SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 2888

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  NOVEMBER 16, 2015

      The Senate Education Committee favorably reports Assembly Bill No. 2888 (1R) with committee amendments.

      As amended, this bill provides that, in addition to any other requirements adopted by the State Board of Education for teacher preparation programs, the State board must require that the preparation program for an instructional certificate include a minimum of the equivalent of 6 semester credit hours of classroom instruction, clinical experience, including student internships, or a combination thereof, in special education.  The bill also requires that the preparation program for an instructional certificate with a teacher of students with disabilities endorsement include credit hours in autism spectrum disorder and evidence-based instructional practices to address the educational needs of students with autism.

      The committee amended the bill to specify that the equivalent of 6 semester credit hours of classroom instruction, clinical experience, including student internships, or a combination thereof, in special education could be used to satisfy the bill’s requirements for teacher preparation programs for instructional certificates.  The amendments require that the preparation program for an instructional certificate with a teacher of students with disabilities endorsement also include evidence-based instructional practices to address the educational needs of students with autism, in addition to credit hours in autism spectrum disorder. 

      As amended and reported by the committee, this bill is identical to Senate Bill No. 1039 with Senate committee amendments, which also was reported by the committee on this same date.