Sponsored by:
Assemblyman CRAIG J. COUGHLIN
District 19 (Middlesex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Sauickie
SYNOPSIS
Requires Commissioner of Education to establish matching grant program for certain school districts and schools using federal funds to increase instructional time and accelerate learning.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning learning loss in school districts, charter schools, and renaissance school projects.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Commissioner of Education shall establish a matching grant program to support school districts, charter schools, and renaissance school projects that use a portion of their eligible funds to increase student instructional time and accelerate student learning through the implementation of high-quality, evidence-based interventions and programs that address the academic, social, and emotional needs of students in the district according to the provisions of this section. Eligible funds under this section shall be a school district, charter school, or renaissance school projects local educational agency subgrant from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund allocated pursuant to the formula under section 2001(d)(1) of the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, excluding any amount required to be reserved by the district or school to address learning loss and the other purposes enumerated in section 2001(e)(1) of that act. A school district, charter school, or renaissance school project shall be eligible to apply for funds under the grant program only if, among all students in the district or school to whom a State assessment was administered, the sum of the percent of students in the did not yet meet expectations and the partially met expectations categories in the English language arts or mathematics subject areas increased according to the most recently administered State assessments for which data is available, compared to the corresponding sum in the 2018-2019 school year.
b. The purpose of the matching grant program shall be to assist school districts, charter schools, and renaissance school projects in implementing interventions and programs that supplement traditional classroom instruction and that respond to interrupted learning time and learning loss among students resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. A district or school that receives a matching grant under the program shall use the grant to augment the eligible funds dedicated to interventions and programs including:
(1) comprehensive before-school, after-school, and out-of-school learning programs;
(2) summer learning academies or summer enrichment programs;
(3) during-school or out-of-school time tutoring programs, including one-on-one tutoring and high-impact or high-dosage tutoring;
(4) hiring additional staff that would increase student access to additional learning opportunities or provide more individualized instruction to students;
(5) project-based learning or work-based learning opportunities and programs;
(6) increasing student access to postsecondary opportunities, including dual enrollment programs, early college high school programs, and career pathway programs that integrate academic coursework, career and technical education, work-based learning, and support services; and
(7) any other intervention or program that the commissioner deems necessary to supplement traditional classroom instruction and respond to interrupted learning time and learning loss among students resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
c. A school district, charter school, or renaissance school project seeking funds under the grant program shall submit an application to the commissioner. In addition to any other information deemed necessary by the commissioner, the application shall include:
(1) a description of the manner in which the district or school will use its eligible funds to increase student instructional time and accelerate student learning and in what ways the districts intervention or program is high-quality in nature;
(2) a description of the need to increase student instructional time and accelerate student learning, including an analysis of relevant assessment data and other information concerning the extent of interrupted learning or learning loss experienced by students in the district as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic;
(3) evidence that the district or schools intervention or program will lead to positive student outcomes and reduce the level of learning loss among the student population at-large and any student subgroups, including available evidence that a similar intervention or program has been effective in other school districts or states;
(4) an explanation concerning how the intervention or program will support students in not only meeting grade-level expectations but also in preparing them for further education;
(5) a description of the specific student subgroups on which the districts intervention or program focuses, if any, and the effect that the intervention or program will have in addressing the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the academic, social, and emotional needs of students in the subgroups;
(6) a description of any grade levels or subject areas on which the district is seeking to focus its intervention or program;
(7) details concerning any partnerships into which the d