The following 20 bills were introduced last week. AFTNJ is analyzing the bills to determine our positions. The bills are presented here for informational purposes.
COLLEGE READINESS
A2800 – Requires high school students to be assessed using college placement cut scores to determine their readiness for college-level course work and the Commissioner of Education to develop plans to improve college and career counseling for students.
AN ACT concerning high school curriculum requirements and supplementing chapter 7C of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Legislature finds and declares that it is the goal of the State that all students achieve competency in Language Arts Literacy and Mathematics by the time of the student’s graduation from high school.
2. a. As used in this section, “cut score” means that a student has achieved one of the following scores in each subject area:
(1) in English/Language Arts:
(a) a minimum score of 24 on the verbal section of the ACT,
(b) a minimum score of 540 on the critical reading section of the SAT, or
(c) a score of advanced proficient on the Language Arts Literacy section of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA); and
(2) in Mathematics:
(a) a minimum score of 23 on the mathematics section of the ACT,
(b) a minimum score of 550 on the mathematics section of the SAT, or
(c) a score of advanced proficient on the mathematics section of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA).
b. The State Board of Education shall establish high school curriculum standards that include the following requirements:
(1) beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, all public school students shall be assessed using cut scores no later than the 11th grade to determine whether the student is ready for college-level, credit-bearing course work in Language Arts Literacy and Mathematics;
(2) the Commissioner of Education, in collaboration with school districts and the county colleges, shall develop and implement by the 2016-2017 school year, transition courses or other instructional opportunities to be provided in the 12th grade to students who have not achieved college and career readiness by the end of the 11th grade. The implementation of the transition courses required pursuant to this paragraph shall include an assessment or reassessment of the student after completion of the course, and may not preclude or replace enrollment in a course otherwise required for graduation from high school.
c. A student who successfully completes a transition course shall not be required to take a college placement test upon enrollment in a college or university and shall be enrolled in credit-bearing course-work. A college or university may require a student who fails to successfully complete a transition course to take a college placement test upon enrollment and to delay the student’s enrollment in credit-bearing coursework until the student demonstrates the skill levels required to pursue courses for credit.
3. The Commissioner of Education, in collaboration with the Secretary of Higher Education and school districts, shall study the development, content, and implementation of the transition courses required pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection b. of section 2 of this act. The study shall include the alignment of the transition courses to the Common Core State Standards and whether the courses should be considered to meet high school graduation standards. The study shall also determine the appropriate assessment to be used to determine college and career readiness and how a student’s level of readiness will be reflected on the high school transcript.
A report on the study shall be submitted to the Governor, and to the Senate Higher Education and Education Committees and the General Assembly Higher Education and Education Committees, or their successor committees.
4. On or before December 1, 2015, the Commissioner of Education shall report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), concerning the feasibility of the award of a State endorsed high school diploma regardless of whether a student has completed the minimum number of required credits or four years of high school if:
a. the student is assessed as college and career ready pursuant to subsection b. of section 2 of this act; and
b. successfully completes any graduation assessment requirements established by the State board.
5. a. The Commissioner of Education shall develop a plan, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education, to improve college and career counseling that is provided to students in middle and high schools.
b. The plan developed pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall include:
(1) the identification of best practices in college and career counseling used in the State and nationally; and
(2) a recommendation for a competitive grant program to implement the identified best practices.
c. The commissioner shall submit the plan to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), no later than 90 days after the effective date of this act.
6. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that beginning in the 2015-2016 school year, all public high school students will be assessed by the end of the 11th grade using cut scores to determine whether the student is ready for college-level, credit-bearing course work in Language Arts Literacy and Mathematics. The Commissioner of Education, in collaboration with school districts and county colleges, is to develop and implement by the 2016-2017 school year, transition courses or other instructional opportunities to be provided in the 12th grade to students who have not achieved college and career readiness by the end of the 11th grade. A transition course may not replace enrollment in a course otherwise required for high school graduation.
The bill directs the Commissioner of Education, in collaboration with the Secretary of Higher Education and school districts, to study the development, content, and implementation of the transition courses required under the bill. The study will include the alignment of the transition courses to the Common Core State Standards and whether the courses should be considered to meet high school graduation standards. The study will also determine the appropriate assessment to be used to determine college and career readiness and how a student’s level of readiness will be reflected on the high school transcript.
The bill requires that on or before December 1, 2015, the Commissioner of Education will report to the Governor and the Legislature concerning the feasibility of the award of a State endorsed high school diploma regardless of whether a student has completed the minimum number of required credits or four years of high school if the student: 1) is assessed as college and career ready under section 2 of the bill; and 2) successfully completes any graduation assessment requirements established by the State board.
Finally, the bill requires the Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education, to develop a plan to improve college and career counseling that is provided to students in middle and high schools. The plan would identify best practices in college and career counseling in New Jersey and nationally. In addition, the plan would include recommendations for a competitive grant program that would be used to implement the best practices identified in the plan. Under the bill, the plan must be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature no later than 90 days after the effective date of the bill.
COLLEGE COMPLETION
A2801 – Provides that no more than 120 credits will be required for a bachelor degree awarded by a public institution and no more than 60 credits for an associate degree.
AN ACT concerning associate and baccalaureate degree programs and supplementing chapter 62 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any section of law to the contrary and except as otherwise provided pursuant to subsection b. of this section, beginning with students who initially enroll in a baccalaureate degree program in the fall semester of 2016, the standard number of credits required for the award of a baccalaureate degree from a four-year public institution of higher education is 120 credit hours.
b. The standard number of credit hours established pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall not apply if:
(1) the degree program is defined as a five-year degree program;
(2) professional accreditation requires a greater number of credit hours or requires course work that cannot be completed in 120 credits; or
(3) certification requirements result in a need for credit hours in excess of 120.
2. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any section of law to the contrary and except as otherwise provided pursuant to subsection b. of this section, beginning with students who initially enroll in an associate degree program in the fall semester of 2016, the standard number of credit hours required for the award of an associate degree from a county college is 60 credit hours.
b. The standard number of credit hours established pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall not apply if:
(1) the degree program is defined as more than a two-year degree program;
(2) professional accreditation requires a greater number of credit hours or requires course work that cannot be completed in 60 credits; or
(3) certification requirements result in a need for credit hours in excess of 60.
3. The governing board of a public institution of higher education, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education, may approve exceptions to the credit hour requirements in addition to those established pursuant to subsection b. of sections 1 and 2 of this act.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that the standard number of credits required for the award of a baccalaureate degree by a public institution of higher education, beginning with students who initially enter the institution in the fall semester of 2016, will be 120 credit hours, and in the case of the award of an associate degree by a county college, 60 credit hours.
The bill stipulates that the standard number of credit hours will not apply if the degree program is defined as a five-year degree program in the case of a four year institution or more than a two-year degree program in the case of a county college. The standard number of credit hours will also not be applicable if professional accreditation requires a greater number of credit hours, or course work cannot be completed within those credit hours, or certification requirements result in a need for additional credit hours.
The bill authorizes the governing board of a public institution, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education, to approve additional exceptions to the standard credit hour requirements.
A2802 – Establishes a statewide reverse transfer agreement under which at least 30 credits that a student earns towards a bachelor degree at a four-year public institution are transferrable to any county college for credit toward an associate degree to help encourage re-enrollment and degree completion and help a student know their time and money was not wasted.
AN ACT concerning higher education and supplementing chapter 3B and chapter 62 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Each public institution of higher education, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education and the New Jersey Presidents’ Council, shall establish and enter into by July 1, 2016 a collective Statewide reverse transfer agreement under which at least 30 credits that a student earns at a four-year public institution of higher education in the State toward a baccalaureate degree are transferrable to any county college for credit toward an associate degree.
b. An independent institution of higher education in the State may elect to enter into the agreement.
c. The annual report prepared by the Secretary of Higher Education pursuant to section 4 of P.L.2007, c.175 (C.18A:62-49) shall include an analysis of each institution’s compliance with the provisions of this section.
2. The secretary and each public institution of higher education shall develop and implement incentives for students to obtain an associate degree prior to enrolling in a four-year public institution of higher education.
3. Each four-year public institution of higher education shall dedicate a portion of its institutional financial aid to provide financial assistance to resident undergraduate students who transfer with an associate degree from a county college in the State.
