reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13 - PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES TO SUPPORT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT › Subchapter 1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS › Section 6A:13-1.1 - Purpose and applicability of rules

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) These rules are
				promulgated pursuant to the School Funding Reform Act,
				P.L.
				2007, c. 260, to ensure
				that all students receive the educational entitlements guaranteed them by the
				New Jersey Constitution. These rules shall ensure that all districts provide
				students with a rigorous curriculum that is based on the New Jersey Student
				Learning Standards; that relies on the use of State assessments to improve
				instruction; and that is supported by a professional development plan for
				teachers and school leaders. In addition, secondary school districts shall
				provide students with an academically rigorous personalized environment to
				prepare them for post-secondary education and/or careers after graduation.
				These rules also address class size in high poverty school districts and focus
				on improving instruction in literacy and mathematics in high need school
				districts.
(b) These rules shall
				supercede the rules in N.J.A.C. 6A:10 and 6A:10A where inconsistencies
				occur.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13 - PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES TO SUPPORT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT › Subchapter 2 - STANDARDS-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL PRIORITIES › Section 6A:13-2.1 - Standards-based instruction

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) All school
				districts shall implement a coherent curriculum for all students, including
				English language learners (ELLs), gifted and talented students and students
				with disabilities, that is content-rich and aligned to the most recent revision
				of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS). The curriculum shall
				guide instruction to ensure that every student masters the NJSLS. Instruction
				shall be designed to engage all students and modified based on student
				performance. Such curriculum shall include:
1. Interdisciplinary connections
				throughout;
2. Integration of 21st
				century skills;
3. A pacing
				guide;
4. A list of instructional
				materials, including various levels of text at each grade;
5. Benchmark assessments; and
6. Modifications for special education
				students, for English language learners in accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:15 and
				for gifted students.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13 - PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES TO SUPPORT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT › Subchapter 2 - STANDARDS-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL PRIORITIES › Section 6A:13-2.2 - Secondary education initiatives

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The secondary
				education initiatives in this section shall apply to all secondary school
				districts, which shall be defined as school districts that include students in
				at least two of the grades from six through 12. Where applicable, secondary
				school districts shall collaborate with sending and receiving districts to
				implement the secondary education initiatives in this section.
(b) All secondary school districts shall
				develop a plan in 2008-2009 for implementing the secondary education
				initiatives specified in (c) through (e) below by the 2009-2010 school year,
				except that secondary school districts previously subject to N.J.A.C. 6A:10 and
				6A:10A shall immediately comply with the secondary education initiatives
				specified in this section.
(c)
				Secondary school districts shall have a school-level planning team to guide the
				development and implementation of the secondary education reforms described in
				this section. A representative group of teachers and administrators shall
				determine team membership and operating procedures.
(d) Secondary school districts shall provide
				instructional services, professional development and other support to assist
				secondary schools with the implementation of the secondary education
				initiatives specified in this section.
(e) Secondary school districts shall create
				personalized learning environments that strengthen relationships among
				students, teachers, staff members, families and the larger community for
				students in grades six through 12. These may include:
1. Small learning communities in
				free-standing facilities or within larger facilities;
2. Ninth grade academies where freshman
				students remain together and are provided with a supportive environment to
				enhance their successful transition to high school;
3. Student support systems where students are
				assigned an adult mentor or team of adults who know(s) them and can support
				student efforts in achieving goals and solving problems;
4. Academies with a career focus;
5. Multi-grade academies where students at
				various grade levels may remain with a core group of teachers for multiple
				years in an academy-type format which may be organized around a particular
				theme and involve interdisciplinary teaming; or
6. Other practices for personalizing learning
				environments that strengthen relationships among students, teachers, staff
				members, families and the larger community.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13 - PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES TO SUPPORT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT › Subchapter 3 - PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR STUDENTS IN HIGH POVERTY AND IN HIGH NEED SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 6A:13-3.1 - Class size in high poverty districts

