Bill Text: NJ A3813 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Permits use of virtual or remote instruction to meet minimum 180-day school year requirement under certain circumstances.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 25-8)
Status: (Vetoed) 2020-05-04 - Absolute Veto, Received in the Assembly [A3813 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A3813-Amended.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JOHN J. BURZICHELLI
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
Assemblywoman HOLLY T. SCHEPISI
District 39 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblywoman PAMELA R. LAMPITT
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywomen Vainieri Huttle, McKnight, Assemblymen Danielsen, Holley, Moen, Assemblywoman Speight, Assemblyman Spearman, Assemblywomen Reynolds-Jackson, Lopez, Chaparro, Timberlake, Jasey, Assemblymen Zwicker, Mejia, Assemblywomen Jimenez, Downey, Assemblymen Houghtaling and Freiman
SYNOPSIS
Permits use of virtual or remote instruction to meet minimum 180-day school year requirement under certain circumstances.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As amended by the General Assembly on March 16, 2020.
An Act concerning flexible instruction days for public schools 1and approved private schools for students with disabilities, supplementing chapter 46 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes,1 and amending P.L.1996, c.138.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 9 of P.L.1996, c.138 (C.18A:7F-9) is amended to read as follows:
9. a. In order to receive any State aid pursuant to P.L.2007, c.260 (C.18A:7F-43 et al.), a school district, 1charter school,1 county vocational school district, or county special services school district shall comply with the rules and standards for the equalization of opportunity which have been or may hereafter be prescribed by law or formulated by the commissioner pursuant to law, including those implementing P.L.1996, c.138 (C.18A:7F-1 et al.) and P.L.2007, c.260 (C.18A:7F-43 et al.) or related to the core curriculum content standards required by P.L.2007, c.260 (C.18A:7F-43 et al.), and shall further comply with any directive issued by the commissioner pursuant to section 6 of P.L.1996, c.138 (C.18A:7F-6). The commissioner is hereby authorized to withhold all or part of a district's State aid for failure to comply with any rule, standard or directive. No State aid shall be paid to any district which has not provided public school facilities for at least 180 days during the preceding school year, but the commissioner, for good cause shown, may remit the penalty.
b. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a. of this section to the contrary, in the event that a school district is required to close the schools of the district for more than three 1consecutive1 school days due to 1[an epidemic, or a weather or other emergency condition] a declared state of emergency, declared public health emergency, or a directive by the appropriate health agency or officer to institute a public health-related closure1, the commissioner shall allow the district to apply to the 180-day requirement established pursuant to subsection a. of this section, one or more days of virtual or remote instruction provided to students on the day or days the schools of the district were closed if the program of virtual or remote instruction meets such criteria as may be established by the commissioner. A district that wants to use a program of virtual or remote instruction to meet the 180-day requirement in accordance with this subsection shall submit its proposed program of virtual or remote instruction to the commissioner within 30 days of the effective date of P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill) and annually thereafter, provided however that if the school district is unable to complete and submit its proposed program within the 30-day period and the district is required to close its schools for 1[an epidemic, or a weather or other emergency condition] a declared state of emergency, declared public health emergency, or a directive by the appropriate health agency or officer to institute a public health-related closure1, the commissioner may retroactively approve the program.
A day of virtual or remote instruction 1, if instituted under a program approved by the commissioner,1 shall be considered the equivalent of a full day of school attendance for the purposes of meeting State and local graduation requirements, the awarding of course credit, and such other matters as determined by the commissioner.
1If a program of virtual or remote instruction is implemented for the general education students the same educational opportunities shall be provided to the special education students, to the extent appropriate and practicable. Speech language services and counseling services may be delivered to special education students through the use of electronic communication or a virtual or online platform, as appropriate.1
c. In the event that the State or local health department determines that it is advisable to close 1or mandates closure of1 the schools of a school district 1due to a declared state of emergency, declared public health emergency, or a directive by the appropriate health agency or officer to institute a public health-related closure1, the superintendent of schools shall have the authority to implement the school district's program of virtual or remote instruction.
d. The commissioner shall define virtual and remote instruction and establish guidance for its use. The guidance shall provide school districts with information on:
(1) providing instruction to students who may not have access to a computer or to sufficient broadband 1, or to any technology required for virtual or remote instruction1;
(2) the required length of a virtual or remote instruction day;
(3) the impact of virtual or remote instruction on the school lunch and school breakfast programs;
(4) the impact of virtual or remote instruction on the schedule for administering State assessments; and
(5) such other topics as the commissioner deems necessary.
e. Nothing in 1subsection b., c., or d. of1 this section shall be construed to 1limit,1 supersede or preempt the rights, 1privileges, compensation,1 remedies, and procedures afforded to 1[teaching staff members] public school employees1 or a collective bargaining unit under federal or State law or any provision of a collective bargaining agreement entered into by the school district. 1In the event of the closure of the schools of a school district due to a declared state of emergency, declared public health emergency, or a directive by the appropriate health agency or officer to institute a public health-related closure for a period longer than three consecutive days, public school employees covered by a collective negotiations agreement shall be entitled to compensation, benefits, and emoluments as provided in the collective negotiations agreement as if the school facilities remained open for any purpose and for any time lost as a result of school closures or use of virtual or remote instruction, except that additional compensation, benefits, and emoluments may be negotiated for additional work performed.1
(cf: P.L.2007, c.260, s.32)
12. (New Section) a. In the event that an approved private school for students with disabilities is required to close the school for more than three consecutive school days due to a declared state of emergency, declared public health emergency, or a directive by the appropriate health agency or officer to institute a public health-related closure, the commissioner shall allow the school to apply one or more days of virtual or remote instruction provided to students on the day or days the school was closed to qualify as a day of instruction for the purposes of calculating tuition if the program of virtual or remote instruction meets such criteria as may be established by the commissioner. An approved private school for students with disabilities that wants to use a program of virtual or remote instruction to qualify as a day of instruction for the purposes of calculating tuition shall submit its proposed program of virtual or remote instruction to the commissioner within 30 days of the effective date of P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill) and annually thereafter, provided however that if the school is unable to complete its proposed program within the 30-day period and the school is required to close for a declared state of emergency, declared public health emergency, or a directive by the appropriate health agency or officer to institute a public health-related closure, the commissioner may retroactively approve the program.
A day of virtual or remote instruction, if instituted under a program approved by the commissioner, shall be considered the equivalent of a full day of school attendance for the purposes of meeting State and local graduation requirements, the awarding of course credit, and such other matters as determined by the commissioner.
b. In the event that the State or local health department determines that it is advisable to close or mandates closure of an approved private school for students with disabilities due to a declared state of emergency, declared public health emergency, or a directive by the appropriate health agency or officer to institute a public health-related closure, the principal of the school shall have the authority to implement the school's program of virtual or remote instruction.
c. The commissioner shall define virtual and remote instruction and establish guidance for its use. The guidance shall provide schools with information on:
(1) providing instruction to students who may not have access to a computer or to sufficient broadband, or to any technology required for virtual or remote instruction;
(2) the required length of a virtual or remote instruction day;
(3) the impact of virtual or remote instruction on the schedule for administering State assessments; and
(4) such other topics as the commissioner deems necessary.1
1[2.] 3.1 This act shall take effect immediately.
