts, to study the development, content, and implementation of the transition courses required under the bill. The study will include the alignment of the transition courses to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards and whether the courses should be considered to meet high school graduation standards. The study will also determine the appropriate assessment to be used to determine college and career readiness and how a student’s level of readiness will be reflected on the high school transcript.

The bill requires that on or before December 1, 2022, the Commissioner of Education will report to the Governor and the Legislature concerning the feasibility of the award of a State endorsed high school diploma regardless of whether a student has completed the minimum number of required credits or four years of high school if the student: 1) is assessed as college and career ready under section 2 of the bill; and 2) successfully completes any graduation assessment requirements established by the State board.

Finally, the bill requires the Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education, to develop a plan to improve college and career counseling that is provided to students in middle and high schools. The plan would identify best practices in college and career counseling in New Jersey and nationally. In addition, the plan would include recommendations for a competitive grant program that would be used to implement the best practices identified in the plan. Under the bill, the plan must be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature no later than 90 days after the effective date of the bill.