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) A high
				poverty school district as used in this chapter means a district in which 40
				percent or more of the students are "at risk" as defined in
				P.L.
				2007, c. 260.
(b) Class size in school districts in which
				40 percent or more of the students are "at-risk" as defined in
				P.L.
				2007, c. 260 shall not
				exceed 21 students in grades kindergarten through three, 23 in grades four and
				five and 24 students in grades six through 12; provided that if the district
				chooses to maintain lower class sizes in grades kindergarten through three,
				class sizes in grades four and five may equal but not exceed 25. Exceptions to
				these class sizes are permitted for some physical education and performing arts
				classes, where appropriate.
(c)
				School districts previously subject to N.J.A.C. 6A:10A and 6A:10 shall
				implement the class size requirements set forth in this section during the
				2008-2009 school year and all other school districts to which this section
				applies shall plan to implement the class size requirements beginning in the
				2009-2010 school year and implement in the 2010-2011 school year.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13 - PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES TO SUPPORT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT › Subchapter 3 - PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR STUDENTS IN HIGH POVERTY AND IN HIGH NEED SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 6A:13-3.2 - Full day kindergarten requirements

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
School districts in which 40 percent or more of the students
				  are "at-risk" as defined in
				  P.L.
				  2007, c. 260 shall
				  maintain all existing full-day kindergarten programs with a teacher's aide for
				  each classroom. Class size for these kindergarten classrooms shall not exceed
				  21 students. High poverty school districts that did not have full-day
				  kindergarten with a teacher's aide and a class size of 21 students in 2008-2009
				  shall fully implement this requirement in 2010-2011.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13 - PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES TO SUPPORT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT › Subchapter 3 - PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR STUDENTS IN HIGH POVERTY AND IN HIGH NEED SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 6A:13-3.3 - Definition of high need school districts and implementation timeline

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) A high need
				school district is defined as a school district in which 40 percent or more of
				the students are "at-risk" as defined in
				P.L.
				2007, c. 260 and is at
				one or more of the following proficiency levels on State assessments:
1. Less than 85 percent of total students
				have achieved proficiency in language arts literacy on the New Jersey
				Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK) 3;
2. Less than 80 percent of total students
				have achieved proficiency in language arts literacy on the NJ ASK 8;
3. Less than 80 percent of total students
				have achieved proficiency in language arts literacy on the HSPA;
4. Less than 85 percent of total students
				have achieved proficiency in mathematics on the NJ ASK 4;
5. Less than 80 percent of total students
				have achieved proficiency in mathematics on the NJ ASK 8; and/or
6. Less than 80 percent of total students
				have achieved proficiency in mathematics on the high school State
				assessment.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13 - PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES TO SUPPORT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT › Subchapter 3 - PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR STUDENTS IN HIGH POVERTY AND IN HIGH NEED SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 6A:13-3.5 - Mathematics

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Mathematics instruction throughout the
				elementary and middle schools should be designed to prepare all students for
				rigorous mathematics at the high school level.
(b) Math literacy for students in grades
				three through four. High need school districts in which less than 85 percent of
				total students have achieved proficiency in mathematics on the New Jersey
				Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK) 4 shall implement a comprehensive
				program for mathematics education that prepares students in grades three
				through four for success in higher order mathematics and that includes the
				following components:
1. A curriculum that
				simultaneously develops conceptual understanding, computational fluency and
				problem solving skills, with meaningful instruction and a focus on critical
				mathematics skills as part of a successful learning experience;
2. Mathematical reasoning that occurs in
				contextual learning;
3. An emphasis
				on communicating mathematics concepts both verbally and in writing;
4. The use of frequent questions and
				opportunities for class discussion in addition to the math textbook activities
				to improve student problem solving ability;
5. Professional development in both
				mathematics content and in the elements of mathematics pedagogy specified in
				this section, related to the appropriate grade and based on individual
				professional needs, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:9-15;
6. Use of appropriate instructional
				materials, technology and manipulatives, aligned with the NJSLS in mathematics,
				that lead students through concrete, symbolic and abstract mathematical
				thinking;
7. Multiple assessments
				and benchmarks, including use of formative assessments;
8. Differentiated instruction;
9. Explicit mathematics instruction for
				struggling students to ensure that these students possess the foundational
				skills and conceptual knowledge necessary for understanding the mathematics
				they are learning at their grade level; and
10. Methods to involve parents and family
				members in student learning.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 1 - GENEAL PROVISIONS › Section 6A:13A-1.1 - Purpose and applicability of rules

