Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman MICHELE MATSIKOUDIS
District 21 (Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union)
SYNOPSIS
Requires State Board of Education to authorize Teacher of the Blind or Visually Impaired Kindergarten through Grade 12 endorsement.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning teacher certification endorsements 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. a. The State Board of Education shall authorize a Teacher of the Blind or Visually Impaired Kindergarten through Grade 12 endorsement to the instructional certificate. The endorsement shall authorize the holder to teach blind or visually impaired students in all public schools in grades kindergarten through 12. The holder of a Teacher of the Blind or Visually Impaired Preschool through Grade 12 endorsement shall not be required to obtain another subject or grade level endorsement in order to teach blind or visually impaired students in grades kindergarten through 12.
b. A candidate for the endorsement shall:
(1) complete a State-approved Teacher of the Blind or Visually impaired program; and
(2) meet any other requirements established by the State board.
2. 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 to carry out the provisions of this act.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the State Board of Education to authorize a Teacher of the Blind or Visually Impaired Kindergarten through Grade 12 endorsement to the instructional certificate.
Under the bill, the holder of a Teacher of the Blind or Visually Impaired Kindergarten through Grade 12 endorsement is permitted to teach blind or visually impaired students in all public schools in grades kindergarten through 12 without requiring the candidate to obtain another subject or grade level endorsement. A candidate for this endorsement is required to complete a State-approved Teacher of the Blind or Visually impaired program and meet any other requirements established by the State Board.
Under current law, the Teacher
of the Blind or Visually Impaired endorsement is not a stand-alone certificate,
and candidates are required to hold an instructional certificate with an
endorsement appropriate to the subject or grade level being taught.
With a nationwide shortage of teachers of blind or visually impaired students, this bill helps school districts find and employ qualified candidates to fill these empty positions by lifting unnecessary and burdensome requirements.