Bill Text: NJ A468 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes a loan redemption program for certified technology education teachers employed in public schools in the State.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-12 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee [A468 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-A468-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
214th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2010 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman JOAN M. VOSS
District 38 (Bergen)
Assemblyman JOSEPH R. MALONE, III
District 30 (Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen Diegnan, Chivukula and Assemblywoman Wagner
SYNOPSIS
Establishes a loan redemption program for certified technology education teachers employed in public schools in the State.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act establishing the Technology Education Teacher Loan Redemption Program and supplementing chapter 71C of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Technology Education Teacher Loan Redemption Program Act."
2. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. Over the past several years, a lack of technology teacher preparation programs in the State has resulted in a shortage of certified technology education teachers;
b. Educators report that the number of applicants for advertised technology education teacher positions has been dropping and that in the past, school districts have discontinued technology programs when certified teachers retire;
c. Adoption of the New Jersey core curriculum content standards in 1996, which did not include standards for technology education, has influenced the closing of some technology education teacher preparation programs. However, with the adoption of new core curriculum content standards for technological literacy and the newly-established teaching license endorsement for technology education, school districts will need to grow existing programs and establish new programs to meet the standards;
d. A survey of New Jersey middle and high schools has revealed that approximately 27% of current technology education teachers are planning to retire within the next five years and approximately 50% are planning to retire within the next ten years. Consequently, it is estimated that there is a need for over 500 new teachers in the field within the next five years and over 900 within the next ten years to maintain the current supply of technology education teachers.
3. As used in this act:
"Authority" means the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority established pursuant to N.J.S.18A:71-3;
"Eligible student loan expenses" means 100% of the cumulative total of the principal and interest due on student loans used to cover the cost of attendance while enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at an institution of higher education;
"Program participant" means a person who, following the effective date of this act, is initially hired as a technology education teacher in a public school in New Jersey, and has executed a contract with the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority for participation in the Technology Education Teacher Loan Redemption Program. A program participant shall be a resident of New Jersey and possess a technology education endorsement to the instructional certificate pursuant to regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education.
4. a. There is established in the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority the Technology Education Teacher Loan Redemption Program. The program shall provide for the redemption of a portion of the eligible student loan expenses of a program participant for each year of service teaching technology education in a public school in New Jersey.
b. A program participant may redeem eligible student loan expenses upon execution of a contract between the program participant and the authority. The contract shall be for a specified number of one-year periods and shall specify the total amount of debt to be redeemed by the State in return for service pursuant to subsection c. of this section.
c. Maximum redemption of loans under the loan redemption program shall amount to 20% of principal and interest of eligible student loan expenses in return for one full year of service teaching technology education in a public school, for a total redemption of 100% of eligible student loan expenses in return for five full years of service. Eligible loans shall not be redeemed for service of less than one full school year annually. A program participant shall annually submit to the authority proof of eligible employment in a public school prior to the annual redemption of loan indebtedness.
d. A program participant who has entered into a redemption contract with the authority may nullify his contract by submitting written notification to the authority and assuming full responsibility for repayment of principal and interest on the full amount of his loans or that portion of the loans which has not been redeemed by the State in return for partial fulfillment of the contract.
e. In case of a program participant's death or total or permanent disability, the authority shall nullify the service obligation of the program participant. The nullification shall terminate the authority's obligations under the loan redemption contract, except in the event that a program participant's death or total and permanent disability occurs after the second year of service, the authority shall redeem the current year of service. If continued enforcement of the contract results in extreme hardship, the authority may nullify or suspend the service obligation of the program participant.
5. The authority shall adopt, in consultation with the Department of Education, pursuant to the provisions of the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.
6. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the Technology Education Teacher Loan Redemption Program in the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. Under the program, a participant would redeem 20% of eligible student loan expenses for each year of service as a certified technology education teacher in a public school in New Jersey. Eligible student loan expenses is defined as the cumulative total of the principal and interest due on student loans used to cover the cost of attendance while enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at an institution of higher education.
Under the bill, each program participant must be hired to teach technology education in a public school in New Jersey, possess a technology education endorsement to the instructional certificate, execute a contract with the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, and be a resident of the State. The contract would be for five one-year periods and would specify the total amount of debt to be redeemed by the State in return for the service. Eligible loans will not be redeemed for service of less than one full school year annually.
Educators report that the number of applicants for advertised technology education teacher positions has been dropping and that school districts have discontinued technology programs when certified technology education teachers retire.
