Sponsored by:
Assemblyman REGINALD W. ATKINS
District 20 (Union)
Assemblyman ANTHONY S. VERRELLI
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblyman WILLIAM W. SPEARMAN
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Stanley, Assemblywoman Reynolds-Jackson, Assemblyman Benson, Assemblywomen Speight, Jasey, Mosquera, Assemblymen Moen, Wimberly and Coughlin
SYNOPSIS
Establishes Teacher Certification Reimbursement Fund in DOE to reimburse certain teachers for costs associated with certification.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing the Teacher Certification Reimbursement Fund in the Department of Education and supplementing Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is established in the Department of Education a fund to be known as the “Teacher Certification Reimbursement Fund.” The fund shall be used to reimburse the costs associated with certification for new teachers, and teachers who hold a valid instructional certificate and are seeking an additional grade level or subject area endorsement, who meet certain criteria. The costs associated with certification shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting requirements, testing requirements, and fees for issuing certificates.
b. The fund shall be maintained in a separate account and administered by the Commissioner of Education to carry out the provisions of this act. The fund shall consist of: any monies appropriated by the State for the purposes of the fund; any monies donated for the purposes of the fund; and all interest and investment earnings received on monies in the fund. Monies in the fund shall not be used by the department for any administrative costs associated with the implementation of this act.
c. The State Board of Education shall adopt, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410
(C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of this act including, but not limited to: the criteria that a teacher is required to demonstrate in order to be eligible to receive monies from the fund, including an income qualification; any limitations on the total amount that may be received by a teacher from the fund; the specific types of costs that may be reimbursed with monies from the fund; and the supporting documentation to be submitted in order to receive reimbursement from the fund.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the “Teacher Certification Reimbursement Fund” in the Department of Education. The purpose of the fund is to reimburse certain new teachers for the costs associated with certification, including fingerprinting requirements, testing requirements, and fees for issuing certificates. The fund is to also be used for the costs associated with certification for certain teachers holding instructional certificates who are seeking additional grade level or subject area endorsements. The fund is to consist of: any monies appropriated by the State for the purposes of the fund; any monies donated for the purposes of the fund; and all interest and investment earnings received on monies in the fund.
Under the provisions of the bill, the State Board of Education is required to adopt rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of the bill, including: the criteria that a teacher is required to demonstrate in order to be eligible to receive monies from the fund, such as an income qualification; any limitations on the total amount that may be received by a teacher from the fund; the specific types of costs that may be reimbursed with monies from the fund; and the supporting documentation to be submitted in order to receive reimbursement from the fund.