Bill Text: NJ S2731 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes matching grant program for school districts that receive federal Supporting Effective Educator Development grant; appropriates $5 million to DOE.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-05-26 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee [S2731 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-S2731-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator VIN GOPAL
District 11 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes matching grant program for school districts that receive federal Supporting Effective Educator Development grant; appropriates $5 million to DOE.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing a matching grant for teacher preparation and development programs and supplementing chapter 6 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. There is established in the Department of Education a matching grant program for school districts that receive a federal Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) grant. The purpose of the matching grant program is to provide a dollar-for-dollar State match to each school district that receives a federal SEED grant to implement evidence-based practices that prepare, develop, or enhance the skills of educators.
b. School districts that receive a matching grant under the program shall use the funds for efforts to establish and expand programs and partnerships that invest in teacher professional learning and development, recruitment, and retention.
c. A school district that receives a federal SEED grant shall notify the Commissioner of Education on a form and in such manner as determined by the commissioner and shall provide the department with all pertinent information regarding the SEED grant that is required to be provided to the federal government, and shall also provide the department with, at a minimum:
(1) a copy of the grant application that was submitted to, and granted an award by, the United States Department of Education;
(2) information concerning the amount of the federal SEED grant award; and
(3) information concerning any measurement and accountability requirements that are associated with the federal SEED grant award.
d. Upon receiving notification that a school district was awarded a federal SEED grant, the commissioner shall distribute the matching funds to the district.
e. In the event that the amount of State funds appropriated to the program established pursuant to this section exceed the amount of funds needed to provide school districts with matching grants, the excess funds shall be allocated to the High Poverty School District Minority Teacher Recruitment Program in the Department of Education, or other similar program.
2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Education the sum of $5,000,000 to effectuate the purposes of this act.
3. This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes in the Department of Education (DOE) a matching grant program for school districts that receive a federal Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) grant. The purpose of the grant program is to provide a dollar-for-dollar State match to each school district that receives a federal SEED grant to implement evidence-based practices that prepare, develop, or enhance the skills of educators.
Under the bill, a school district that receives a federal SEED grant is required to notify the Commissioner of Education on a form and in such manner as determined by the commissioner and provide DOE with all pertinent information regarding the SEED grant that is required to be provided to the federal government, and to also provide DOE with, at a minimum:
· a copy of the grant application that was submitted to, and granted an award by, the United States Department of Education;
· information concerning the amount of the federal SEED grant award; and
· information concerning any measurement and accountability requirements that are associated with the SEED grant award.
Upon receiving notification that a school district was awarded a federal SEED grant, the commissioner will distribute the matching funds to the district. Under the bill, $5 million is appropriated to DOE for the State matching grant program.
The bill specifies that, in the event that the amount of State funds appropriated for the State matching grant program exceeds the amount of funds needed to provide school districts with matching grants, the excess funds will be allocated to the High Poverty School District Minority Teacher Recruitment Program in the Department of Education.
