ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 4783

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 14, 2020

      The Assembly Education Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 4783 with committee amendments.

     As amended, this bill authorizes the State Board of Examiners to issue a certificate of eligibility to teaching candidates, including alternate route candidates, who hold the equivalent of a certificate of eligibility or a provisional certificate from another state.  The bill also authorizes the board to issue a certificate of eligibility to a candidate who holds an emergency certificate issued by another state. 

     In order to be eligible for the certificate of eligibility under the bill, a candidate is required to (1) hold the equivalent of a valid certificate of eligibility or a provisional certificate from another state in a subject or grade level also offered in New Jersey, or hold an emergency certificate issued by another state in an appropriate subject matter or grade level; (2) have passed a subject-matter test to receive the candidate’s out-of-state endorsement or passed the appropriate New Jersey subject-matter test; (3) have passed a performance assessment that is approved by the state in which the certificate was issued, or, if the out-of-state candidate did not take or pass a state-approved performance assessment, the candidate will be issued an instructional certificate of eligibility but is required to pass a New Jersey approved performance assessment prior to the issuance of a standard instructional certificate; (4) have at least one year of effective teaching experience as documented by a letter from the candidate’s former supervisor, principal, or employing school district’s human resource officer; and (5) have been in good standing during the candidate’s teaching experience under the out-of-state certificate as documented in such manner as determined by the State Board of Education.

     Under the bill, if the out-of-state candidate has not completed an approved educator preparation program the candidate will enroll in a New Jersey approved educator preparation program and complete any remaining college credits or coursework prior to the issuance of a standard instructional certificate.

      Under current law, an individual employed by a school district in New Jersey is required to obtain a principal residence in the State within one year of beginning employment.  Nothing in this bill would affect the applicability of the requirement to establish principal residency in the State with respect to an individual who is issued a certificate of eligibility under this bill and accepts employment in a school district in New Jersey. 

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to:

· provide that in the case of an out-of-state candidate who did not take or pass a state-approved performance assessment, the candidate will be issued an instructional certificate of eligibility if he otherwise meets the requirements of the bill, but must pass a New Jersey approved performance assessment prior to the issuance of a standard instructional certificate.  The bill in its original form requires the candidate to pass a New Jersey approved performance assessment as a condition of receiving the certificate of eligibility; and

· provide that the candidate must have been in good standing while teaching under the out-of-state certificate as documented in a manner that will be determined by the State Board of Education; and

· make technical changes.