Bill > S1653

Introduced Session

This bill establishes the Autism Education Council in, but not of, the Department of Education. The council will consist of seven members including the Commissioner of Education, or his designee, who will serve ex officio, and six public members to be appointed by the Governor, including two public school teachers and one representative of each of the following organizations: Parents of Autistic Children, The New Jersey Center for Outreach Services for the Autism Community, The Family Resource Network, and ASPEN. To the greatest extent practicable, consideration will be given to the appointment of members from these organizations who possess some teaching experience. The two public school teachers appointed to the council will have a Master's Degree in Education or other relevant subject area, certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, and a minimum of five years' experience as a teacher. The commissioner or his designee will serve as chairman of the council. The council will establish a five-member Educational Advisory Committee whose members will serve at the pleasure of the council. Three members of the committee will be appointed by the chairman of the council and will include one director of special education in a public school district and two chairpersons, coordinators, or other individuals in charge of teacher preparation programs for special education teachers. Two members of the committee will be appointed by a majority vote of the council. The committee will identify and make recommendations to the council regarding the most effective use of grant funds to improve the quality and availability of public school services and programs for children with autism. The committee will identify potential grant recipients who represent a variety of research-based approaches to educating children with autism. The council will award grants through the Department of Education, upon recommendation of the Educational Advisory Committee, to public school districts and public institutions of higher education to increase the quality and availability of public school services and programs for children with autism. Grants may be used to offset the costs of: professional development and educational activities for educators and other individuals working with children with autism in the public schools and for students of postsecondary institutions who are pursuing education careers working with children with autism; hiring additional paraprofessionals to work directly with children with autism in the public schools; and supplemental education services for children with autism in the public schools including after-school socialization programs, recreation programs, transitional planning services, and other appropriate services. The council will establish mechanisms to monitor the impact of the grants distributed by the council and will submit an annual report to the Governor, the Legislature, and all public school districts. The report will identify the number of grants distributed and the amount, recipient, purpose, and impact of each grant. The bill directs the Governor to recommend and the Legislature to appropriate $10,000,000 annually beginning in fiscal year 2021 through fiscal year 2029 to the Department of Education for the Autism Education Council. Of the amount appropriated, a minimum of $9,600,000 must be used annually to fund grants.

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Linda Greenstein (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee (on 02/13/2020)

Official Document