4. a. As used in this section, “near completer” means an individual who resides in the State and who has completed some college credits but has not attained a college degree and is no longer attending an institution of higher education.
b. The Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the public institutions of higher education, shall create a Statewide communication campaign to identify near completers and to encourage them to re-enroll in a degree program in an institution of higher education. The communication campaign shall:
(1) make use of a variety of marketing media including billboards, brochures, and electronic resources;
(2) provide a centralized contact point for near completers to obtain information about and assistance with re-enrollment;
(3) make readily available contact information for each public institution of higher education; and
(4) focus on near completers who,
(a) earned a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on a scale of 4.0 while enrolled in college; and
(b) earned at least 45 credit hours if enrolled in a county college, or at least 90 credit hours if enrolled in a four-year institution of higher education.
c. The secretary shall develop and implement a plan that provides an incentive to:
(1) a near completer to re-enroll and earn a degree; and
(2) a public institution of higher education to identify and graduate near completers.
The incentive plan shall use all available resources including institutional funds, private sector funds, and State funds.
d. The secretary and public institutions of higher education may implement other near completer initiatives in addition to those required pursuant to subsections b. and c. of this section.
e. The secretary shall submit a report by December 1, 2014 to the Governor and to the Senate Higher Education Committee and the Assembly Higher Education Committee, or their successor committees, that outlines the details of the Statewide communication campaign and the incentive plan, including the timeline for implementation.
5. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill directs each public institution of higher education, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education and the New Jersey Presidents’ Council, to establish and enter into a Statewide reverse transfer agreement under which at least 30 credits that a student earns at a four-year public institution of higher education toward a baccalaureate degree are transferrable to any county college for credit toward an associate degree An independent institution may elect to enter into the agreement. The State currently has a Statewide transfer agreement in accordance with legislation adopted in 2007 that provides for the seamless transfer of academic credits to a baccalaureate degree program from a completed associate of arts, associate of science, or associate in technical studies degree program. The bill provides that the annual report that is currently prepared by the Secretary of Higher Education on the Statewide transfer agreement must also include an analysis of each institution’s compliance with the Statewide reverse transfer agreement.
The bill also: 1) directs each public institution of higher education to develop and implement incentives for students to obtain an associate degree prior to enrolling in a four-year public institution; and 2) provides that each four-year public institution dedicate a portion of its institutional financial aid to provide assistance to resident undergraduate students who transfer to the four-year institution with an associate degree from a county college located in the State.
The bill also directs the Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the public institutions of higher education, to create a Statewide communication campaign to identify individuals who have “nearly completed” college and to encourage them to re-enroll in an institution of higher education. The campaign will focus on individuals who earned a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on a scale of 4.0 while enrolled in college; and earned at least 45 credits if enrolled in a county college or at least 90 credits if enrolled in a four-year institution. The secretary is also directed to develop and implement a plan that provides an incentive for such individuals to re-enroll in college, and for a public institution to identify and graduate them.
The bill directs the secretary to submit a report by December 1, 2014 to the Governor and the Senate and Assembly Higher Education Committees that outlines the details of the Statewide communication campaign and the incentive plan.
A2803 – This bill will mandate transparency by requiring four-year public institutions to provide information on their website regarding cost of attendance, graduation rates and information on faculty. Four-year public and independent institutions will also be required to report on their website regarding the number of students required to take remedial instruction and the graduation rates for those students.
AN ACT concerning higher education, amending P.L.2009, c.197, and supplementing chapter 3B of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 2 of P.L.2009, c.197 (C.18A:3B-44) is amended to read as follows:
2. a. A four-year public or independent institution of higher education shall provide for public inspection on its website comprehensive information on the cost of attendance, the graduation rates of admitted students, [and] the faculty of the institution, and the remedial instruction provided by the institution to students. The purpose of the information shall be to maximize the awareness of students and their families of the costs associated with enrollment in the institution, the institution’s success in ensuring the graduation of its students, including students who require remedial instruction, and the composition of the teaching faculty that a student will encounter in his coursework. The institution shall post, and annually update, a student consumer information report on its website that includes:
(1) overall four-year and six-year graduation rates;
(2) four-year and six-year graduation rates by demographic group;
(3) four-year and six-year graduation rates by major;
(4) four-year and six-year graduation rates for student-athletes;
(5) the student transfer rate;
(6) an overview of the institutions to which former students of that college or university have transferred prior to the completion of a degree;
(7) the cost for the current academic year of attending the institution including tuition, student fees, room and board, and books and materials;
(8) a description of the types of financial assistance offered directly by the institution to both student-athletes and to students who do not participate in athletic programs at the institution;
(9) the percent of student-athletes who receive financial assistance directly from the institution and the average value of the assistance and the percent of students who do not participate in athletic programs at the institution who receive financial assistance directly from the institution and the average value of the assistance;
(10) the total projected cost for an incoming freshman to live on campus and complete a degree in four years and the total projected cost for an incoming freshman to commute to school and complete a degree in four years;
(11) the total projected cost for an incoming freshman to live on campus and complete a degree in six years and the total projected cost for an incoming freshman to commute to school and complete a degree in six years;
(12) average student loan indebtedness of four-year graduates for both students who live on campus and students who commute;
(13) average student loan indebtedness of six-year graduates for both students who live on campus and students who commute;
(14) average student loan indebtedness of a student who withdraws from the institution prior to the completion of a degree program for both students who live on campus and students who commute;
(15) an overview of the institution’s faculty, including the percentage of faculty employed as a tenured professor, the percentage of faculty employed as a full-time non-tenured professor, and the percentage of faculty employed as an adjunct or visiting professor;
(16) the percentage of courses taught by each of the different categories of faculty; [and]
(17) an indicator of each academic department’s capacity to serve the students majoring within that department’s programs, as determined by the [Commission on] Secretary of Higher Education; and
(18) remedial instruction information which shall include, but need not be limited to: the overall number and percentage of students who are required to enroll in remedial instruction; the number of remedial instruction courses taken by each student who is required to enroll in remedial instruction and the number of remedial instruction courses completed by each student who is required to enroll in remedial instruction; the number of students who enroll in credit-bearing courses after being required to enroll in remedial instruction courses; a list of the remedial instruction courses made available; and the overall four-year and six-year graduation rates for students required to enroll in remedial instruction.
The institution shall provide with all paper applications for admission to the institution a hard copy of the information prepared pursuant to this section.
b. A four-year public or independent institution of higher education shall conform to the guidelines, criteria, and format prescribed by the[Commission on] Secretary of Higher Education in reporting the information required pursuant to this section.
c. A four-year public or independent institution of higher education shall submit its student consumer information report to the [Commission on] Secretary of Higher Education for inclusion in a comparative profile of the student consumer information reports of all four-year public and independent institutions of higher education.
d. A four-year public or independent institution of higher education shall ensure that the page of its Internet site which includes its student consumer information report contains a link to the page of the [Commission on] Secretary of Higher Education’s Internet site that includes the comparative profile required pursuant to subsection b. of section 3 of this act.
e. A four-year public or independent institution of higher education shall ensure that the Internet site for submitting an online application to the institution contains a link to the institution’s student consumer information report.
f. A four-year public or independent institution of higher education shall require the parent or guardian of a student applying for admission into the institution, or the student if he is an independent adult, to sign and submit a statement acknowledging that he has reviewed the institution’s student consumer information report.
(cf: P.L.2009, c.197, s.2)
2. Section 3 of P.L.2009, c.197 (C.18A:3B-45) is amended to read as follows:
3. a. The [Commission on] Secretary of Higher Education shall issue guidelines and criteria for collecting and calculating the information required pursuant to section 2 of this act and shall prescribe a uniform reporting method for posting the information.
b. The [Commission on] Secretary of Higher Education shall annually compile the student consumer information reports submitted pursuant to subsection c. of section 2 of this act into a comparative profile of all four-year public and independent institutions of higher education. The[commission] secretary shall present the information on its website in a manner that allows college students and their families to easily compare student consumer information across institutions.
(cf: P.L.2009, c.197, s.3)
3. (New section) a. No later than the fall semester of the 2015-2016 academic year and for each semester thereafter, if a public or independent institution of higher education determines by use of multiple commonly accepted measures of skill level that a student is likely to succeed in college-level work with supplemental support, the institution shall offer the student remedial support that is embedded with the corresponding entry level course in a college-level program. The embedded remedial support shall be offered during the same semester as, and in conjunction with, the entry level course for purposes of providing the student with supplemental support in the entry level course.
b. No later than the fall semester of the 2015-2016 academic year and for each semester thereafter, if a public or independent institution of higher education determines by use of multiple commonly accepted measures of skill level that a student is below the skill level required for success in college-level work, the institution shall offer the student the opportunity to participate in an intensive college readiness program before the start of the following semester. The student shall complete the intensive college readiness program prior to receiving embedded remedial support as provided in subsection a. of this section.
The Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the public and independent institutions of higher education, shall develop options for an intensive college readiness program.
c. (1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, no later than the fall semester of the 2015-2016 academic year and for each semester thereafter, a public or independent institution of higher education shall not offer any remedial support, including remedial courses, that is not embedded with the corresponding entry level course as provided pursuant to subsection a. of this section, or offered as part of an intensive college readiness program as provided pursuant to subsection b. of this section.
(2) A public or independent institution of higher education may offer a student a maximum of one semester of remedial support that is not embedded, provided that the support is intended to advance the student toward earning a degree, and the program of remedial support is approved by the Secretary of Higher Education.
d. The provisions of this section shall not be applicable to an independent institution of higher education having a total endowment of more than $1,000,000,000.
4. (New section) No later than July 1, 2015, and each year thereafter, the Secretary of Higher Education shall ensure that public and independent institutions of higher education work with the Commissioner of Education and local school districts to:
a. use available evaluation methods for early assessment of the potential for college readiness of each student enrolled in the eighth and tenth grades in a public school; and
b. share the results of the assessment with the student, the student’s parents or legal guardian, and the public school in which the student is enrolled.
The provisions of this section shall not be applicable to an independent institution of higher education having a total endowment of more than $1,000,000,000.
5. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
Under the “New Jersey College Student and Parent Consumer Information Act,” P.L.2009, c.197, a four-year public institution of higher education is required to provide for public inspection on its website comprehensive information on the institution including information on the cost of attendance, the graduation rates of admitted students, and the faculty of the institution. This bill amends that law to provide that independent institutions of higher education will also be subject to the provisions of the “New Jersey College Student and Parent Consumer Information Act.”
This bill also requires a four-year public or independent institution of higher education to report and post on its website as part of the institution’s student consumer information report information on remedial instruction provided by the institution. Under the bill, the remedial instruction information will include: the overall number and percentage of students who are required to enroll in remedial instruction; the number of remedial instruction courses taken by each student who is required to enroll in remedial instruction and the number of those courses completed by the student; the number of students who enroll in credit-bearing courses after being required to enroll in remedial instruction courses; a list of remedial instruction courses made available; and the overall four-year and six-year graduation rates for students required to enroll in remedial instruction.
This bill provides that beginning in the fall semester of the 2015-2016 academic year and in each semester thereafter, if a public or independent institution of higher education determines that a student is likely to succeed in college-level work with supplemental support, the institution must offer that student remedial support that is embedded with the corresponding entry level course in a college-level program. If the institution determines that a student is below the skill level required for success in college-level work, the institution must offer the student the opportunity to participate in an intensive college readiness program before the start of the following semester. After the fall semester of the 2015-2016 academic year, an institution will not be permitted to offer any remedial support to a student other than support that is embedded with the corresponding entry level course or offered as part of an intensive college readiness program, except the institution may offer a student a maximum of one semester of remedial support that is not embedded, provided that certain conditions are met. This provision will not be applicable to an independent institution of higher education having a total endowment of more than $1,000,000,000.
The bill also provides that no later than July 1, 2015, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Higher Education will ensure that public and independent institutions of higher education work with the Commissioner of Education and local school districts to use available evaluation methods to assess the potential for college readiness of each student enrolled in the eighth and tenth grades in a public school. This provision will not be applicable to an independent institution of higher education having a total endowment of more than $1,000,000,000.
A2804 – Mandates that county college presidents develop a plan to graduate 33 percent of students by 2020 to help increase graduation rates.
AN ACT concerning the graduation rates of county colleges and supplementing chapter 64A of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The board of trustees of a county college, in consultation with the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, shall develop a plan to achieve a three-year graduation rate of at least 33 percent for full-time students enrolled in an associate degree program regularly requiring four semesters to complete, by the 2019-2020 academic year.
b. The board shall submit the plan by January 1, 2015 to the Secretary of Higher Education for approval. In the event that the secretary:
(1) approves the plan, the board shall transmit a copy of the approved plan to the New Jersey Presidents’ Council, the Senate Higher Education Committee, and the Assembly Higher Education Committee, or their successor committees; or
(2) does not approve the plan, the secretary shall provide to the board, in writing, the reasons for the disapproval of the plan. Upon receiving the secretary’s reasons for disapproving the plan, the board shall develop a new plan, in consultation with the council, and resubmit the plan to the secretary within 90 days.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires each board of trustees of a county college to develop a plan to achieve a three-year graduation rate of at least 33 percent for full-time students enrolled in an associate degree program, by the 2019-2020 academic year. The plan must be developed in consultation with the New Jersey Council of County Colleges and submitted for approval to the Secretary of Higher Education by January 1, 2015.
Under the bill, if the secretary approves the plan, the board is required to transmit a copy of the approved plan to the New Jersey Presidents’ Council, the Senate Higher Education Committee, and the Assembly Higher Education Committee. If the secretary does not approve the plan, the secretary will provide the board, in writing, with the reasons for the disapproval. Upon receiving the secretary’s reasons for disapproving the plan, the board is required to develop a new plan, in consultation with the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, and resubmit the plan to the secretary within 90 days.
A2805 – Directs the Secretary of Higher Education to oversee the development of a common core course numbering system for general education core classes leading to an associate or bachelor degree.
AN ACT concerning the establishment of a common core course numbering system at public institutions of higher education and supplementing chapter 62 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Secretary of Higher Education and the New Jersey President’s Council, in consultation with each public institution of higher education, shall develop, implement, and maintain a common core course numbering system for general education core classes leading to an associate degree or a baccalaureate degree at a public institution.
b. The common core course numbering system shall be fully operational by September 1, 2016.
2. An independent institution of higher education in the State may elect to participate in the common core course numbering system.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
Under this bill, the Secretary of Higher Education and the New Jersey President’s Council, in consultation with each public institution of higher education, will develop, implement, and maintain a common core course numbering system for general education core classes leading to an associate degree or a baccalaureate degree. The common core course numbering system must be fully operational by September 1, 2016. An independent institution of higher education in the State may choose to participate in the common core course numbering system.
COST
A2806 – Establishes the NJ School Counts County College Scholarship Program, modeled after a similar program that has worked at Cumberland County College, in which qualifying students will receive a two-year scholarship at a county college.
AN ACT establishing the New Jersey School Counts County College Scholarship Program and supplementing chapter 71B of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the “New Jersey School Counts County College Scholarship Program Act.”
2. The Legislature finds and declares that: a well-trained and educated population is vital to New Jersey’s efforts to attract and retain highly skilled businesses and to ensure the State’s continued economic well-being; it is important for young people in the State to know that there is a correlation between working hard in high school and succeeding in postsecondary education, and finding and keeping a job; and the Business Coalition for Educational Excellence at the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce has established a successful recognition program for high school students known as School Counts that recognizes students for their attendance and academic efforts in high school and provides certification of these efforts to employers and postsecondary education institutions.
The Legislature further finds therefore that it is sound public policy to establish a Statewide program that supports and rewards hard-working, conscientious, and responsible students for their efforts in pursuing and completing their secondary education through the establishment of a county college scholarship program for such students, and to encourage all county colleges to participate in the program.
3. As used in this act:
“Authority” means the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority established pursuant to N.J.S.18A:71A-3;
“County college” means a public two-year institution of higher education established pursuant to the provisions of chapter 64A of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes;
“Scholarship” means a scholarship awarded under the New Jersey School Counts County College Scholarship Program.
4. There is established within the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority the New Jersey School Counts County College Scholarship Program. Under the program, a student who graduates from a public or nonpublic high school located in this State who has satisfied the attendance, punctuality and academic criteria established pursuant to section 7 of this act shall be eligible to receive a two-year scholarship to a county college.
5. a. Within the limit of available appropriations, a scholarship of up to $2,000 per year shall be awarded to an eligible student enrolled on a full-time basis in a degree program at a county college. The maximum scholarship amount shall not exceed $4,000 over a two-year period.
b. A scholarship shall cover the full cost of attendance which shall include tuition, books, and other necessary fees and expenses related to the course of study. In no academic year shall a program participant be eligible for a scholarship under the program greater than the total cost of attendance, less the total value of all other scholarships and grants received by the participant for that academic year.
c. A student shall be eligible for a scholarship for no more than two academic years.
