A5617

An Act concerning supplemental curriculum resources for school districts, supplementing chapter 6 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, and making an appropriation.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. The Department of Education shall establish a “Supplemental Curriculum Resources List for Black History Studies” comprised of department-approved resource materials available to school districts interested in offering elective courses in social studies that seek to add to students’ understanding and knowledge of Black history in America.

b. (1) In order to be considered for inclusion in the “Supplemental Curriculum Resources List for Black History Studies” established pursuant to this section, a resource material shall be:

(a) submitted to the department by a school district; and

(b) reviewed by the department for alignment with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Social Studies.

(2) After the department’s review and approval of a resource material submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection, the department shall organize a 30-day period for public comment on the resource material. After consideration of comments received through the public comment period, the Commissioner of Education may elect to include the resource material on the “Supplemental Curriculum Resources List for Black History Studies.”

c. Resource materials included in the “Supplemental Curriculum Resources List for Black History Studies” established pursuant to this section shall not be construed as required materials to meet the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Social Studies, and each school district, its teachers, and teaching staff shall maintain discretion regarding the use of these resource materials in an elective course in social studies offered in the district.

2. a. There is established in the Department of Education a “Supplementary Curriculum Resources List for Black History Studies Grant Program” to assist school districts seeking to adopt resource materials included in the “Supplemental Curriculum Resources List for Black History Studies” established pursuant to section 1 of this act in an elective course in social studies offered in the district. A grant not exceeding $5,000 per recipient per school year may be awarded to assist a school district in covering the costs of materials used in the classroom and providing optional teacher training.

b. A school district may apply to the commissioner for a grant, in a manner and form prescribed by the commissioner.

c. The commissioner shall develop criteria for the evaluation of applications for grant funds within the limit of funds appropriated or otherwise made available for the purposes of the program.

d. Within three school years of receiving a grant award under the program, a school district shall submit a report to the commissioner, in a form and manner prescribed by the commissioner, containing information on the use of the grant funds.

3. A school district that utilizes the resource materials included in the “Supplementary Curriculum Resources List for Black History Studies” established pursuant to section 1 of this act shall submit a report to the department every two school years, in a form and manner prescribed by the department, on school and student use of the resource materials as well as educator feedback.

4. The department shall review the 1776 Unites Black History and Excellence curriculum developed by the Woodson Center for potential inclusion in the “Supplementary Curriculum Resources List for Black History Studies” established pursuant to section 1 of this act.

5. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Education the sum of $60,000 to fund grants awarded through the “Supplementary Curriculum Resources List for Black History Studies Grant Program” established pursuant to section 2 of this act.

6. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill requires the Department of Education to establish a “Supplemental Curriculum Resources List for Black History Studies.” The list would be comprised of department-approved resource materials that would be available to school districts interested in offering elective courses in social studies that seek to add to students’ understanding and knowledge of Black history in America.

Resource materials would be required to be reviewed by the department and be subject to a 30-day public comment period prior to being considered for inclusion in the Supplemental Curriculum Resources List for Black History Studies. Materials included in the list would not be considered required materials to the meet the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Social Studies, and each school district, its teachers, and teaching staff would maintain discretion regarding the use of these resource materials in an elective course in social studies offered in the district.

The bill would also establish a grant program in the department to assist school districts seeking to adopt the resource materials included in the list established under the bill. Each grant recipient would be awarded up to $5,000 per school year to assist with the costs of materials used in the classroom, and to provide optional teacher training. Grant recipients are required under the bill to report to the commissioner on the use of grant funds.

Finally, school districts that utilize the resources included in the list would be required to report to the department every two school years on school and student use of the resource materials, as well as educator feedback.