Bill Text: NJ S3219 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes Elementary Student Literacy Task Force.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-05-13 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee [S3219 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S3219-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator MICHAEL L. TESTA, JR.
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
Senator DOUGLAS J. STEINHARDT
District 23 (Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes Elementary Student Literacy Task Force.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing the Elementary Student Literacy Task Force.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is established the "Elementary Student Literacy Task Force." The purpose of the task force shall be to assess the current reading levels of elementary school students in the public schools and identify best practices towards supporting all elementary school students to read at, or above, grade level.
b. The task force shall consist of 17 members as follows:
(1) the Commissioner of Education, or a designee, who shall serve ex officio;
(2) one member appointed by the President of the Senate and one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, both of whom shall be members of the public with demonstrated expertise in issues relating to the work of the task force;
(3) one member appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the General Assembly, both of whom shall be members of the public with demonstrated expertise in issues relating to the work of the task force and at least one of whom shall have expertise in children's reading disabilities; and
(4) 12 members appointed by the Governor, who shall include: one superintendent of schools; two elementary school principals; two teachers employed in public elementary schools, at least one of whom holds an educational services certificate with a reading specialist endorsement; one member representing a Commissioner of Education-approved educator preparation program provider; one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Education Association; one member upon the recommendation of the American Federation of Teachers New Jersey; one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey School Boards Association; one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association; one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of School Administrators; and one member upon the recommendation of the Garden State Coalition of Schools.
c. Vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments were made. Members of the task force shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenditures incurred in the performance of their duties as members of the task force within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the task force for its purposes.
d. The task force shall organize no later than the 90th day after the effective date of this act. The task force shall choose a chairperson from among its members. The chairperson shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the task force.
e. The Department of Education shall provide such stenographic, clerical, and other administrative assistants, and such professional staff as the task force requires to carry out its work. The task force shall also be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available for its purposes.
2. It shall be the duty of the Elementary Student Literacy Task Force to:
a. examine current data on the reading levels of elementary school students in the State;
b. analyze reading intervention techniques, including scientifically-backed approaches to teaching students to read;
c. research promising programs and initiatives addressing early literacy across the nation to identify best practices that may be replicated in the State;
d. identify professional development options for teaching staff members to improve staff knowledge of the most effective instructional techniques for promoting literacy;
e. study practices for diagnosing, treating, and educating students with reading disabilities or who are reading below grade level, and how the State's current laws and regulations affect these students; and
f. develop recommendations on the most effective ways for school districts to promote family engagement in reading.
3. a. The Elementary Student Literacy Task Force shall issue a final report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), no later than one year after the task force organizes. The report shall contain the task force's findings and recommendations, including any recommendations for legislation that it deems appropriate.
b. The task force shall expire on the 30th day after the issuance of its final report.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the "Elementary Student Literacy Task Force." The purpose of the task force is to assess the current reading levels of elementary school students in the public schools and identify best practices towards supporting all elementary school students to read at, or above, grade level.
The task force is to consist of 17 members as follows:
· the Commissioner of Education, or a designee, who shall serve ex officio;
· one member appointed by the President of the Senate and one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, both of whom are to be members of the public with demonstrated expertise in issues relating to the work of the task force;
· one member appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the General Assembly, both of whom are to be members of the public with demonstrated expertise in issues relating to the work of the task force and at least one of whom is to have expertise in children's reading disabilities; and
· 12 members appointed by the Governor, including various representatives of the education community.
The task force is to organize no later than the 90th day after the bill's effective date. The Department of Education is to provide administrative support.
Under the bill, the duty of the task force is to:
· examine current data on the reading levels of elementary school students in the State;
· analyze reading intervention techniques, including scientifically-backed approaches to teaching students to read;
· research promising programs and initiatives addressing early literacy across the nation to identify best practices that may be replicated in the State;
· identify professional development options for teaching staff members to improve staff knowledge of the most effective instructional techniques for promoting literacy;
· study practices for diagnosing, treating, and educating students with reading disabilities or who are reading below grade level, and how the State's current laws and regulations affect these students; and
· develop recommendations on the most effective ways for school districts to promote family engagement in reading.
The bill directs the Elementary Student Literacy Task Force to issue a final report to the Governor and the Legislature no later than one year after the task force organizes. The task force will expire on the 30th day after the issuance of its final report.