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) State-funded
				preschool programs in each school district shall include the elements
				established in this chapter as essential for the implementation of a
				high-quality preschool program as a condition of receipt of Preschool Education
				Aid, which shall include, but not be limited to, all positions, supports,
				services, materials, and supplies. The school district shall ensure that
				preschool programs offered in-district and by contracted private providers and
				local Head Start agencies receiving preschool funding meet all applicable
				requirements.
(b) The purpose of
				this chapter is to implement high-quality preschool programs pursuant to
				P.L.
				2007, c. 260.
(c) The district board of education shall
				ensure the inclusion of preschool children with disabilities in general
				education settings to the maximum extent possible, as set forth at
				N.J.A.C.
				6A:14-4.2(a)1.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 2 - ELIGIBILITY, ENROLLMENT AND THE UNIVERSE › Section 6A:13A-2.1 - Eligibility

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) In school districts that received
				Preschool Expansion Aid or educational opportunity aid in the 2007-2008 school
				year and in school districts that are either required to provide or are
				providing State-funded universal preschool, the district board of education
				shall provide free access to full-day preschool for all three- and
				four-year-old children.
(b) In
				school districts required to provide targeted preschool, the district board of
				education shall provide free access to full-day preschool for at-risk three-
				and four-year-old children.
(c) The
				district board of education shall determine age-eligibility for enrollment in
				both universal and targeted preschool programs for three- and four-year olds
				pursuant to this chapter using the same date as that for determining age
				eligibility for kindergarten programs.
(d) In school districts required to provide
				universal preschool, the district board of education also may:
1. Offer age-eligible, non-resident, at-risk
				children who receive Preschool Education Aid, a full-day preschool program
				under a Department-approved written agreement between district boards of
				education to enroll the children in the school district's preschool program;
				and/or
2. Offer age-eligible,
				non-resident children who do not receive Preschool Education Aid a full-day or
				partday preschool program by charging tuition to the parent or
				guardian.
3. Implementation of (d)1
				and 2 above shall be contingent upon ensuring all age-eligible, resident
				children are given priority.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 2 - ELIGIBILITY, ENROLLMENT AND THE UNIVERSE › Section 6A:13A-2.2 - Enrollment

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The district board of education shall
				obtain, through every child's preschool application, enrollment information in
				a format provided by the Department at
http://homeroom6.doe.state.nj.us/precnt/.
(b) A district board of education that offers
				universal or targeted preschool shall ensure that age-eligible children who are
				domiciled in the school district, eligible to attend its preschool program, and
				seeking enrollment are offered enrollment in the school district's preschool
				program and not placed on a waiting list.
(c) The district board of education shall
				contract with every willing Head Start program that is able to meet this
				chapter's requirements for the number of eligible preschool students in the
				local Head Start catchment area determined by the Federal government.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 2 - ELIGIBILITY, ENROLLMENT AND THE UNIVERSE › Section 6A:13A-2.3 - Universe of eligible children

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) District boards
				of education that received Preschool Expansion Aid or educational opportunity
				aid in the 2007-2008 school year shall document the school district's
				strategies to serve at least 90 percent of the universe of eligible preschool
				children in the three-year preschool program plan and/or annual update. The
				plan shall include annual preschool enrollment targets that coincide with the
				school district's projected initiation and/or expansion of preschool.
(b) All other district boards of education
				shall document the school district's strategies to serve at least 90 percent of
				the universe of eligible preschool children in the three-year preschool program
				plan and/or annual update. The plan shall include annual preschool enrollment
				targets that coincide with the school district's projected initiation and/or
				expansion of preschool.
(c) Each
				district board of education may be required to submit a corrective action plan
				to the Department if annual projected increases in enrollment targets are not
				met.
(d) The universe of eligible
				preschool children to be served by a school district in the next school year is
				determined by the following method:
1. For
				school districts providing universal preschool, the number of first graders
				reported on the Application for State School Aid (ASSA) is multiplied by
				two.
2. For school districts
				providing targeted preschool, the number of first graders reported on the ASSA
				is multiplied by two with the result multiplied by the percentage of at-risk
				pupils in kindergarten through grade 12.
3. The school district may request that the
				Department adjust the universe of preschool children to be served in the next
				school year based on factors including a large employer moving in or out of the
				school district or a new housing development, or documentation of a change in
				the at-risk population.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 4 - PROGRAM STAFFING › Section 6A:13A-4.1 - Administrative oversight

