Sponsored by:
Senator EDWARD DURR
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
SYNOPSIS
Requires public referendum prior to local boards of education adopting or altering public school curriculum.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning public school courses of study and curriculum and amending N.J.S.18A:33-1.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. N.J.S.18A:33-1 is amended to read as follows:
18A:33-1. a. Each school district shall provide, for all children who reside in the district and are required to attend the public schools therein and those who reside therein or elsewhere and are entitled or permitted to attend the schools of the district pursuant to law, suitable educational facilities including proper school buildings and furniture and equipment, convenience of access thereto, and courses of study suited to the ages and attainments of all pupils between the ages of five and 20 years, either in schools within the district convenient of access to the pupils, or as provided by article 2 of chapter 38 of this title, but no course of study or curriculum shall be adopted or altered except by the recorded roll call majority vote of the full membership of the board of education of the district.
b. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a. of this section, or of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, a board of education of a school district shall not adopt or alter a course of study or curriculum unless and until a public question as to whether or not the board of education may adopt or alter the course of study or curriculum is submitted to and approved by a majority of the voters of the school district voting thereon at an annual or special school election. The public question submitted to the voters shall include a comprehensive description of the proposed course of study or curriculum.
c. Notwithstanding the provisions of P.L.1995, c.278 (C.19:60-1 et seq.), or of any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, in lieu of submitting a public question to the voters of a school district as to whether or not the board of education may adopt or alter a course of study or curriculum at an annual or special school election pursuant to subsection b. of this section, a board of education may submit the course of study or curriculum public question to the voters through an alternate venue or by alternate means as prescribed by the Commissioner of Education.
d. The Commissioner of Education shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to effectuate the purposes of this section.
(cf: N.J.S.18A:33-1)
2. This act shall take effect July 1 next following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill prohibits a local board of education from adopting or altering a course of study or curriculum unless and until a public question as to whether or not the board of education may adopt or alter the course of study or curriculum is approved by the majority of voters of the school district. In order to minimize costs for local boards of education, the bill provides that the public question submitted to the voters will occur at an annual or special school election. The public question submitted to the voters will include a comprehensive description of the proposed course of study or curriculum. The bill also provides that in lieu of submitting a course of study or curriculum public question to the voters of a school district at an annual or special school election, a board of education may submit the course of study or curriculum public question to the voters through an alternate venue or by alternate means as prescribed by the Commissioner of Education.