Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman PAMELA R. LAMPITT
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
Assemblywoman MILA M. JASEY
District 27 (Essex and Morris)
Assemblywoman LISA SWAIN
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Matsikoudis, Assemblyman Stanley, Assemblywomen McKnight, Reynolds-Jackson and Assemblyman Conaway
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits limiting number of county college credits that may be applied towards educator preparation program and teacher certification requirements.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning teacher certification 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. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a Commissioner-approved college educator preparation program shall not restrict the number of semester-hour credits earned in the field of professional education at a county college that may be accepted toward meeting the program’s requirements, except as may be otherwise required by the program’s accrediting organization.
2. The State Board of Education shall not adopt any regulation or policy which restricts the number of semester-hour credits earned in the field of professional education at a regionally accredited county college that may be accepted toward meeting the requirements for teacher certification, provided that the credits are accepted by a State-approved college professional education preparation program.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill streamlines the path for qualified teacher candidates to become teachers. The bill prohibits the establishment of a cap on county college credits that may be applied toward educator preparation program requirements. The bill also prohibits the State Board of Education from limiting the number of county college credits that may be applied towards teacher certification requirements.
Current State board regulations provide that, for most candidates for teacher certification, no more than six credits earned in the field of professional education at a county college can be applied towards meeting the requirements for teacher certification. As a result, a student who has completed more than six credits in the field of professional education at a county college prior to his or her enrollment in a bachelor’s degree program at a four-year institution of higher education will have to repeat some coursework, resulting in increased education costs and a delay in program completion. This bill prohibits the State Board of Education from limiting the number of professional education credits earned at a county college that may be applied towards meeting the requirements for teacher certification, provided that the credits are accepted by a State-approved college professional education preparation program.
This bill also prohibits a Commissioner-approved educator preparation program from capping the number of county college credits that may be accepted toward meeting the program’s requirements, except as may be otherwise required by the program’s accrediting organization.