Sponsored by:
Senator PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.
District 18 (Middlesex)
Senator JAMES BEACH
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Turner, Durr, Greenstein, O'Scanlon, Pou and Ruiz
SYNOPSIS
Requires State Board of Education to permit candidates awaiting teacher certification to submit affidavit to hiring school district affirming certificate requirements have been met.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate Education Committee on June 2, 2022, with amendments.
An Act concerning teacher certification 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. The State Board of Education shall authorize an alternative means for teaching candidates to secure employment as a teacher with a school district while awaiting the issuance of a certificate of eligibility or certificate of eligibility with advanced standing from the Department of Education. The board shall allow a candidate for a certificate to submit to a hiring district a signed affidavit affirming that1, to the candidate’s knowledge,1 all applicable certification requirements have been met as part of the candidate’s application for employment with the hiring district. 1In the event that a candidate submits a signed affidavit in good faith and subsequently learns that the certification application is incomplete, the candidate shall not be liable to reimburse the district for salary or benefits received.1
b. A candidate who submits an affidavit pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall provide accompanying documentation demonstrating that the candidate has applied for a certificate with the department.
c. Within 90 days from the date an affidavit has been submitted to a hiring district, a candidate shall provide confirmation to the hiring district that a certificate has been issued by the department. A hiring district shall terminate the employment of a 1teaching1 candidate 1[who] if the candidate1 does not provide confirmation to the district that a certificate has been issued or has been found to have 1knowingly1 misrepresented information provided on the affidavit. 1The school district may continue to employ the candidate in other positions in the district that do not require a teaching certificate.1
2. This act shall take effect on the 30th day after the date of enactment.