Bill Text: NJ S3237 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes pilot program in DOE to support establishment of criminal justice career academies in public high schools.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-12-10 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee [S3237 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-S3237-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator SANDRA B. CUNNINGHAM
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes pilot program in DOE to support establishment of criminal justice career academies in public high schools.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing a criminal justice career academy pilot program in the Department of Education.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Commissioner of Education shall establish a five-year pilot program to provide support to school districts in developing and establishing criminal justice career academy programs in high schools within the districts that have partnered with a county college to participate in an early college program. The purpose of the pilot program shall be to afford high school students the opportunity to earn college credit and access hands-on learning experiences in the fields of criminal justice and law enforcement. The purpose of the pilot program shall also be to ensure that participating students are able to cultivate a deeper understanding of career pathways in criminal justice and law enforcement and to attract a more diverse group of applicants who are representative of their community to local law enforcement agencies.
2. A school district seeking to participate in the pilot program shall submit an application to the commissioner. The application shall demonstrate that high schools within the districts have partnered with a county college to participate in an early college program and that students participating in the pilot program will be able to earn college credits as a result of the coursework completed through the criminal justice career academy. The application shall also identify the high school or high schools within the district in which the criminal justice career academy will be established. As appropriate, the application shall demonstrate that the criminal justice career academy program meets all applicable State Board of Education regulations and standards and other Department of Education requirements for career and technical education programs or programs of study and the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. The application shall include:
a. a detailed plan outlining the coursework that will be completed by a student participating in the criminal justice career academy;
b. details on the existing partnerships with county colleges to provide college-level courses in criminal justice to academy students or any agreements with appropriate county colleges to accept a certain number of college credits for coursework completed in the career academy;
c. details on any partnerships formed with local law enforcement agencies or community organizations;
d. the student application process and any student eligibility criteria required for participation in the career academy;
e. a description of the hands-on student learning experiences that will be incorporated into the career academy coursework;
f. a plan for the continuation of the career academy upon the expiration of the pilot program established pursuant to this act;
g. information on the amount of State grant funds needed to support the establishment of the criminal justice career academy and the intended uses of those funds; and
h. any other information deemed necessary by the commissioner.
3. a. Upon review of the applications submitted pursuant to section 2 of this act, the commissioner shall select at least one school district in each county which has at least one municipality with a resident population of over 75,000 individuals according to the most recent federal decennial census. In making the selections, the commissioner shall consult with the Attorney General and the Superintendent of State Police to prioritize school districts that demonstrate a need to diversify the law enforcement agencies of the county or municipality in which the school district is situate.
b. The commissioner shall provide such guidance, support, and training to selected school districts as may be necessary to establish the criminal justice career academies.
c. The commissioner shall award grants, within the limit of available State appropriations, to selected school districts to be used to support the development and implementation of the criminal justice career academies. The commissioner shall determine the amount of each grant awarded under the pilot program and may award multi-year grants.
4. a. A school district selected to participate in the pilot program shall, at intervals to be determined by the commissioner, prepare and submit to the commissioner reports on the district's experience with and the effects of the pilot program. The reports shall include, but need not be limited to:
(1) the high schools in the district that established criminal justice career academies under the pilot program;
(2) the number of students enrolled in the district's criminal justice career academies;
(3) a description of the academy coursework requirements;
(4) the number of college credits, certifications, and credentials earned by students through academy coursework;
(5) the use of State grant funds provided to the school district under the pilot program; and
(6) information on student outcomes including, but not limited to, academic performance indicators and postsecondary and employment opportunities sought by graduates of the career academy.
b. At the conclusion of the pilot program, the commissioner shall submit a report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), on the implementation and effectiveness of the pilot program. The report shall include, but need not be limited to, a summary of the information submitted by school districts pursuant to subsection a. of this section and the commissioner's recommendation on the feasibility of continuing and expanding the pilot program.
5. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the first full school year following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Commissioner of Education to establish a five-year pilot program to provide support to school districts in developing and establishing criminal justice career academy programs in high schools within the districts. Generally speaking, career academies are small learning communities comprised of groups of students within a larger high school community who take classes together for at least two years and are taught by a team of teachers from different disciplines. The academies provide students a college preparatory curriculum with a particular career theme and offer other opportunities through partnerships with employers, the community, and local institutions of higher education.
To participate in the pilot program, a school district is required to submit an application to the commissioner. In its application, a school district is required to demonstrate that high schools within the district have partnered with a county college to participate in an early college program and that students will be able to earn college credits as a result of coursework completed through the criminal justice career academy. The application will identify the high school or high schools within the district in which a career academy will be established. As appropriate, applicant school districts are required to ensure that the criminal justice career academy programs meet all applicable State Board of Education regulations and standards and other Department of Education requirements for career and technical education programs or programs of study and the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. Under the bill, applicant school districts are required to include in the application several pieces of information related to the proposed career academy.
The commissioner will select at least one school district in each county which has at least one municipality with a resident population of over 75,000 individuals according to the most recent federal decennial census. In making the selections, the commissioner will consult with the Attorney General and the Superintendent of State Police to prioritize school districts that demonstrate a need to diversify the law enforcement agencies of the county or municipality in which the school district is situate. The commissioner will provide guidance, support, and training to participating school districts to establish the criminal justice career academies. The commissioner will also award grants to participating school districts to be used to support the development and implementation of the career academies.
A school district selected to participate in the pilot program will prepare and submit to the commissioner periodic reports on the district's experience with and the effects of the pilot program. At the conclusion of the pilot program, the commissioner will submit a report to the Governor, and to the Legislature, on the implementation and effectiveness of the pilot program.