6. To be eligible to receive a scholarship, an applicant shall meet the following requirements:
a. be a resident of the State pursuant to guidelines established by the authority;
b. apply to participate in the New Jersey School Counts County College Scholarship Program at the beginning of the freshman year of high school;
c. have been awarded a School Counts certificate by the high school of attendance pursuant to section 7 of this act;
d. have applied for all other available forms of State and federal financial aid, exclusive of loans;
e. be enrolled for minimum of 24 credit hours per year at a county college, not including credit hours in a remedial curriculum; and
f. commence a course of study at a county college not more than six months after graduation from high school.
7. The authority shall work, in conjunction with the Commissioner of Education and the Business Coalition for Educational Excellence of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, to encourage the participation of public and nonpublic high schools in the School Counts Scholarship Program. Each participating high school shall award a School Counts certificate to a student who graduates from the high school who meets the following requirements:
a. achieves a 95% or greater rate of school attendance and punctuality in each year of high school;
b. achieves a C grade point average or above in all academic courses in each year of high school;
c. completes more than the minimum number of credits required for graduation from high school;
d. completes high school in eight consecutive semesters or, in the case of a special education student, within the timelines established by the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP); and
e. successfully completes Algebra I.
8. A student who meets the eligibility criteria pursuant to section 6 of this act and who receives a School Counts certificate pursuant to section 7 of this act shall receive a School Counts Scholarship for the first year of enrollment in a county college. A student may receive a scholarship for the second year of enrollment in a county college upon filing a renewal application with the authority and providing evidence as required by the authority that the student has made satisfactory academic progress toward the award of an academic degree.
9. The scholarship program shall be financed through a combination of State appropriations, county college funds, and private contributions. A county college shall be eligible to receive State matching funds on a per student basis when it provides evidence to the authority that it has raised an equal amount of funds for the student’s scholarship from private donations or other sources. A maximum of $500,000 in State funds shall be provided to each participating county college.
10. In the first year of the operation of the scholarship program, the authority shall select four county colleges to participate in the program, with not less than one county college from the north, central and southern regions of the State. In each subsequent year of the operation of the scholarship program, three additional county colleges shall be selected until each county college is participating in the program. The authority shall collaborate with the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, the Secretary of Higher Education, and the New Jersey Council of County Colleges in the selection of the participating county colleges.
11. a. A scholarship recipient who is dismissed from the county college for academic or disciplinary reasons shall be ineligible for a scholarship and the student shall repay to the authority in full the amount of any scholarship received.
b. A student who fails to make repayment to the authority pursuant to subsection a. of this section who is the holder of any professional or occupational license issued by a State licensing board shall be subject to disciplinary action by that board which may include, but need not be limited to, the revocation or suspension of the license until such time as repayment is made to the authority.
c. A scholarship recipient who withdraws from a county college due to the student’s illness or the illness of a member of the student’s immediate family or due to a family emergency shall not be required to repay to the authority the amount of any scholarship received and shall not be ineligible for subsequent receipt of a scholarship.
12. The Higher Education Student Assistance Authority shall adopt in accordance with the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L. 1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
13. This act shall take effect for the 2014-2015 academic year; however, the authority may immediately take such administrative action as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the New Jersey School Counts County College Scholarship Program in the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. Under the program, a student who graduates from a participating public or nonpublic high school located in this State who has satisfied certain attendance, punctuality and academic criteria during high school will be eligible to receive a two-year scholarship to a county college. This scholarship program is modeled on an initiative developed by the Business Coalition for Educational Excellence of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. That initiative provides students with a School Counts certificate which attests to the student’s efforts and hard work during high school and which the student can present to potential employers as evidence of his diligence and accomplishments. The initiative recognizes those student who, although they may not be straight A students, have demonstrated a commitment and understanding of the importance of education. This initiative is currently operational in several counties.
Under the bill, the authority will work in conjunction with the Business Coalition for Educational Excellence to encourage the participation of public and nonpublic high schools in the School Counts Scholarship Program. Each participating high school will award a School Counts certificate to a student who graduates from that high school and 1) achieves a 95% or greater rate of school attendance in each year of high school; 2) achieves a C grade point average or above in all academic courses in each year of high school; 3) completes more than the minimum number of credits required for graduation from high school; 4) completes high school in eight consecutive semesters or, in the case of a special education student, within the timelines established by the student’s IEP; and 5) successfully competes Algebra I.
A student who receives a School Counts certificate will be eligible for a two-year scholarship for full-time enrollment in a degree program at a county college in an annual amount not to exceed $2,000. The second year of the scholarship will be dependent upon the student making application to the authority and presenting evidence to the authority of satisfactory progress toward the award of an academic degree. Prior to receipt of a School Counts Scholarship, a student would have to have applied for all other available forms of State and federal grants and scholarships. The student must begin a course of study at a county college within six months of graduation from high school.
The scholarship program will be financed through a combination of State appropriations, county college funds, and private contributions. A county college will be eligible to receive State funds on a per student basis when the college demonstrates that it has raised an equal amount of funds for the student’s scholarship from private donations or other sources.
In the first year of the scholarship program’s operation, four county colleges will be selected for participation with not less than one college from the north, central, and southern regions of the State. In each subsequent year, three additional county colleges will be selected for participation until such time as all county colleges are eventually participating in the program.
A2807 – Freezes tuition and fees at the same rate for nine semesters following a student’s initial enrollment at a four-year public or independent institution, potentially saving some students upwards of $10,000 over the course of a six-year degree completion program.
AN ACT concerning undergraduate tuition and fees at public and independent institutions of higher education and supplementing chapter 3B of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, a four-year public or independent institution of higher education shall not increase the tuition and fees of a resident undergraduate student for nine continuous semesters following the student’s initial enrollment in the institution or, in the case of a student enrolled in an undergraduate program regularly requiring more than four academic years to complete, for the number of semesters required for completion.
b. In the event that a resident undergraduate student is approved for a leave of absence from the institution for a period of more than one year, upon re-enrollment in the institution, the student shall not be eligible for the resident undergraduate tuition and fees charged to the student during the student’s initial semester of enrollment.
c. The provisions of this section shall not be applicable to an independent institution of higher education having a total endowment of more than $1,000,000,000.
2. When the governing board of a four-year public or independent institution of higher education adopts the tuition and fees for the upcoming academic year, the board shall also prepare a nonbinding document that discloses the governing board’s estimate of the tuition and fees for the next four cohorts of students who will initially enroll in the institution in each of the four academic years following the upcoming academic year.
3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to students who initially enroll in four-year public or independent institutions of higher education in the 2014-2015 academic year.
STATEMENT
This bill prohibits a four-year public or independent institution of higher education from increasing the tuition and fees of a resident undergraduate student for nine continuous semesters following the student’s initial enrollment in the institution or, in the case of a student enrolled in an undergraduate program regularly requiring more than four academic years to complete, for the number of semesters required for completion.
Under the bill, if a student is approved for a leave of absence from the institution for a period of more than one year, the student will no longer be eligible for the undergraduate tuition and fees charged to the student during the student’s initial semester of enrollment.
The bill also provides that when the governing board of the institution adopts the tuition and fees for the upcoming academic year, the board will also prepare a nonbinding document that discloses the governing board’s estimate of the tuition and fees for the next four cohorts of students who will initially enroll in the institution in each of the four academic years following the upcoming academic year.
The provisions of this bill are not applicable to an independent institution having a total endowment of more than $1,000,000,000.
A2808 – Directs the Secretary of Higher Education to study the prevalence and cost of online courses and if any cost savings achieved are passed onto students.
AN ACT concerning on-line courses offered by institutions of higher education and supplementing chapter 3B of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Secretary of Higher Education shall conduct a study to examine the prevalence, cost, and quality of on-line courses offered by institutions of higher education. The study shall include, but need not be limited to:
a. a list of the specific on-line courses made available by each institution of higher education;
b. the cost of offering an on-line course at the institution compared to the cost of a traditional, classroom-based course at the institution;
c. the overall number and percentage of part-time and full-time students who enroll in at least one on-line course at each institution of higher education;
d. the total amount of savings generated from offering on-line courses compared to classroom-based courses realized by each institution of higher education in an academic year;
e. whether the quantified savings identified pursuant to subsection d. of this section are used by the institution to benefit the students enrolled in the institution and, if so, the manner in which those savings are used to reduce student costs;
f. the average completion rate and average grade for the students enrolled in each on-line course offered by each institution;
g. the overall four-year and six-year graduation rates for students who enroll in at least one on-line course at each institution of higher education compared to the average four-year and six year graduation rates for students who do not enroll in an on-line course at the institution; and
h. an assessment of the policies and procedures each institution of higher education has in place to ensure that institutional support, technological support, and faculty support are provided to students enrolled in on-line courses to ensure a high quality educational experience.
