Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
Assemblyman BENJIE E. WIMBERLY
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Requires board of education to establish community service credit program for high school students.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning community service credit for public high school students and supplementing chapter 36 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 board of education of a school district that includes grades 9 through 12 shall establish a community service credit program that allows a high school student to earn credit as an optional elective towards the high school graduation requirements upon the completion of an approved community service activity. The board of education shall determine the number of hours of community service that a student shall complete in order to receive the credit. The board shall also determine the number of credits that may be earned by a student for community service.
b. A high school student:
(1) may complete the community service activity during the evenings and on weekends, but shall not complete the activity during school hours;
(2) may complete the community service activity with a non-profit agency or organization, a public agency or institution, a non-profit or for-profit health care facility, or any other community organization which the board of education deems appropriate; and
(3) shall not receive compensation for the community service activity or substitute employment for the activity.
2. This act shall take effect immediately and first apply to the 2015-2016 school year.
STATEMENT
This bill requires a board of education that includes grades 9 through 12 to establish a community service credit program. The program will allow a high school student to earn credit as an optional elective towards the high school graduation requirements upon the completion of an approved community service activity.
Under the bill, the board of education will determine the number of hours of community service that a student must complete in order to receive the credit and the number of credits that may be earned. A student participating in this program may perform the community service activity during evenings and on weekends but not during school hours. A student may complete the community service activity with a non-profit agency or organization, a public agency or institution, a non-profit or for-profit health care facility, or any other community organization which the board of education deems appropriate. A student may not receive compensation for the community service activity or substitute employment for the activity.