Bill Text: NJ A1117 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes the Early Childhood Educator Development Scholarship Program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-10 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee [A1117 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-A1117-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
215th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2012 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ANGEL FUENTES
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes the Early Childhood Educator Development Scholarship Program.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act establishing the Early Childhood Educator Development Scholarship Program and supplementing chapter 71B of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Early Childhood Educator Development Scholarship Program Act."
2. As used in this act:
"Authority" means the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority established pursuant to N.J.S.18A:71A-3;
"Group teacher" means a teacher employed at a licensed child care center with employment responsibilities as defined pursuant to regulations of the Department of Children and Families;
"Licensed child care center" means any home or facility which is maintained for the care, development, or supervision of six or more children under 13 years of age who attend for less than 24 hours a day, and which holds a license from the Office of Licensing in the Division of Youth and Family Services in the Department of Children and Families;
"Participant" means a person who is enrolled in a New Jersey county college under the Early Childhood Educator Development Scholarship Program; and
"Program" means the Early Childhood Educator Development Scholarship Program established pursuant to section 3 of this act.
3. a. There is established within the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority an Early Childhood Educator Development Scholarship Program. The program shall provide need-based scholarships to finance the education of group teachers who are employed at licensed child care centers and are pursuing an associate degree in early childhood education at a county college. A scholarship shall be awarded pursuant to an agreement entered into by an eligible applicant to redeem the scholarship through postgraduate full-time employment at a licensed child care center.
b. The authority shall collaborate with the Department of Children and Families and the New Jersey Council of County Colleges to implement the provisions of this act.
4. a. To be eligible to participate in the program, an applicant shall:
(1) be a resident of the State and maintain domicile in the State during participation in the program;
(2) be employed as a group teacher at a licensed child care center;
(3) be enrolled in an associate degree program at a county college that will lead to a degree in early childhood education;
(4) demonstrate financial need in accordance with criteria established by the authority; and
(5) enter into a written agreement with the authority to continue employment after completion of the associate degree program for a period of two years in a licensed child care center.
b. An applicant shall apply to the authority for a scholarship in such manner as prescribed by the authority and shall provide all information and documentation required by the authority. A participant may renew a scholarship upon filing a renewal application with the authority.
5. A scholarship awarded pursuant to this act shall be redeemed by a program participant pursuant to an agreement between the participant and the executive director of the authority. Under the agreement, a participant shall pledge to complete two full years of employment in a licensed child care center following the completion of the associate degree program.
6. There is hereby created a fund in the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, which shall be entitled the "Early Childhood Educator Development Scholarship Fund." The fund shall be maintained in a separate account and administered by the executive director of the authority to carry out the provisions of this act. The fund shall consist of (1) any monies appropriated by the State for the purposes of the fund; (2) any monies donated for the purposes of the fund; and (3) all interest and investment earnings received on monies in the fund. The fund shall be used to cover the cost of scholarships that are awarded pursuant to section 3 of this act to finance the education of eligible group teachers who are employed at licensed child care centers and are pursuing an associate degree in early childhood education from a county college.
7. The authority shall annually submit to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), a report on the Early Childhood Educator Development Scholarship Program. The report shall be submitted no later than August 1 of each year and shall include, but need not be limited to, the following information for the prior fiscal year:
a. the total number of participants receiving scholarships under the program; and
b. the total number of participants who withdraw from the program or fail to complete the program's required employment pursuant to section 5 of this act.
8. Early Childhood Educator Development Scholarships may be awarded annually within the limit of available funds.
9. The Higher Education Student Assistance Authority shall adopt in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C:52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
10. This act shall take effect for the 2010-2011 academic year; however, the authority may immediately take such administrative action as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes within the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority the Early Childhood Educator Development Scholarship Program. The program will provide need-based scholarships to finance the education of eligible group teachers who are employed at licensed child care centers and are pursuing an associate of arts degree in early childhood education from a New Jersey county college.
"Licensed child care center" is defined in the bill as any home or facility which is maintained for the care, development, or supervision of six or more children under 13 years of age who attend for less than 24 hours a day, and which holds a license from the Office of Licensing in the Department of Children and Families. Under current regulations, a group teacher assists the head teacher in implementing the center's child development and activities program and in ensuring that the program activities are appropriate to both the age and developmental level of the children served.
In order to be eligible to participate in the program, a scholarship applicant must:
- be a resident of the State and maintain domicile in the State during participation in the program;
- be employed as a group teacher at a licensed child care center;
- be enrolled in an associate degree program at a county college that will lead to a degree in early childhood education;
- demonstrate financial need in accordance with criteria established by the authority; and
- enter into a written agreement with the authority to continue employment after completion of the associate degree program for a period of two years in a licensed child care center.
Finally, the bill establishes the "Early Childhood Educator Development Scholarship Fund" to be used to cover the cost of scholarships that are awarded. The fund will consist of (1) any monies appropriated by the State for the purposes of the fund; (2) any monies donated for the purposes of the fund; and (3) all interest and investment earnings received on monies in the fund.
