ACR102

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman AURA K. DUNN

District 25 (Morris and Passaic)

Assemblyman GERRY SCHARFENBERGER

District 13 (Monmouth)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Bergen, Assemblywoman Flynn, Assemblymen Auth, Barranco, Webber, Clifton, McGuckin, Peterson, Rumpf and Assemblywoman Matsikoudis

SYNOPSIS

Urges Department of Education to impose moratorium on new Student Learning Standards.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

A Concurrent Resolution respectfully urging the Department of Education to impose a moratorium on new Student Learning Standards.

Whereas, The New Jersey Student Learning Standards provide basic guidelines for the creation of curriculum by local school districts; and

Whereas, The New Jersey State Board of Education approved the current Student Learning Standards on June 3, 2020; and

Whereas, The current Student Learning Standards contain extensive changes across seven content areas from the previous learning standards; and

Whereas, Many parents and guardians of students in New Jersey have expressed dissatisfaction with the current Student Learning Standards; and

Whereas, The COVID-19 pandemic has erased as much as two decades of progress in student achievement in mathematics and reading; and

Whereas, The United States fell to its lowest ever score for overall competitiveness in the most recent administration of the Program for International Student Assessment tests, dropping five places in the ranking for mathematics performance, and having made little improvement in reading; and

Whereas, There are over 50 bills currently pending before the Legislature concerning the Student Learning Standards, curriculum, and learning loss; and

Whereas, It is appropriate to institute a moratorium on new Student Learning Standards while the Legislature considers bills that may alter the process of adopting new Student Learning Standards and that would focus on countering learning loss; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):

1. The Legislature of the State of New Jersey respectfully urges the Department of Education to impose an immediate moratorium on the development or implementation of new Student Learning Standards and curriculum requirements for a period of two years.

2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the Commissioner of Education and members of the State Board of Education of the State of New Jersey.

STATEMENT

This resolution respectfully urges the Department of Education to impose a moratorium on the development and implementation of new Student Learning Standards for a period of two years.

The most recent Student Learning Standards were adopted by the State Board of Education in June 2020, however there has been considerable discontent among parents and guardians with regards to the standards. As a result, there are numerous bills pending before the Legislature that may affect the Student Learning Standards.

Additionally, the United States has been falling in the global education rankings, reaching its lowest level ever in overall competitiveness in the most recent administration of the Program for International Student Assessment. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant learning loss for students around the State, exacerbating the United States’ decline compared to other countries.

It would be appropriate to impose a moratorium while the Legislature considers bills that may impact the Student Learning Standards and that would focus on addressing learning loss.