Bill > S1559

Introduced Session

This bill establishes in the Department of Education a three-year pilot program, the purpose of which is to support programs to increase the length of the school day or the school year in school districts selected for participation. Under the pilot program, the Commissioner of Education would award funds on a competitive basis, with priority given to school districts that have student populations demonstrating a high level of need for academic support. The commissioner would select no more than 20 school districts to participate in the pilot program. A school district seeking funds under the pilot program would submit an application to the commissioner. In addition to any other information the commissioner may deem necessary, the application would include:· a description of the need to offer some or all students in the district a program to increase the length of the school day or the school year and how extended learning time will support learning acceleration;· details concerning the manner in which the district intends to implement its program to increase the length of the school day or school year;· a description of how the district has utilized funds, including federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund moneys, for learning recovery and other initiatives to address the educational impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on students enrolled in the district and the amount of funds, if any, that have been dedicated to efforts to extend the length of the school day or the school year; · a request for the amount of funds being sought by the district under the pilot program and an explanation of how the district plans to use grant funds in the event that it is selected for participation;· a description of any additional funds the district plans to use to support its program to increase the length of the school day or school year; and · documentation evidencing that the district's plan to increase the length of the school day or the school year has received input and feedback from teaching staff members of the district and that a majority of the teaching staff members support the plan. If available, the application would include the terms of a collective bargaining agreement or other contract that includes provisions for an increase in the length of the school day or school year. A school district selected for participation in the pilot program would be granted no more than $1 million annually throughout the duration of the pilot program. A school district selected by the commissioner for participation would utilize the funds for any costs associated with the implementation of a program to increase the length of the school day or school year. The bill requires that, no later than July 30 of each school year in which grant funds are distributed under the pilot program, each school district selected for participation would submit a report to the commissioner that includes the following information: the number of students who were eligible for, and participated in, the district's program to increase the length of the school day or school year; the attendance rates among the students who participated in the district's program to increase the length of the school day or school year; and any student-level information the commissioner may need to produce a separate report required under the bill. The separate report produced by the commissioner would be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature no later than 180 days prior to the conclusion of the pilot program. The report would evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program in increasing student achievement and reducing the extent of the educational impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in each school district selected for participation in the pilot program.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Shirley Turner (D)*, 

Senate Education Hearing (11:00:00 2/15/2024 Committee Room 4, 1st Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ) (on 02/15/2024)

Official Document