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Each district
				board of education shall designate an in-district administrative position to
				oversee the preschool program. A dedicated in-district early childhood
				supervisor is required at a ratio of one for every 750 enrolled preschool
				children, minus students enrolled in school district stand-alone early
				childhood education buildings. For school districts with fewer than 750
				enrolled preschool children, the early childhood supervisor position may be
				combined with another in-district school administrator position with the same
				certification and qualifications required of an early childhood supervisor or,
				as approved by the Department in the school district's three-year preschool
				program plan and/or annual update, may be contracted for with a county or
				regional educational services commission approved by the State Board to do so.
1. Each district board of education shall
				ensure that in-district early childhood supervisors and administrators of
				in-district buildings with preschool children hold the appropriate New Jersey
				supervisor endorsement or principal certificate, have at least three years of
				experience in preschool education, and participate in annual training specific
				to preschool program planning and implementation, the school district's
				comprehensive preschool curriculum, and assessment.
i. Administrators who oversee in-district
				buildings that include preschool classrooms but are not stand-alone early
				childhood education or preschool buildings, and who do not possess at least
				three years of experience in preschool education, shall acquire knowledge of
				the content and skills relevant to working with preschoolaged children through
				training, coursework, and/or professional development, as determined and
				provided for by the school district.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 4 - PROGRAM STAFFING › Section 6A:13A-4.2 - Preschool instructional coaches

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The district
				board of education shall provide preschool instructional coaches at a ratio of
				no more than 20 preschool classrooms for each preschool instructional coach to
				ensure coaching and classroom support for classroom teachers. The district
				board of education shall provide additional preschool instructional coaches to
				assist novice teachers, and to provide professional development that supports
				multilingual learners and children in inclusive classroom settings. For school
				districts with fewer than 20 preschool classrooms, the preschool instructional
				coach position, described in the school district's three-year preschool program
				plan and/or annual update, may be fulfilled in one of the following ways:
1. Combine the preschool instructional coach
				position with another in-district position, provided that the preschool
				instructional coach is not a classroom teacher and all preschool instructional
				coach qualifications established in this chapter are met;
2. Collaborate with one or more school
				district(s) to share the services of a preschool instructional coach;
				or
3. Contract for preschool
				instructional coach services with a county or regional educational services
				commission approved by the State Board to do so.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 4 - PROGRAM STAFFING › Section 6A:13A-4.3 - Instructional staff

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The district board of education of a
				school district that is approved to provide a State-funded universal preschool
				program shall ensure that one appropriately certified teacher and one
				appropriately qualified teacher assistant, pursuant to (d) and (e) below, are
				provided for every preschool class of 15 children. Class size shall not be
				greater than 15 children.
1. The district
				board of education may have fewer than 15 children in a class, if the services
				can be provided at the school district's per pupil amount, and the essential
				elements of the chapter for the implementation of a high-quality preschool
				program are maintained.
2.
				In-district preschool classroom teachers shall hold a bachelor's degree and, at
				a minimum, a certificate of eligibility (CE) or certificate of eligibility with
				advanced standing (CEAS) for preschool through grade three or other equivalent
				preschool certification, as set forth at N.J.A.C. 6A:9B.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 4 - PROGRAM STAFFING › Section 6A:13A-4.4 - Intervention and support services

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The district
				board of education shall establish a preschool intervention and referral
				specialist (PIRS) at a 1:20 ratio of PIRS to preschool classrooms. School
				districts with more than 20 preschool classrooms shall also create a team of
				specialists, including the PIRS, using a consultative model as part of the
				intervention and referral services. The services shall be funded by the school
				district's preschool budget, as described in the school district's three-year
				preschool program plan and/or annual update. The position(s) may be:
1. Combined with the school district's
				existing intervention and referral services required by N.J.A.C. 6A:16;
				or
2. Fulfilled by contracting for
				PIRS services with a county or regional educational services commission
				approved by the State Board to do so.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 4 - PROGRAM STAFFING › Section 6A:13A-4.5 - Health and nutrition

