Bill > S3885

Introduced Session

This bill establishes the New Jersey Student Educator Tuition Remission Program to reduce financial barriers to teacher certification. Under the bill, the program is to provide tuition remission, up to a student's full eligible tuition expenses, to students completing required clinical practice through a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing educator preparation program at a public institution of higher education. A student is eligible to receive tuition remission for a maximum of two academic semesters. To be eligible for tuition remission, an applicant is required to: be a United States citizen, permanent resident alien, or any student eligible to complete the New Jersey Alternative Financial Aid Application; be a resident of the State; be enrolled full time in an approved program of study; and complete the necessary steps to apply for clinical practice. The Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, in coordination with the Department of Education, may establish additional eligibility requirements and minimum qualifications for the program. Additionally, the authority, in coordination with the department, is to annually collect data on the program. Finally, the bill stipulates that a student's tuition remission be terminated and required to be repaid if a student: is dismissed from the program of study for academic or disciplinary reasons, is disqualified from employment by a school district due to the detection of criminal history record information under current law, or becomes ineligible to receive a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing for any other reason. The bill also stipulates that tuition remission is to be terminated if the student withdraws due to illness, but the student would not be required to repay the tuition remission.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Teresa Ruiz (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Higher Education Committee (on 05/22/2023)

Official Document