Bill Text: NJ S2215 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes New Jersey Literacy Training Pilot Program in DOE.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee [S2215 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S2215-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes New Jersey Literacy Training Pilot Program in DOE.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act establishing the "New Jersey Literacy Training Pilot Program" in the Department of Education.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Commissioner of Education shall develop and administer a two-year "New Jersey Literacy Training Pilot Program." The pilot program shall address literacy gaps and learning loss by providing literacy training to teachers of all disciplines.
b. Under the pilot program, each participating school district shall select teachers to participate in a 70 hour literacy training program. School districts shall determine the number of teachers chosen to participate in the literacy training program. The number of teachers chosen to participate in the literacy training program shall be based on the needs of the district.
c. A school district shall submit a proposal to the commissioner to participate in the pilot program. The proposal shall include, but need not be limited to, information on the following:
(1) the number and percentage of students who did not meet expectations on the most recent administration of the State assessment in English Language Arts/Literacy;
(2) who will provide the literacy training to teachers under the pilot program;
(3) how participation in the pilot program will advance the academic achievement of students enrolled in the district; and
(4) any additional information as prescribed by the commissioner.
d. The commissioner shall select up to 15 school districts for participation in the pilot program. To the maximum extent possible, the commissioner shall select an equal number of school districts in the northern, central, and southern regions of the State and shall seek a cross section of districts from urban, suburban, and rural areas.
2. a. At the conclusion of the pilot program, each participating school district shall submit a report to the commissioner. The report from each district shall include, at minimum, the number of teachers who participated in the literacy training program, narrative feedback from teachers who participated in the literacy training program, and the district's views on the success and benefits of the literacy training program.
b. After receiving the reports
from each participating school district, the commissioner shall submit a report
to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991,
c.164
(C:52:14-19.1), on the implementation and effectiveness of the pilot program.
The report shall include the commissioner's recommendation on the advisability
of the pilot program's continuation and expansion to additional school
districts in the State.
3. Each participating school district under this act shall be eligible to receive a grant award from the State to implement the pilot program. To the extent permitted by federal law, a grant award from the State pursuant to this section shall be paid to a participating school district from monies received by the State under the "American Rescue Plan Act," Pub.L.117-2, or any other financial assistance provided by the federal government to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on elementary and secondary schools. Moneys from a grant award under this section may be provided to each participating school district for costs associated with the training and financial support of chosen teachers under the literacy training pilot program.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the "New Jersey Literacy Training Pilot Program." The goal of the two-year pilot program is to address learning loss and improve students' literacy by providing literacy training to teachers of all disciplines.
To participate in the pilot program, school districts will submit a proposal addressing, among other things, how participation in the pilot program will serve to advance the academic achievement of students enrolled in the districts. School districts would specify who would provide the training and include information on the number and percentage of students who did not meet expectations on the most recent administration of the State assessment in English Language Arts/Literacy.
The Commissioner of Education
will select up to 15 schools to participate in the pilot program. To the
maximum extent possible, the commissioner will select an equal number of school
districts in the northern, central, and southern regions of the State, and will
select a cross section of districts from urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Chosen school districts may determine the number of teachers chosen to
participate in the literacy training program. The number of teachers chosen to
participate in the literacy training program will be based on the available
funding and the needs of the district. Each participating school district
under the bill would be eligible to receive a grant award from the State to
implement the
pilot program. A grant award would be paid to a participating school district
from monies received by the State under the "American Rescue Plan Act" or any
other financial assistance provided by the federal government to address the
impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on elementary and secondary schools.