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The district
				board of education shall employ nurses at a ratio of one for every 300
				preschool students, including students in contracted private provider and local
				Head Start programs. In school districts with fewer than 300 enrolled preschool
				children, the services funded by the school district's preschool budget and
				described in the school district's three-year preschool program plan and/or
				annual update may be:
1. Provided within the
				school district's existing health services required by N.J.A.C. 6A:16;
				or
2. Fulfilled by contracting for
				health services with a county or regional educational services commission
				approved by the State Board to do so.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 4 - PROGRAM STAFFING › Section 6A:13A-4.6 - Family and community involvement

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The district
				board of education shall ensure that a coordinated system of social services is
				provided to families of enrolled preschool children and shall describe the
				system in its three-year preschool program plan and/or annual update. Services
				may be offered by:
1. Coordinating the social
				services and/or social services functions described in this section among the
				school district, contracting private providers, and local Head Start agencies;
				or
2. Contracting for social
				services functions described in this section with a county or regional
				educational services commission approved by the State Board to do so.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 4 - PROGRAM STAFFING › Section 6A:13A-4.7 - District board of education-fiscal accountability and integrity of preschool program

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The district board of education shall
				ensure the fiscal accountability and integrity of the preschool program.
1. In school districts with eight or more
				contracting private providers or local Head Start agencies, the district board
				of education may employ a preschool fiscal specialist.
2. The preschool fiscal specialist shall have
				auditing, budgeting, and accounting experience, shall report to the early
				childhood administrator or the supervisor of early childhood programs, and
				shall work with the school district business administrator's office.
3. In school districts without a dedicated
				preschool fiscal specialist, the position may be combined with another
				in-district position when described in the three-year preschool program plan
				and/or annual update(s), provided the qualifications and responsibilities
				established in this chapter are met.
4. The preschool fiscal specialist duties
				shall include, at a minimum:
i. Monitoring
				each contracting private provider and/or local Head Start agency for compliance
				with the preschool program contract;
ii. Tracking teacher certification
				information and reporting it to the Department;
iii. Monitoring expenses and reviewing
				quarterly expenditure reports in accordance with the approved contracting
				private provider and/or local Head Start agency budgets;
iv. Providing financial management assistance
				to contracting private providers and local Head Start agencies in the
				development and monitoring of their annual budgets; and
v. Collaborating with contracting private
				providers and/or local Head Start agencies in the development of any corrective
				action plans in response to findings of an audit and/or a limited review
				examination.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 5 - CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT › Section 6A:13A-5.1 - Curriculum

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The district board of education shall
				ensure implementation of a comprehensive curriculum supported by research,
				aligned with the Preschool Standards, and linked to the New Jersey Student
				Learning Standards (NJSLS). The school district's choice of curricula shall be
				described in the three-year preschool program plan and/or annual
				update.
(b) The preschool program
				and curriculum shall include, but need not be limited to, the following:
1. Systematic support for language
				acquisition for all children, including approaches for helping multilingual
				learners maintain their home language while acquiring English within their
				regularly assigned preschool classroom;
2. A clearly described, systematic, and
				intensive instructional approach for all aspects of development and learning
				using the strategies and techniques delineated in the Preschool Standards;
				and
3. Implementation of a
				comprehensive, performance-based assessment system that is aligned with the
				preschool curriculum.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 5 - CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT › Section 6A:13A-5.2 - Ongoing performance-based assessment of children

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The
				district board of education shall ensure that ongoing assessment in the
				preschool program is used to:
1. Plan
				intentional instruction for individuals and groups;
2. Identify children for health and special
				services;
3. Monitor trends and
				evaluate programs; and
4. Provide
				program accountability data, as specified by the Department.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 5 - CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT › Section 6A:13A-5.3 - Screening

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The district board of education shall
				conduct a developmentally based early childhood screening assessment for each
				child upon enrollment in preschool to:
1.
				Identify children with broad indicators of potential problems who may require
				further assessment; and
2.
				Determine if a child needs a comprehensive diagnostic assessment.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 5 - CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT › Section 6A:13A-5.4 - Classroom-quality assessment