2. Within 180 days of the effective date of this act, the secretary shall prepare and submit a report of the study’s findings to the Senate Higher Education Committee and the Assembly Higher Education Committee, or their successor committees.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the Secretary of Higher Education to conduct a study to examine the prevalence and cost of on-line courses offered by institutions of higher education. Under the bill, the study must include:
· a list of the specific on-line courses made available by each institution of higher education;
· the cost of offering an on-line course at the institution compared to the cost of a traditional, classroom-based course at the institution;
· the overall number and percentage of part-time and full-time students who enroll in at least one on-line course at each institution;
· the total amount of savings generated from offering on-line courses compared to classroom-based courses realized by each institution in an academic year;
· whether the quantified savings are used by the institution to benefit the students enrolled in the institution and, if so, the manner in which those savings are used to reduce student costs;
· the average completion rate and average grade for the students enrolled in each on-line course offered by each institution;
· the overall four-year and six-year graduation rates for students who enroll in at least one on-line course at each institution of higher education compared to the average four-year and six year graduation rates for students who do not enroll in an on-line course at the institution; and
· an assessment of the policies and procedures each institution of higher education has in place to ensure that institutional support, technological support, and faculty support are provided to students enrolled in on-line courses to ensure a high quality educational experience.
The bill requires the secretary to prepare and submit a report of the study’s findings to the Senate Higher Education Committee and the Assembly Higher Education Committee within 180 days of its effective date.
A2809 – Requires higher education institutions to develop open online textbooks available to students at no charge and requires the buyback of used textbooks at 50 percent of the purchase price as a remedy for the growing costs of college textbooks, which have gone up in price 82 percent in 10 years.
AN ACT concerning college textbooks and supplementing chapter 3B of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This act shall be know and may be cited as the “Affordable College Textbook Act.”
2. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. The high cost of college textbooks continues to be a barrier for many students in achieving a higher education;
b. According to the College Board, during the 2012-2013 academic year, the average student budget for college books and supplies was $1,200;
c. The Government Accountability Office found that new textbook prices increased 82 percent over the last decade;
d. The growth of the Internet has enabled the creation and sharing of digital content, including open educational resources that can be freely used by students, teachers, and members of the public; and
e. Using open educational resources in place of traditional materials in large-enrollment college courses can reduce textbook costs by 80 to 100 percent.
3. As used in this act:
“Open educational resource” means an educational resource that is licensed under an open license and made freely available online to the public.
“Open license” means a world-wide, royalty-free, non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable copyright license granting the public permission to access, reproduce, publicly perform, publicly display, adapt, distribute, and otherwise use the work and adaptations of the work for any purpose, conditioned only on the requirement that attribution be given to authors as designated.
“Open textbook” means an open educational resource or set of open educational resources that either is a textbook or can be used in place of a textbook for a postsecondary course at an institution of higher education.
4. a. Within 180 days of the effective date of this act, a four-year public or independent institution of higher education, after consultation with faculty members at the institution, shall submit a plan to the Secretary of Higher Education to expand the use of open textbooks in order to achieve savings for students enrolled in the institution.
b. The secretary shall review the plan submitted by an institution to ensure that the plan has the potential to:
(1) achieve the highest level of savings for students through the sustainable expanded use of open textbooks in courses offered by the institution;
(2) produce the highest quality open textbooks that can be most easily utilized and adapted by faculty members at the institution, and correspond to the highest enrollment courses at the institution;
(3) ensure that the full and complete digital content of each open textbook created or adapted in accordance with the plan is made available free-of-charge to student’s enrolled in the institution:
(a) on the institution’s college bookstore website in an easily accessible location; and
(b) in a machine readable, digital format that a student can download; and
(4) ensure that open textbooks are available to students by July 1, 2020.
c. The provisions of this section shall not be applicable to an independent institution of higher education having a total endowment of more than $1,000,000,000.
5. a. The bookstore of a four-year public or independent institution of higher education, whether operated directly by the institution or by an auxiliary organization established pursuant to P.L.1982, c.16 (C.18A:64-26 et seq.), or by any other entity, shall buy back a used book from the student who purchased the book from the bookstore, whether originally purchased as a new book or as a used book, at 50 percent of the amount the student paid for the book provided that the student has proof of purchase and the book is deemed to be in good condition. Any dispute in regard to good condition or the buyback price shall be resolved by the institution’s Office of Student Affairs or such similar office as determined by the institution.
b. The provisions of this section shall not be applicable to an independent institution of higher education having a total endowment of more than $1,000,000,000.
6. No later than July 1, 2020, the secretary shall prepare and submit a report to the Senate Higher Education Committee and the Assembly Higher Education Committee, or their successor committees, detailing:
a. the open textbooks created or adapted by the institutions of higher education;
b. the extent to which open textbooks are used at the institutions of higher education;
c. the savings generated by open textbooks and the buyback of used textbooks for students enrolled in the institutions; and
d. the impact of open textbooks on the cost of textbooks
7. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that within 180 days of the bill’s effective date, each four-year public and independent institution of higher education, after consultation with faculty members, must submit a plan to the Secretary of Higher Education to expand the use of open textbooks in order to achieve savings for students enrolled in the institution. An open textbook is an educational resource that is licensed under an open license and made freely available online to the public.
Under the bill, the secretary will review the plan to ensure that the plan has the potential to: 1) achieve the highest level of savings for students through the expanded use of open textbooks in courses offered by the institution; 2) produce the highest quality open textbooks that can be easily utilized and adapted by faculty members; 3) ensure that the full and complete digital content of each open textbook is made available free-of-charge to students enrolled in the institution; and 4) ensure that open textbooks are available to students by July 1, 2020.
The bill also requires a college bookstore at public or independent institution of higher education to buy back a used book from the student who purchased the book, whether originally purchased as a new book or a used book, at 50 percent of the amount the student paid for the book provided that the student has proof of purchase and the book is deemed to be in good condition.
Finally, the bill requires the secretary to prepare and submit a report no later than July 1, 2020 to the Senate and General Assembly Higher Education Committees providing detailed information on the open textbook and buyback requirements established under the bill.
The bill excludes an independent institution of higher education that has a total endowment of $1 billion or more.
A2810 – Establishes a state income tax deduction for student loan interest paid equivalent to the federal levels. This would apply to all loans for New Jersey residents as remedy to what has been labeled the “brain drain.”
AN ACT allowing a gross income tax deduction for certain interest paid on student loans, supplementing Title 54A of the New Jersey Statutes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. A taxpayer shall be allowed to deduct from gross income for the taxable year pursuant to the “New Jersey Gross Income Tax Act,” N.J.S.54A:1-1 et seq., an amount equal to that deduction to which the taxpayer is allowed, if any, under section 221 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. s.221), for interest paid by the taxpayer during the taxable year on any qualified education loan as therein defined.
2. This act shall take effect immediately and apply to taxable years beginning on or after the January 1 next following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill provides a tax deduction for taxpayers who make student loan payments. A taxpayer may deduct from gross income, the same amount as the federal income tax deduction, if any, that the taxpayer is permitted under section 221 of the Internal Revenue Code for interest paid on education loans. The federal provision establishes a maximum allowable deduction, currently set at $2,500, and a formula, subject to adjustments for inflation, by which the allowable deduction is reduced as the modified adjust gross income of the taxpayer exceeds $65,000, or $130,000 for joint returns. The deduction is eliminated entirely for taxpayers whose modified adjusted gross income is $80,000 or more, or $160,000 for joint returns. As defined in section 221, the interest paid on indebtedness incurred solely to pay qualified higher education expenses at eligible educational institutions can be deducted subject to the conditions outlined in the section. In addition, married taxpayers must file jointly in order to claim the deduction.
Because this bill links the calculation of any State gross income tax deduction for student loan interest paid to the corresponding provision in the Internal Revenue Code, any change in the federal provision will automatically affect the State. A benefit of this linkage is that New Jersey taxpayers can determine the availability and amount of both State and federal student loan interest deductions at the same time.
A2811 – Prohibits four-year public and independent institutions from requiring students to purchase meal plans.
AN ACT concerning meal plans at four-year institutions of higher education and supplementing chapter 3B of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. A four-year public institution of higher education or independent institution of higher education shall not require any student enrolled in the institution to purchase a meal plan.
b. A four-year public institution of higher education or independent institution may only offer a meal plan in the form of a spending allowance, which performs as a debit system. Any funds remaining in the student’s spending allowance at the end of a semester shall be either refunded to the student or applied to the student’s spending allowance for the next semester.
c. This section shall not apply to any four-year independent institution of higher education with a total endowment of more than $1,000,000,000.
