Sponsored by:
Senator KRISTIN M. CORRADO
District 40 (Bergen, Essex and Passaic)
Senator VIN GOPAL
District 11 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Permits virtual or remote instruction for public schools used as polling places on election days.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning public schools as polling places 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. A board of education may provide virtual or remote instruction to students that attend a public school that is used as a polling place on the day of any election. For purposes of this section, "any election" shall have the same meaning as defined in R.S.19:1-1. A board of education shall ensure that all students have access to a computer or to sufficient broadband, or to any other technology required prior to permitting the public school to offer virtual or remote instruction to students pursuant to this subsection.
b. A public school that is permitted to offer virtual or remote instruction to students pursuant to subsection a. shall not be required to offer a combination of in-person and virtual or remote instruction on a day of any election.
c. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 9 of P.L.1996, c.138 (C.18A:7F-9) to the contrary, the Commissioner of Education shall allow a board of education that provides virtual or remote instruction on the day of any election, pursuant to subsection a. of this section, to apply the day of virtual or remote instruction to the 180-day requirement established pursuant to subsection a. of section 9 of P.L.1996, c.138 (C.18A:7F-9).
d. A public school that is not being used as a polling place on the day of any election shall not be permitted to provide virtual or remote instruction to students to comply with the 180-day requirement established pursuant to subsection a. of section 9 of P.L.1996, c.138 (C.18A:7F-9).
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill permits boards of education to offer classroom instruction through virtual or remote means to students that attend a public school that is used as a polling place on the day of any election. The bill defines "any election" to include all primary, general, municipal, school and special elections.
Under the bill, a board of education is required to ensure that all students have access to the technology required prior to permitting the public school to offer virtual instruction to the students. A public school is not required to offer hybrid instruction on election days. Additionally, this bill requires the Commissioner of Education to allow a board of education to apply the day of virtual or remote instruction to the 180-day school year requirement.
This bill only applies to public schools that are used as polling places on election days. A public school that is not serving as a polling place is not permitted to provide virtual or remote instruction to students.