Bill > S4125

Introduced Session

This bill requires the Department of Education to establish a database of novice teachers to assist school districts in filling staffing vacancies and requires the department to hold three job fairs per year. Under the bill, the department is required, within 180 days of the effective date of the bill, to establish and maintain a database of novice teachers that is to be available to school districts and novice teachers to assist in filling staffing vacancies. The database is to include the following information: (1) the novice teacher's name, telephone number, email address, and method by which a school district may contact the novice teacher; (2) the novice teacher's employment status; (3) the certificate and endorsement held by the novice teacher; and (4) any other information the Commissioner of Education deems necessary. The bill requires the department to develop a mechanism by which a novice teacher may opt out of inclusion in the database and permits a novice teacher to request to be excluded from the database at any time. Under the bill, a novice teacher is permitted to request the department limit the contact information included in the database to that of a preferred method of contact. The department is required to comply with this request. The bill also requires the department to hold three job fairs per year, with one held in each of the northern, central, and southern regions of the State. The department is required to invite school districts to participate in the job fairs, and to notify each novice teacher included in the database established under the provisions of the bill of the date, time, and location of each job fair. Novice teachers, individuals enrolled in an educator preparation program, and any other individual appropriately certified to work in a public school in the State are permitted to attend the job fair. The bill permits the department to charge employer participants a reasonable, nominal fee to participate in the job fair, but limits use of any fees collected to covering costs associated with identifying and securing a location for the job fair, hospitality services, and any other administrative costs as determined by the commissioner. The bill defines "novice teacher" as a teacher eligible to work under a valid certificate of eligibility or certificate of eligibility with advanced standing who has not yet been issued a provisional certificate, and "school district" to mean a school district, charter school, renaissance school project, county special services school district, or county vocational school district.

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Vin Gopal (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee (on 11/30/2023)

Official Document