2. This act shall take effect immediately but shall first apply to students in the 2014-2015 academic year.
STATEMENT
This bill prohibits any four-year public or independent institution of higher education from requiring any student enrolled in the institution to purchase a meal plan. In addition, the bill provides that the only type of meal plan that an institution may offer its students, is a one designed as a spending allowance, which works similar to a bank debit card. Each time the student makes a purchase the total would be subtracted from the balance of the student’s account. At the end of the semester, if there are any funds remaining in the account, a student would have the option of either receiving a refund or having the remaining funds “rolled over” into the student’s spending allowance for the following semester.
The provisions of this bill would not apply to Princeton University.
DATA COLLECTION
A2812 – Requires the development of a longitudinal statewide data system capable of retaining individual-level information starting when a student enrolls in pre-school through entry into the workforce to better inform education and labor policies.
AN ACT requiring the establishment of a Statewide longitudinal data system and supplementing chapter 3B of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is established in the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education the P-20 Longitudinal Data System Task Force. The purpose of the task force shall be to develop policies and recommendations regarding the development of the student-level longitudinal data system established pursuant to section 2 of this act. The task force shall develop policies and recommendations on the following matters:
(1) data elements to be maintained in the longitudinal data system;
(2) the process by which entities will submit information to the data system;
(3) measures to be taken to ensure that all data in the longitudinal data system are secure and that individuals’ privacy is not compromised;
(4) analytic reports that will be created using information stored in the longitudinal data system; and
(5) the feasibility of collecting postsecondary education and employment data for inclusion in the longitudinal data system of individuals who graduated from a public secondary school in the State and subsequently moved out-of-State.
b. The task force shall consist of 17 members as follows:
(1) the Secretary of Higher Education, or a designee, who shall serve ex officio;
(2) the Commissioner of Education, or a designee, who shall serve ex officio;
(3) the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, or a designee, who shall serve ex officio;
(4) the chief technology officer of the Office of Information Technology, who shall serve ex officio; and
(5) 13 members to be appointed by the Governor, including three representatives of four-year public institutions of higher education in the State, three representatives of county colleges in the State, two representatives of independent four-year institutions of higher education in the State, and five public members who shall have expertise in the development and maintenance of large data systems and research in education and labor policy.
c. Members of the task force shall be appointed within 60 days of the effective date of this act. Vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments were made. Members of the task force shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for the necessary expenditures incurred in the performance of their duties as members of the task force.
d. The Secretary of Higher Education, or the secretary’s designee, shall serve as the chair of the task force.
e. The Office of the Secretary of Higher Education shall provide stenographic, clerical, and other administrative assistance, and such professional staff as the task force requires to carry out its work. The task force shall also be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes.
2. a. No later than of the beginning of the 2015-2016 academic year, the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, the Department of Education, and the Department of Labor and Workforce Development shall enter into a memorandum of understanding to develop a longitudinal data system that will connect data records for individuals enrolled in State-funded preschool programs, public elementary and secondary schools, institutions of higher education located in the State, and employed in the State. The data system established pursuant to this section shall be capable of, at minimum, the following:
(1) reducing, to the maximum extent possible, the data collection burden on school districts and institutions of higher education by using data submitted to the longitudinal data system for multiple reporting and analysis functions;
(2) providing authorized officials with access to individual-level data, summary reports, and data that may be integrated with additional data maintained outside of the longitudinal data system to inform education decision-making;
(3) enhancing existing school-to-postsecondary reporting systems to inform school district officials, policymakers, and the public about public school students’ performance in postsecondary institutions of higher education;
(4) improving student access to postsecondary educational opportunities by linking student data to college and career planning tools to facilitate the submission of transcript data and enabling the transfer of student records to officials of an institution of higher education to which a student seeks enrollment;
(5) establishing a publicly-available Internet website that provides reports of data that are not confidential; and
(6) providing research and reports on the effectiveness of specific programs and initiatives.
b. The longitudinal data system established pursuant this section shall contain, at minimum, the following data elements:
(1) a unique identifier, other than an individual’s social security number or derived from an individual’s social security number, that allows for the merging of an individual’s data as the individual progresses through elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education and employment;
(2) individual-level enrollment, demographic, and program participation data;
(3) performance on each State assessment and reasons why an individual did not participate in a State assessment;
(4) individual-level transcript information;
(5) information regarding an individual’s status as a graduate or a dropout of a secondary or postsecondary institution; and
(6) an individual’s quarterly earnings when the individual is no longer enrolled in an educational institution.
c. The longitudinal data system shall be operational no later than the beginning of the 2016-2017 academic year.
3. Each public institution of higher education shall submit the required data elements to the longitudinal data system in a manner to be determined by the Secretary of Higher Education. The secretary shall allow an independent institution of higher education to submit data elements to the longitudinal data system, and independent institutions of higher education are encouraged to do so.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the development of a Statewide longitudinal data system that is capable of retaining individual-level information. The data records would include information starting when an individual enrolls in a public school, and would continue as the individual enters the workforce.
The bill establishes the P-20 Longitudinal Data System Task Force in the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education. The task force would include the Secretary of Higher Education, the Commissioners of Education and Labor and Workforce Development, and the chief technology officer in the Office of Information Technology, all serving ex officio, and 13 members appointed by the Governor, including three representatives from four-year public institutions of higher education, three representatives from county colleges, two representatives from independent four-year institutions of higher education, and five public members with expertise in the development of large data systems and research in education and labor policy. The task force will develop policy and recommendations regarding the development of the longitudinal data system.
The bill requires that the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, the Department of Education, and the Department of Labor and Workforce Development enter into a memorandum of understanding no later than the beginning of the 2015-2016 academic year to develop the longitudinal data system. The system would be operational by the beginning of the 2016-2017 academic year.
ACCOUNTABILITY
A676 – Directs Secretary of Higher Education to establish performance-based funding plans for public institutions of higher education.
AN ACT establishing performance-based funding plans for public institutions of higher education, amending N.J.S.18A:64A-22, and supplementing chapter 3B of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. N.J.S.18A:64A-22 is amended to read as follows:
18A:64A-22. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the Council of County Colleges may submit to the State Treasurer annual budget requests for State support of county colleges. Within the limits of funds appropriated for such purposes, the board of trustees of a county college may based upon the itemized statement fixed and determined pursuant to N.J.S.18A:64A-17 apply to the State Treasurer and receive State support:
a. For capital projects in amounts not to exceed one-half of the cost of said capital projects, and
b. [For] Except as otherwise provided pursuant to P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), for operational costs to the extent of 43% but not to exceed 50% of the educational and general costs of the county colleges in the base year; provided, however, that for the purposes of determining State aid, only credit courses and noncredit remedial, developmental, general education development and adult basic education courses shall be included in calculating such costs. This sum shall be distributed to the county colleges by the treasurer in consultation with the Council of County Colleges according to a formula that includes categorical support and differential funding based on program costs.
No county college shall receive more than 50% of its projected educational and general costs through the provisions of this act.
Each county which operates a county college shall continue to provide moneys for the support of the college in an amount no less than those moneys provided in the year in which this act is enacted or 25% of the operational expense in the base State fiscal year, whichever is greater.
State support for the operational expenses of county colleges shall be made within limits of State appropriation.
(cf: P.L.1994, c.48, s.134)
2. (New section) a. The Secretary of Higher Education shall develop performance-based funding plans for the public institutions of higher education. The purpose of the plans shall be to increase
accountability and efficiency and improve student outcomes at the public institutions of higher education. The secretary shall develop a plan for the county colleges and a plan for the four-year public institutions of higher education. The secretary may develop a separate plan for the public research institutions if the secretary determines that to be appropriate.
b. The secretary shall collaborate with the presidents and the governing boards of the public institutions of higher education, business and industry, Statewide organizations representing faculty and staff, and such other stakeholders as the secretary deems appropriate, to develop a system for allocating a percentage of State operating aid to each public institution based upon the institution’s achievement of established measures.
c. In developing the performance-based funding plans, the secretary shall review performance-based funding models in other states, including funding measures and methodologies, and the weighting of measures to better recognize the unique mission of each sector of public higher education. The secretary shall align the performance-based funding plans with the goals and priorities of the State as outlined in the comprehensive master plan created pursuant to subsection a. of section 14 of P.L.1994, c.48 (C.18A:3B-14).
