[Third Reprint]
SENATE, No. 896
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
INTRODUCED JANUARY 27, 2022
Sponsored by:
Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Senator LINDA R. GREENSTEIN
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Assemblyman ANTHONY S. VERRELLI
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblywoman MILA M. JASEY
District 27 (Essex and Morris)
Assemblyman DANIEL R. BENSON
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblyman RALPH R. CAPUTO
District 28 (Essex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Cunningham, Johnson, Lagana, Zwicker, A.M.Bucco, Diegnan, Madden, Gopal, Gill, Durr, Sarlo, Stanfield, Pou, Assemblyman DeAngelo, Assemblywomen McKnight, Swain, Assemblymen Tully, Schaer, Assemblywoman Haider, Assemblymen DePhillips, Danielsen, Calabrese, Assemblywoman Park, Assemblymen Bergen, Thomson, Assemblywomen Matsikoudis, Jaffer, Assemblyman Moriarty, Assemblywomen McCarthy Patrick, Mosquera, Sawyer, Assemblyman Karabinchak, Assemblywoman Murphy, Assemblymen DiMaio, Conaway, Clifton, Assemblywoman Carter, Assemblymen Umba, Mejia, Rumpf, Assemblywomen Gove, Eulner, Piperno, Assemblymen Sampson, Guardian, Assemblywomen Swift, Jimenez, Lopez, Assemblyman Wimberly, Assemblywoman Dunn, Assemblymen Rooney, Freiman, Stanley and Assemblywoman Lampitt
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits State Board of Education from requiring completion of performance-based assessment as condition of eligibility for certificate of eligibility with advanced standing or certificate of eligibility.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Assembly Budget Committee on June 27, 2022, with amendments.
An Act concerning performance-based assessments for teacher candidates 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:
3[1. a. Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the State Board of Education shall not require a candidate for a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing 1or a certificate of eligibility1 to complete a Commissioner of Education approved performance-based assessment, including, but not limited to, the edTPA, as a condition of eligibility for a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing 1or a certificate of eligibility. An educator preparation program 2[shall] may2 require candidates to complete a performance-based assessment approved by the educator preparation program. The performance-based assessment approved by the educator preparation program shall meet requirements set by the 2[Commissioner of Education1] commissioner approved professional education accreditation body of the educator preparation program2.
b. 1[An] A certificate of eligibility with advanced standing1 educator preparation program1, or a certificate of eligibility educator preparation program,1 shall not consider whether a candidate has completed a Commissioner of Education approved performance-based assessment when making a determination as to whether to recommend a candidate for certificate of eligibility with advanced standing certification 1or certificate of eligibility certification1 to the Commissioner of Education.
c. As used in this section 1[, “certificate]:
“Certificate of eligibility” means 2[a] an instructional2 certificate with lifetime validity issued by the State Board of Examiners to candidates who meet degree, academic, and applicable test requirements for teacher certification.
“Certificate1 of eligibility with advanced standing” means 2[a] an instructional2 certificate with lifetime validity issued by the State Board of Examiners to candidates who meet degree, academic, and test requirements for teacher certification and complete an educator preparation program.]3
31. a. Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the State Board of Education shall not require a candidate for a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing or a certificate of eligibility to complete a Commissioner of Education approved performance-based assessment, including, but not limited to, the edTPA, as a condition of eligibility for a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing, a certificate of eligibility, or a standard certificate. An educator preparation program may require candidates to complete a performance-based assessment approved by the educator preparation program. The performance-based assessment approved by the educator preparation program shall meet requirements set by the commissioner approved professional education accreditation body of the educator preparation program.
b. A certificate of eligibility with advanced standing educator preparation program, or a certificate of eligibility educator preparation program, shall not consider whether a candidate has completed a Commissioner of Education approved performance-based assessment when making a determination as to whether to recommend a candidate for certificate of eligibility with advanced standing certification or certificate of eligibility certification to the Commissioner of Education.
c. Notwithstanding any provision of this section or of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, a person who earned a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing or a certificate of eligibility during the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, or 2021-2022 school years, and who was unable to complete a Commissioner of Education approved performance-based assessment due to abrupt changes in teaching placements or modalities, asynchronous virtual learning environments, school district policies, or other restrictions or disruptions caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency, shall be exempt from the requirement to complete a performance-based assessment as a condition of earning a standard certificate.
d. As used in this section:
“Certificate of eligibility” means an instructional certificate with lifetime validity issued by the State Board of Examiners to candidates who meet degree, academic, and applicable test requirements for teacher certification.
“Certificate of eligibility with advanced standing” means an instructional certificate with lifetime validity issued by the State Board of Examiners to candidates who meet degree, academic, and test requirements for teacher certification and complete an educator preparation program.
”Standard certificate” means a permanent instructional certificate issued by the State Board of Examiners to persons who meet all instructional certificate requirements.3
2. This act shall take effect immediately.