Bill
Bill > A4486
NJ A4486
NJ A4486Requires public institution of higher education to provide academic credit for certain examinations.
summary
Introduced
02/24/2026
02/24/2026
In Committee
02/24/2026
02/24/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026-2027 Regular Session
Bill Summary
This bill requires public institutions of higher education to provide academic credit to students who receive a score of three or above on an advanced placement examination or a score of 50 or above on a college-level examination program learning assessment. Under the bill, to receive the academic credit, a student is required to: be pursuing an associate or baccalaureate degree; have completed either the applicable advanced placement course and examination or the applicable college-level examination program and learning assessment; and have attained the applicable scores for the advanced placement examination and college-level examination program learning assessment. Additionally, the bill requires each institution to post the institution's policies and procedures for awarding academic credit for advanced placement examinations and college-level examination program learning assessments on its website and submit the policies and procedures to the Secretary of Higher Education. The Office of the Secretary of Higher Education is subsequently required to post each institution's policies and procedures on the office's website. The bill also requires each institution to report any proposed change to the policies and procedures to the secretary no less than 60 days before the change takes effect. Finally, the bill permits the secretary to provide an institution with an exemption to the academic credit requirements established under the bill on an individual course basis provided that the institution submits data that a required score differing from the academic credit requirements established under the bill are necessary for a student to be successful in a related or more advanced course.
AI Summary
This bill mandates that public colleges and universities must grant academic credit to students who achieve a score of three or higher on an Advanced Placement (AP) examination or a score of 50 or higher on a College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) learning assessment, provided the student is pursuing an associate or bachelor's degree and has completed the relevant course and examination. AP courses are defined as those aligned with College Board descriptions designed for college-level study in high school, and AP examinations are the tests administered by the College Board for awarding credit. Similarly, CLEP is a program allowing students to earn college credit for knowledge gained outside traditional coursework, with CLEP learning assessments being the specific tests used for credit. The bill also requires each institution to publish its credit awarding policies online and submit them to the Secretary of Higher Education, who will also post these policies. Institutions must notify the Secretary of any policy changes at least 60 days in advance, and the Secretary can grant exemptions to these credit requirements for specific courses if an institution provides data showing that different score thresholds are necessary for student success in related or more advanced courses.
Committee Categories
Education
Sponsors (3)
Last Action
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee (on 02/24/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2026/A4486 |
| BillText | https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2026/A4500/4486_I1.HTM |
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