The performance-based funding plans shall seek to promote and increase the satisfactory progression, matriculation, and graduation of all students enrolled in State-supported public institutions of higher education. The plans shall be sensitive to the differing programmatic missions of the institutions, responsive to changes within the institutions, and hold institutions accountable for the quality of instruction and student learning.
3. (New section) a. The performance-based funding plan for the county colleges shall include, but is not limited to, the following measures:
(1) the number of students earning their first 15 semester credit hours of college-level course work at that institution by a given year of enrollment;
(2) the number of students earning their first 30 semester credit hours of college-level course work at that institution by a given year of enrollment;
(3) the number of students who progress from remedial courses to college-level courses during the academic year;
(4) number of students who earn an associate’s degree from that institution or complete a certificate program during the academic year; and
(5) the number of students who completed at least 15 semester credit hours at that institution and subsequently enroll for the first time in a four-year institution of higher education.
b. The performance-based funding plan for the four-year public institutions of higher education shall include, but is not limited to, the following measures:
(1) student graduation rate;
(2) student retention;
(3) student transfers;
(4) completion of credit hours;
(5) completion of degree programs;
(6) types of degrees awarded;
(7) job placement and employment rate upon graduation;
(8) academic degrees awarded in critical needs shortage areas, such as the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields; and
(9) reducing achievement gaps for low-income students, minority students, and transfer students.
4. (New section) a. Upon approval of the performance-based funding plans, State operating aid appropriated to each public institution of higher education shall incorporate the performance-based funding plan in accordance with the following percentages and schedule:
(1) 5% for fiscal year 2015;
(2) 10% for fiscal year 2016;
(3) 15% for fiscal year 2017;
(4) 20% for fiscal year 2018; and
(5) 25% for fiscal year 2019 and each successive fiscal year.
b. During fiscal year 2014, the secretary shall provide each institution with a detailed report on what the impact of the performance-based funding plan would have been, if it had been implemented at 5% in fiscal year 2014.
c. For fiscal year 2015, no institution shall receive more than a 2% reduction in State operating aid as compared to fiscal year 2014 due to the implementation of the performance-based funding plan.
d. Each institution that uses enrollment as part of its budgeting process shall calculate enrollment as the number of students enrolled in the institution at the end of the prior academic year.
5. (New section) The Office of the Secretary of Higher Education shall post on its website by September 1 of each year the performance-based funding plans, evaluation criteria, performance results for each institution, and the amount of funding each institution received in the fiscal year based on the performance-based funding plan. The information shall be posted on the website in a prominent and easily accessible location.
6. (New section) The secretary shall review the performance-based funding plans established pursuant to P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) on an annual basis, and submit a report by September 1 of each year to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1). The report shall contain an assessment of the performance-based funding plans, including the effects on student outcomes, and recommendations for any modifications to the plans and on the continued use of the plans in the allocation of State operating aid.
7. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the Secretary of Higher Education to develop performance-based funding plans for the public institutions of higher education. The purpose of the plans will be to increase accountability and efficiency and improve student outcomes at the public institutions. In addition, the plans should seek to promote and increase the satisfactory progression, matriculation, and graduation of all students enrolled in the public institutions. The secretary will create a funding plan for the county colleges and a funding plan for the four-year public institutions, and may create a separate funding plan for the public research institutions if deemed appropriate.
Under the bill’s provisions, the secretary is directed to work with the presidents and governing boards of the public institutions of higher education, business and industry, Statewide organizations representing faculty and staff, and other stakeholders to develop a system for allocating a percentage of State operating aid based on the institution’s achievement of established measures. The secretary will review performance-funding models in other states to assess funding measures and methodologies, and the weighting of measures. The plans should be sensitive to the differing programmatic missions of the institutions, responsive to changes within the institutions, and hold institutions accountable for the quality of instruction and student learning.
The bill establishes a number of performance measures, including degree and credit completion, to be included in the performance-based funding plans; however, the secretary is not limited to those measures.
The bill establishes a schedule that will gradually phase-in the percentage of each public institution’s State operating aid that will be affected by the performance-based funding plan. Beginning in fiscal year 2015, the following percentages and schedule will apply:
– 5% for fiscal year 2015;
– 10% for fiscal year 2016;
– 15% for fiscal year 2017;
– 20% for fiscal year 2018; and
– 25% for fiscal year 2019 and each successive fiscal year.
Fiscal year 2014 will be a “learning year” in which no institution will be affected by the performance-based funding plans, but the secretary will provide each institution with a detailed report on what
the impact of the plans would have been, if they had been implemented at 5% in that year. The bill includes a stop-loss provision for fiscal year 2015, so that no institution will experience a reduction of more than 2% in State operating aid as compared to fiscal year 2014.
A2813 – Requires the closure of a four-year public institution that fails to achieve a six-year graduation rate of at least 50 percent for full-time undergraduate students.
AN ACT concerning the graduation rates of four-year institutions of higher education and supplementing chapter 3B of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Except as otherwise provided in subsection b. of this section, if a four-year public institution of higher education fails to achieve a six-year graduation rate of at least 50% for full-time undergraduate students by the completion of the first full academic year that occurs six years following the effective date of this act, the Secretary of Higher Education shall develop and implement procedures for the closure of the institution.
b. The secretary shall review the graduation rates of four-year public institutions of higher education at the completion of the fifth full academic year that occurs following the effective date of this act. If the secretary determines that an institution is not on track to achieve a six-year graduation rate of at least 50% for full-time undergraduate students but is making sufficient progress toward achieving that rate, the secretary at his discretion may allow the institution additional time to achieve the rate before being subject to closure pursuant to this act.
c. The closure procedures developed by the secretary pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall include a timeline for the closure of the institution. The procedures shall also include, but need not be limited to, plans for managing the existing funds, liabilities, and assets of the institution, including the distribution or transfer of fixed tangible assets, real property, buildings, facilities, equipment, and fixtures.
2. a. Except as otherwise provided in subsection b. of this section, the secretary shall recommend to the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools that the association revoke the regional accreditation of a four-year independent institution of higher education in New Jersey that fails to achieve a six-year graduation rate of at least 50% for full-time undergraduate students by the completion of the first full academic year that occurs six years following the effective date of this act.
b. If, at the completion of the fifth full academic year that occurs following the effective date of this act, a four-year independent institution of higher education in New Jersey is not on track to achieve a six-year graduation rate of at least 50% for full-time undergraduate students but is making sufficient progress toward achieving that rate, the secretary at his discretion may delay the recommendation that the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools revoke the institution’s accreditation until the secretary deems the recommendation to be appropriate.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that if a four-year public institution of higher education fails to achieve a six-year graduation rate of at least 50% for full-time undergraduate students by the completion of the first full academic year that occurs six years following the bill’s effective date, the Secretary of Higher Education will develop procedures for the closure of the institution. However, if after five years the secretary finds that a four-year public institution of higher education is not on track to achieve a six-year graduation rate of at least 50% but is making sufficient progress toward achieving that goal, the secretary at his discretion may allow the institution additional time to achieve the rate before being subject to closure. Under the bill, the closure procedures developed by the secretary will include a timeline for the institution’s closure, as well as plans for managing the existing funds, liabilities, and assets of the institution.
In addition, the bill provides that the secretary will recommend to the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools that the association revoke the regional accreditation of a four-year independent institution of higher education in New Jersey that fails to achieve a six-year graduation rate of at least 50% for full-time undergraduate students. However, if after five years, a four-year independent institution of higher education is not on track to achieve a six-year graduation rate of at least 50% but is making sufficient progress toward achieving that goal, the secretary at his discretion may delay the recommendation that the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools revoke the institution’s accreditation until the secretary deems the recommendation to be appropriate.
A2814 – Directs the Secretary of Higher Education to revoke a proprietary school’s license to award academic degrees if the school fails to achieve a six-year graduation rate of at least 75 percent for full-time students enrolled in a four-year degree program.
