SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 2692

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 20, 2022

     The Senate Education Committee favorably reports Senate Bill No. 2692 with committee amendments.

     As amended, this bill requires school districts, charter schools, and renaissance school projects that employ a school psychologist and offer in-person school psychology services to students in grades kindergarten through 12 to allow students to attend counseling sessions or meetings of any kind through virtual or remote means.  Under the bill, a student will not be eligible to participate in remote psychology sessions if the school psychologist determines that in-person counseling is in the best interest of the student.

     Also under the bill, a student will not be required to attend a school counseling session or meeting with a school psychologist remotely, and will be permitted to continue to attend sessions in-person.  As used in the bill, a “school psychologist” means a person who holds a New Jersey standard educational services certificate with a school psychologist endorsement.

     School psychologists assist educators in implementing safe, healthy classroom and school environments by providing students with a wide range of emotional and academic services. This bill ensures that students who are unable to attend in-person sessions, for whatever reason, will continue to have access to their school psychologist by offering virtual or remote counseling sessions.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to expressly state that the provisions of the bill would apply to charter schools and renaissance school projects.  The committee amendments also stipulate that a student will not be eligible to participate in remote counseling sessions if the school psychologist determines that in-person counseling is in the best interest of the student.