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Starting in the
				first year of preschool program implementation, the school district shall use,
				at least annually, a reliable classroom-quality assessment instrument described
				in the three-year preschool program plan and/or annual update to assess program
				quality in each in-district, contracting private provider, and/or local Head
				Start agency preschool classroom, aggregate the data, and develop professional
				development plans for all teaching staff.
1.
				The school district shall score program quality on a graduated scale in each
				preschool classroom.
2. An action
				plan shall be developed and implemented by the school district and contracting
				private provider or local Head Start agency if any classroom falls below the
				minimum acceptable score established by the district board of education in the
				preschool program contract. The school district and the contracting private
				provider or local Head Start agency shall participate in joint discussions as
				part of the action plan's development to determine the classroom-quality
				improvements that are necessary based upon the observation instrument's results
				and to establish a timeframe for making the required changes.
3. The preschool instructional coach shall
				provide technical assistance to the classroom teacher based upon the action
				plan.
4. If the district board of
				education determines improvements have not been made according to the
				established plan and schedule, the district board of education, or contracting
				private provider or local Head Start agency, may request from the Department
				that the classroom or program be evaluated by a reliable, independent observer.
				If the reliable, independent observer verifies the action plan is not being
				satisfied in a contracting private provider or local Head Start agency
				classroom, the district board of education shall take steps to remove the
				contracting private provider or local Head Start agency teacher from the
				contracted classroom or to terminate or not renew the preschool program
				contract between the contracting private provider or local Head Start agency
				and the district board of education, pursuant to the provisions for nonrenewal
				and termination at N.J.A.C. 6A:13A-9.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 5 - CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT › Section 6A:13A-5.5 - Classroom quality assessment

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Starting in the
				first year of preschool program implementation, the school district shall, at
				least annually, use a reliable classroom quality assessment instrument
				described in the five-year preschool program plan and/or annual update, as
				required and approved by the Department, to assess program quality in each
				in-district, contracting private provider, and/or Head Start agency preschool
				classroom, aggregate the data, and develop professional development plans for
				all teaching staff.
1. The school district
				shall score program quality on a graduated scale in all preschool
				classrooms.
2. An action plan shall
				be developed and implemented by the school district and contracting private
				provider or local Head Start agency if any classroom falls below the minimum
				acceptable score established by the district board of education in their
				preschool program contract. Development of the action plan shall involve
				participation of the school district and the contracting private provider or
				local Head Start agency in joint discussions to determine the classroom quality
				improvements that are necessary based upon the results of the observation
				instrument and establishment of a timeframe for making the required
				changes.
3. The master teacher
				shall provide technical assistance to the classroom teacher based upon the
				action plan.
4. If the district
				board of education deems that improvements have not been made according to the
				established plan and schedule, the district board of education or contracting
				private provider or local Head Start agency may request that the classroom or
				program be evaluated by a reliable independent observer approved by the
				Department. If the reliable independent observer verifies that the action plan
				is not being satisfied in a contracting private provider or local Head Start
				agency classroom, steps shall be taken to remove the contracting private
				provider or local Head Start agency teacher from the classroom or terminate or
				not renew the preschool program contract between the contracting private
				provider or local Head Start agency and the district board of education
				pursuant to the provisions for non-renewal and termination set forth in
				N.J.A.C. 6A:13A-9.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 6 - TRANSITION › Section 6A:13A-6.1 - Transition

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The district board of education shall
				include in its three-year preschool program plan and/or annual update
				transition initiatives from program entry to kindergarten through grade three
				that describe:
1. The process for
				collaborating with other preschool through grade three administrators in the
				school district;
2. Implementation
				of a comprehensive, developmentally appropriate kindergarten entry assessment
				within the first six to eight weeks of school to measure children's knowledge,
				skills, and behaviors at the beginning of kindergarten;
3. Methods for communicating to a child's new
				kindergarten and elementary teachers information about the child, including the
				results of the kindergarten entry assessment;
4. The process for identifying the curriculum
				and pedagogical information about the preschool program and communicating it to
				the kindergarten and elementary teachers; and
5. The process for providing information to
				parents about the kindergarten program and the transition plan from preschool
				through grade three.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 7 - FACILITIES › Section 6A:13A-7.1 - Space requirements

