Bill > S2847

Introduced Session

This bill establishes a New Jersey Out-of-School Time Advisory Commission. Under the bill, the commission is to consist of 23 members, including the Commissioners of Education, Human Services, and Children and Families, and the Secretary of Higher Education, ex officio, or their designees; and 19 public members appointed by the Governor, including one member appointed upon the recommendation of the President of the Senate, one member appointed upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the General Assembly, and 16 representatives from various education stakeholder groups and experts in youth development. The duties of the commission pursuant to the bill are to: (1) assess the state of out-of-school time programs in New Jersey by reviewing the policies of all State agencies that fund before-school, after-school, or summer programs, as well as review existing research and best practices; (2) recommend models for out-of-school time program design, implementation, and assessment; (3) examine the existing amount of funding available for out-of-school time programs and the source of the funding; and (4) examine the development and operation of out-of-school time programs in urban, suburban, and rural school districts, and make recommendations to increase the accountability and quality of the before-school, after-school, and summer programs and improve access to the programs. The bill requires the Department of Education to provide staff and related support services to the commission. Alternatively, the department, in consultation with the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education and within 90 days of the effective date of the bill, would select a public institution of higher education that is willing to provide staff and related support services to the commission at no cost to the State. The bill directs the commission to issue an interim report of its findings and recommendations, including any recommended legislation, to the Governor, and to the Legislature, no later than one year after its organizational meeting, and a final report no later than two years after its organizational meeting. The commission will expire 30 days after the submission of the final report.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Angela Mcknight (D)*,  Teresa Ruiz (D)*,  Renee Burgess (D),  Britnee Timberlake (D),  Joe Vitale (D),  Benjie Wimberly (D), 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document