AN ACT concerning the graduation rates of certain proprietary schools and supplementing chapter 3B of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this section, “proprietary school” means a postsecondary institution in New Jersey that is operated for profit and which has been authorized to offer licensed degree programs.
b. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection c. of this section, the Secretary of Higher Education shall revoke a proprietary school’s license to award academic degrees if, by the completion of the sixth full academic year that occurs following the effective date of this act, the school fails to achieve a six-year graduation rate of at least 75% for full-time students who are enrolled in a four-year degree program.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in subsection c. of this section, the Secretary of Higher Education shall revoke a proprietary school’s license to award academic degrees if, by the completion of the sixth full academic year that occurs following the effective date of this act, the school fails to achieve a three-year graduation rate of at least 75% for full-time students who are enrolled in a two-year degree program.
c. If, at the completion of the fifth full academic year that occurs following the effective date of this act, a proprietary school is not on track to achieve the minimum graduation rates specified in subsection b. of this section, but is making sufficient progress toward achieving those rates, the secretary at his discretion may allow the school additional time to achieve those rates before revoking the school’s license to award academic degrees.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that the Secretary of Higher Education will revoke a proprietary school’s license to award academic degrees if the school fails to achieve a six-year graduation rate of at least 75% for full-time students enrolled in a four-year degree program by the completion of the sixth full academic year that occurs following the bill’s effective date. The bill further provides that the secretary will revoke a proprietary school’s license to award academic degrees if the school fails to achieve a three-year graduation rate of at least 75% for full-time students enrolled in a two-year degree program by the completion of the sixth full academic year that occurs following the bill’s effective date. However, if after five years, a proprietary school is not on track to achieve these minimum graduation rates for full-time students, but is making sufficient progress toward achieving that goal, the secretary at his discretion may allow the school additional time to achieve the rates before revoking the school’s license to award academic degrees.
A2815 – Requires NJ Educational Facilities Authority to annually prepare report on debt held by public institutions of higher education.
AN ACT concerning reports on debt held by public institutions of higher education and supplementing chapter 72A of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The New Jersey Educational Facilities Authority shall annually publish a report detailing the debt ratio and debt burden ratio for each public institution of higher education in the prior academic year. The debt ratio shall be calculated as follows:
debt ratio = expendable net assets / long-term debt
For the purposes of the calculation, expendable net assets shall include unrestricted and restricted expendable net assets, except those that are invested or to be invested in fixed assets, and long-term debt shall include all amounts borrowed for long-term purposes from third parties, and shall include all notes, bonds, loans, and capital leases that impact the institution’s credit, whether or not the institution directly owes the obligation.
The debt burden ratio shall be calculated as follows:
debt burden ratio = debt service due / total expenditures
b. The authority shall submit the report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), no later than January 1 following the academic year for which the report is prepared.
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first be applicable to the first full academic year beginning after the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the New Jersey Educational Facilities Authority to annually submit a report to the Governor and Legislature detailing the debt ratio and the debt burden ratio for each public institution of higher education. The bill defines the debt ratio as an institution’s expendable net assets divided by its total long-term debt, while the debt burden ratio is defined as the institution’s debt service due divided by its total expenditures.
A2816 –Directs State Auditor to conduct audit of fees charged by public institutions of higher education in order to tell how these fees are being distributed and how they are benefiting the college student.
AN ACT concerning audits of public institutions of higher education and supplementing chapter 24 of Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The State Auditor shall, as part of his responsibility under R.S.52:24-4, annually conduct an audit of a fee charged by a public institution of higher education, and shall annually issue a report on such fees to the Governor and the Legislature. In conducting the audit, the State Auditor shall select one fee collected by a State college, a public research university, and a county college, and perform an audit of a fee collected by each institution in the prior academic year. Each annual report shall include, but need not be limited to, the following information:
a. The purpose of the fee, as stated by the public institution;
b. The amount collected by the public institution, on a per pupil basis and an aggregate amount; and
c. The amount expended on the stated purpose, the amount of any balance remaining at the end of the academic year, and how any remaining balance has been allocated to either reduce the amount of the fee in the subsequent academic year, or has been transferred to be used for another purpose.
The State Auditor shall not audit the same fee at the same public institution of higher education in two consecutive academic years, unless the purpose of the subsequent audit is to determine if a public institution of higher education has addressed any concerns raised or recommendations made in the initial audit.
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first be applicable to the first full academic year following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the State Auditor to annually audit a fee charged by a State college, a public research university, and a county college, and to submit a report to the Governor and Legislature. The report would include information on: 1) the purpose of the fee; 2) the per pupil and aggregate amount collected; and 3) the amount that has been expended on the stated purpose, the balance remaining at the end of the academic year, and the amount that has been used to decrease the fee in the subsequent academic year or has been used for another purpose.
PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS
A2817 – Requires institutions participating in dual enrollment programs to charge a reduced tuition rate to high school students participating in the program.
AN ACT concerning dual enrollment programs and supplementing chapter 61C of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Each public institution of higher education and each school district with a high school shall offer a dual enrollment program pursuant to which instruction is provided to high school students through courses offered by a public institution of higher education on its campus or on the campus of a public high school for college credit.
2. A public institution of higher education shall not charge tuition to a high school student participating in a dual enrollment program who is eligible for a free or reduced price lunch and shall charge any other high school student participating in a dual enrollment program no more than 75 percent less than the in-State per credit rate.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a public institution of higher education from providing free tuition to a high school student participating in a dual enrollment program other than a student entitled to free tuition pursuant to this section.
3. The State Board of Education and the Secretary of Higher Education each shall adopt, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires all public institutions of higher education and all school districts with a high school to offer dual enrollment programs. The bill also requires public institutions of higher education to charge high school students participating in a dual enrollment program no more than 75 percent less than the in-State per credit tuition rate, except that students eligible for a free or reduced price lunch would not be charged any tuition.
A2818 – Requires undergraduate students enrolled in a four-year degree program to file a degree plan with the institution by the completion of 45 credit hours of course work and requires degree-seeking county college students to file a degree plan upon entering the institution. Also requires public institutions of higher education to develop pathway systems that establish graduation progress benchmarks for each major.
AN ACT concerning college degree completion and supplementing chapter 62 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this section, “degree plan” means a statement of the course of study requirements that an undergraduate student enrolled in a public institution of higher education must complete to graduate from the institution.
b. Except as otherwise provided in subsection c. of this section, an undergraduate student enrolled in a four-year public institution of higher education shall file a degree plan with the institution as soon as practicable, but not later than by the completion of 45 credit hours of course work.
c. An undergraduate student who transfers to a four-year public institution of higher education with at least 45 credit hours of course work shall file a degree plan with the institution during the student’s first semester at the institution.
d. A degree-seeking undergraduate student enrolled in a county college shall file a degree plan with the institution upon entering the institution.
e. A degree plan filed pursuant to this section shall:
(1) be developed in consultation with an academic advisor in the student’s degree program, or if an academic advisor is not available in the student’s degree program, any academic advisor at the institution; and
(2) follow a pathway to a degree as required pursuant to section 2 of this act.
2. a. A public institution of higher education shall:
(1) develop a pathway system whereby the institution establishes graduation progress benchmarks for each academic major and for the general education program for students who have not declared a major;
(2) require the pathway for each first-time degree-seeking student to include credit-bearing mathematics and English courses in the first 24 credit hours of course work; and
(3) require the pathway for each degree-seeking student enrolled in a remedial course in mathematics, reading, or English to include the credit-bearing course in mathematics, reading, or English concurrent with or in the semester immediately following completion of the remedial course.
b. (1) The graduation progress benchmarks established pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection a. of this section shall specify the credit and course criteria that indicate satisfactory progress toward a degree.
(2) The academic departments of a public institution of higher education shall establish schedules for regular periodic reviews of student progress.
(3) A student who is in danger of falling behind the graduation progress benchmarks shall be required to consult with an academic advisor prior to course registration.
3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first be applicable to the first class of students entering a public institution of higher education following the effective date of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill requires undergraduate students enrolled in four-year public institutions of higher education to file a degree plan with the institution by the completion of 45 credit hours of course work. The bill requires degree-seeking students enrolled in county colleges to file a degree plan upon entering the institution. The bill defines “degree plan” as a statement of the course of study requirements that an undergraduate student at a public institution of higher education must complete in order to graduate. A student’s degree plan must be developed in consultation with an academic advisor and must follow a pathway to a degree.
In addition, the bill requires public institutions of higher education to develop pathway systems that establish graduation progress benchmarks for each academic major and for the general education program for students who have not declared a major. The pathway for each first-time degree-seeking student must include credit-bearing mathematics and English courses in the first 24 credit hours. The pathway for each degree-seeking student enrolled in a remedial course in mathematics, reading, or English must include the credit-bearing course in that subject concurrent with or in the semester immediately following completion of the remedial course.
Under the bill, the graduation progress benchmarks established by a public institution of higher education must specify the credit and course criteria that indicate satisfactory progress toward a degree. Academic departments at the institution must establish schedules for periodic reviews of student progress, and students who are in danger of falling behind the graduation progress benchmarks will be required to consult with an academic advisor prior to course registration.