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) For any school district or charter school
				that received Preschool Education Aid in August 2017 or thereafter, the
				district board of education or charter school shall ensure all preschool
				classrooms in-district or in the charter school, as applicable, and at the
				contracted private provider and local Head Start agency are a minimum of 950
				square feet per classroom consisting of 750 square feet of usable space, 150
				square feet of storage, and equipment or furnishings that are either built in
				or not easily movable, and 50 square feet of toilet room.
1. Any preschool classroom that is relocating
				as of, or after, *August 15, 2022* to a space not previously occupied for
				preschool shall immediately meet minimum space requirements set forth at (a)
				above.
2. A district board of
				education may seek a waiver of, or equivalency for, the requirements set forth
				at (a) above pursuant to the process at N.J.A.C. 6A:5, Regulatory Equivalency
				and Waiver.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 8 - PROGRAM EVALUATION › Section 6A:13A-8.1 - Self-assessment for continuous quality improvement cycle

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The
				district board of education shall participate in a process of continuous
				quality improvement either through the annual self-assessment and validation
				system (SAVS) or Grow NJ Kids to inform the school district of the status of
				its preschool program implementation. School districts that utilize Grow NJ
				Kids shall also complete the ratings process, which is valid for three-years.
				The self-assessment and validation system shall include the following:
1. A validation visit by a State team at
				least once every three years; and
2. A Department-required improvement plan in
				a Department-provided format that shall include:
i. Identification of the program area(s) in
				need of improvement;
ii. A detailed
				explanation of the steps to be taken by the district board of education;
				and
iii. A timeline for
				implementation.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 9 - SCHOOL DISTRICT CONTRACTS WITH PRIVATE PROVIDERS AND LOCAL HEAD START AGENCIES FOR PROVIDING PRESCHOOL SERVICES › Section 6A:13A-9.1 - Contract

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The district board of education annually
				shall execute the preschool program contract provided and/or approved by the
				Department with all contracting private providers and local Head Start
				agencies.
1. Each district board of education
				using the Department-approved preschool program contract without modifications
				shall submit to the Department a copy of each executed contract no later than
				60 days after the Department's annual release of the contract for the following
				school year.
2. The district board
				of education may request modifications to the Department-approved preschool
				program contract no later than 45 days after the Department's annual release of
				the contract for the following school year.
i.
				The district board of education shall not request a modification of the
				provision in the Department-approved preschool program contract that requires
				the school district to ensure that the educational program offered by the
				private provider or Head Start agency will comply with all Federal, State, and
				local laws, rules, and regulations regarding the secular nature of programs
				receiving public funding.
3. The district board of education shall
				submit to the Department a copy of each executed contract within 60 days of
				receiving Department approval to modify the Department-approved preschool
				program contract.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 9 - SCHOOL DISTRICT CONTRACTS WITH PRIVATE PROVIDERS AND LOCAL HEAD START AGENCIES FOR PROVIDING PRESCHOOL SERVICES › Section 6A:13A-9.2 - Informal dispute resolution process

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The district
				board of education and contracting private provider or local Head Start agency
				shall attempt to resolve any dispute that may arise.
1. If the dispute cannot be resolved locally,
				an appeal to the Commissioner may be filed pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:3,
				Controversies and Disputes.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 9 - SCHOOL DISTRICT CONTRACTS WITH PRIVATE PROVIDERS AND LOCAL HEAD START AGENCIES FOR PROVIDING PRESCHOOL SERVICES › Section 6A:13A-9.4 - Termination of a preschool program contract

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The
				school district shall have the right to terminate a contracting private
				provider's or local Head Start agency's preschool program contract immediately
				upon:
1. Revocation of the contracting
				private provider's or local Head Start agency's licensure;
2. Material breach of the contracting private
				provider's or local Head Start agency's responsibilities, including the failure
				to conduct and document criminal background and child abuse history
				checks;
3. Failure to comply with
				all applicable requirements established pursuant to this chapter; or
4. Any other reasonable cause within the
				discretion of the school district and with written approval from the
				Department.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 10 - FISCAL OVERSIGHT › Section 6A:13A-10.1 - School district fiscal responsibilities

