Bill Text: NJ S2494 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes emergency teacher endorsements in certain circumstances.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-02-05 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee [S2494 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S2494-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes emergency teacher endorsements in certain circumstances.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning emergency teacher endorsements and supplementing chapter 26 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, a chief school administrator, or a designee, or the board of directors of a private school for students with disabilities, may apply to the executive county superintendent or the Commissioner of Education, as applicable, for an emergency endorsement to an instructional certificate for a candidate in a high-need field including, but not limited to, bilingual/bicultural education if the chief school administrator, or a designee, or the board of directors of a private school for students with disabilities, can demonstrate the inability to locate a suitable certified candidate due to unforeseen shortages or other extenuating circumstances. The executive county superintendent or the commissioner, as applicable, may approve the application if it is determined that there are no suitable certified candidates to fill the position.
b. To be eligible to receive an emergency endorsement pursuant to subsection a. of this section, a teaching candidate shall, at a minimum:
(1) hold a certificate of eligibility, certificate of eligibility with advanced standing, or a standard instructional certificate;
(2) be enrolled in a coherent sequence of courses in the high-need field at an educator preparation program at a regionally accredited four-year institution of higher education in the State; and
(3) have achieved a passing score on any applicable subject matter knowledge exams.
A teaching candidate receiving an emergency endorsement pursuant to this section shall not be required to complete the pre-professional component of an educator preparation program.
c. The emergency endorsement shall be renewable annually up to a maximum of two times at the request of the chief school administrator or the board of directors of a private school for students with disabilities and approval of the executive county superintendent or the commissioner, as applicable. Renewal shall be predicated upon demonstration of progress toward successful completion of coursework required through the educator preparation program. A candidate serving under an emergency instructional certificate shall be employed under emergency certification for no more than a total of three years in any one high-need field regardless of the number of school districts in which the candidate serves.
d. The Department of Education shall publish on its internet website a list of the high-need fields eligible to receive an emergency endorsement pursuant to subsection a. of this section. The State Board of Education shall annually reevaluate the list of high-need fields eligible to receive an emergency endorsement pursuant to subsection a. of this section.
2. a. An emergency endorsement to an instructional certificate issued pursuant to this act shall be valid for employment only in the school district or private school for students with disabilities requesting the emergency instructional certificate.
b. A board of education may employ a teacher candidate who has been issued an emergency endorsement to an instructional certificate pursuant to this act in a full-time or part-time teaching position.
c. No more than 20 percent of a board of education's or a private school for students with disabilities' teaching staff shall be employed with an emergency endorsement issued pursuant to this act.
3. The State Board of Education shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), any rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of this act.
4. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the first full school year next following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes an emergency instructional certificate for teacher candidates in high-need fields.
Under the bill, a chief school administrator or the board of directors of a private school for students with disabilities may apply to the executive county superintendent or the Commissioner of Education, as applicable, for an emergency endorsement to an instructional certificate to enable teachers to full high-need fields prior to qualifying for the endorsement through regular course.
In order to be eligible to receive an emergency endorsement, the amendments require a teacher candidate: to have already obtained a certificate of eligibility, certificate of eligibility with advanced standing, or a standard instructional certificate in another endorsement area; and be enrolled in a coherent sequence of courses in the emergency subject field at an educator preparation program at a regionally accredited four-year institution of higher education.
Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Education to publish a list of the high-need fields eligible to receive an emergency endorsement on its internet website and requires the State Board of Education to annually reevaluate the high-need fields that are eligible for an emergency instructional certificate. The bill also stipulates that a teacher candidate who has been issued an emergency endorsement may be employed in a full-time or part-time teaching position.
Finally, bill stipulates that no more than 20 percent of a board of education's or a private school for students with disabilities' teaching staff may be employed with an emergency instructional certificate.