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The district board of education shall
				ensure that the budget of each private provider and local Head Start agency
				supports and aligns with the children's needs and the actual program costs for
				the six-hour comprehensive educational program and day, meets the Department's
				requirements, and aligns with the school district's grade one through 12 daily
				school calendar, not exceeding the 10-month academic period.
(b) The district board of education shall
				ensure that procedures for contracting private providers and local Head Start
				agencies are in place to ensure sound fiscal practices including:
1. The district board of education shall
				verify for accuracy and efficiency of annual budget planning workbooks
				submitted by each contracting private provider and local Head Start agency
				prior to submission to the Department of the school district budget planning
				workbook.
2. The district board of
				education shall ensure that compensation for certified teachers and teacher
				assistants in contracting private provider or local Head Start settings is
				comparable to compensation for a teacher or teacher assistant employed by the
				district board of education and is based on equivalent certification and
				credentials.
i. The district board of
				education shall ensure that the certified teachers and teacher assistants in
				contracting private providers and local Head Start agencies receiving the
				comparable compensation meet comparable work schedule requirements for both
				student contact time and teacher contract time, including the equivalent number
				of hours per day and the equivalent number of days per contract year
				established by the district board of education for its certified teachers and
				teacher assistants. The work schedule shall also include the same amount of
				preparation time and lunch time as the district board of education certified
				teachers and teacher assistants.
3. The district board of education shall
				monitor at least quarterly the expenditures of each contracting private
				provider and local Head Start agency and shall recoup any unexpended or
				misspent funds based on the quarterly expenditure reports, enrollment records,
				and monthly payments made by the school district.
4. The district board of education shall
				request regular updates on the status of any corrective action plans or
				outstanding issues raised as a result of a limited examination or audit
				report.
5. The district board of
				education shall establish the procedure by which preschool enrollment and
				attendance is submitted to the district board of education by the contracting
				private provider and local Head Start agency and verified by the district board
				of education.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 6A - EDUCATION › Chapter 13A - ELEMENTS OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS › Subchapter 10 - FISCAL OVERSIGHT › Section 6A:13A-10.2 - Private provider and local Head Start agency fiscal responsibilities

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Any private provider or local Head Start
				agency contracting with a school district to provide a full-day preschool
				program pursuant to this chapter shall implement sound fiscal practices
				including, but not limited to:
1. Maintaining
				a financial management system that provides timely, accurate, current, and
				complete disclosure of all financial activities related to the preschool
				program operating under Preschool Education Aid and in accordance with
				generally accepted accounting principles;
2. Certifying the proposed budget planning
				workbook, as submitted to the district board of education, is true and
				accurate;
3. Making all
				educational, administrative, and indirect support cost expenditures in strict
				accordance with the budget planning workbook approved by the district board of
				education and, as appropriate, by the Department;
4. Submitting to the district board of
				education a quarterly report of actual, approvable, reasonable, and customary
				expenditures with supporting documentation and receipts.
i. The quarterly report shall include
				expenditures for all approved budget lines for the school year, including all
				approved salaries, benefits, payroll taxes, substitute stipends, classroom
				materials and supplies, start-up classroom materials/supplies and technology,
				if applicable, field trips and associated transportation, space costs, food
				costs, and administrative and indirect costs expenditures. The quarterly report
				shall be signed and certified by an officer of the corporation;
5. Posting revenue and
				expenditures related to Preschool Education Aid to separate accounts in the
				contracting private provider and local Head Start agency general ledger and not
				commingling with revenue and expenditures related to other funding
				sources;
6. Requesting from the
				district board of education any budget transfer(s) or budget planning workbook
				amendment(s) to the approved budget planning workbook, or:
i. If the Department approved a private
				provider budget planning workbook based on a line-item review, amendments to or
				budget transfers within the approved budget planning workbook shall be approved
				by the district board of education. When applicable, private provider budget
				transfers shall also be subject to Department notification and/or approval; and
7. Making all financial
				and program information available for inspection at any time to the school
				district or Department designee.