A4142 —

A4142 ACSAAP Statement 5/11/20 ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE   STATEMENT TO   ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR ASSEMBLY, No.

4142   STATE OF NEW JERSEY 219th LEGISLATURE   ADOPTEDDATED: MAY 11, 2020     Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman  MAY PAMELA11, R.        The Assembly Appropriations Committee reports favorably an Assembly Committee Substitute for Assembly Bill No.

LAMPITT3945. District 6 (Burlington and Camden) Assemblywoman  MILA M.

JASEY      DistrictThis 27Assembly (EssexCommittee Substitute requires the Commissioner of Education to establish a three-year “Bridge Year Pilot Program,” under which each school district with a high school will offer students in the graduating class of 2021 and Morris)the Assemblywoman graduating VALERIEclass VAINIERIof HUTTLE2022 Districtthe 37opportunity (Bergen)to  pursue Co-Sponsoreda by:bridge year during the year immediately following senior year of high school.  Nonpublic schools may elect to participate in the pilot program.  The purpose of the pilot program is to provide participating students an opportunity to address learning loss and missed opportunities in extracurricular activities, including spring sports programs, as a result of the public health state of emergency caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.        A student in the graduating class of 2021 or the graduating class of 2022 who has met all applicable high school graduation requirements by the end of the senior year of high school may defer graduation from high school to pursue a bridge year.  A student who intends to pursue a bridge year will notify their host high school’s bridge year liaison, who is required to be designated by the host high school, of their intent no later than the first day of the second semester of the student’s senior year of high school.

Assemblywomen The Schepisi,host Speight,high Assemblymenschool Giblin,will McKeon,permit Spearman,students Bensonparticipating andin Assemblywomanthe Jimenezbridge  year  to  participate  in SYNOPSISgraduation     ceremonies Requireswith Commissionerthe graduating class of Education2021 or class of 2022, as applicable, but will not issue diplomas to establishthose three-yearstudents “Bridgeuntil the conclusion of the bridge year.  To be eligible to participate in the bridge year program, a student must be 19 years of age or younger and not turn 20 years of age at any time during the bridge year, except that a classified student will be eligible to participate if the student will turn 20 years old during the bridge year due to services provided under the student’s individualized education program.        A student pursuing a bridge year will remain enrolled in the host high school while participating in the Bridge Year Pilot Program”Program.  A bridge year liaison is required to develop, in consultation with a student pursuing a bridge year, an individual learning plan (ILP) for certainthe studentsstudent.  whoThe wereILP impactedwill bydefine publicacademic healthand stateco-curricular goals for the bridge year and detail activities and strategies for accomplishing those goals.        During the fall semester of emergencythe causedstudent’s bybridge coronavirusyear, diseasethe 2019.student will take between nine and 12 credits at the host high school, the county college that serves the county of the host high school, or a combination.  During the spring semester of the student’s bridge year, the student will take between nine and 12 credits at the county college that serves the county of the host high school.

  During CURRENTa VERSIONsemester OFof TEXTthe     bridge Substituteyear, asa adoptedstudent may take three credits offered by a four-year institution of higher education at any high school in the AssemblyState Appropriationsor Committee.at any other location to fulfill the student’s credit requirement.  At the conclusion of each semester of the bridge year, the host high school will update the student’s high school transcript to reflect any high school credits earned during the bridge year.  The student will be considered a non-matriculated student of the county college.  A student who pursues a bridge year and participates in a spring sport sanctioned by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association will enroll in less than 12 college credits, or otherwise be enrolled in a number of college credits as to not be considered a full-time college student, in each of the fall and spring semesters during the student’s bridge year.          Under the committee substitute, a county college or four-year institution of higher education will charge students participating in a bridge year a maximum of $145 per credit inclusive of all fees, except that fees associated with specific courses or with the use of on-campus science laboratories may be charged at a maximum of $45 per course.  In order to remain in the Bridge Year Pilot Program, a student must maintain a 2.0 grade point average.         Students participating in a bridge year will be eligible for State student financial aid under the Community College Opportunity Grant Program.

  An      ActA requiringstudent who pursues a bridge year will be permitted to participate in a spring sport sanctioned by the CommissionerNew Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) and extracurricular activities at the student’s host high school, which is defined under the committee substitute as the high school that the student attended as a junior in high school.  A student will not be eligible to participate in any fall or winter sport.  A student participating in a spring sport or extracurricular activity during the bridge year will pay applicable student athletics and activities fees and be subject to the host high school’s student and athletic codes of Educationconduct and any other applicable rules, codes, or policies that other students participating in the spring sport or extracurricular activity at the host high school are required to establishfollow.  The substitute directs insurers doing business in the BridgeState Yearand Pilotissuing Program.liability insurance policies to school districts to provide coverage for bridge year students participating in a spring sport or extracurricular activity, as part of a school district’s liability insurance policy.

           In Beorder Itto Enactedparticipate byin a spring sport during a student’s bridge year, the Senatestudent andmust Generalmeet Assemblythe current age participation requirements of the StateNJSIAA.  For students participating in a spring sport, the NJSIAA will be requested to waive the eight semester rule, under which a student is not eligible for high school athletics after the expiration of Neweight Jersey:consecutive semesters following the student’s entrance into the ninth grade.  The NJSIAA is directed to confer with the National Collegiate Athletic Association or any other similar entities to ensure that any student participating in a spring sport during a bridge year will be eligible to declare as a college recruit and participate in intercollegiate athletics.    FISCAL IMPACT:

           The 1.   Office Asof usedLegislative inServices (OLS) concludes that this act,Assembly “hostCommittee highSubstitute school”will meanslead to an indeterminate increase in State costs, primarily due to the substitute’s provision which allows students participating in the Bridge Year Pilot Program to be eligible for State financial aid grants under the Community College Opportunity Grant (CCOG) Program.  The substitute would increase costs to the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to the extent that high school thatstudents agraduating student,in 2021 and 2022, who pursuespursue a bridge year pursuantin toaccordance with the provisionssubstitute’s ofprovisions, thiswould act,be attendedeligible asfor a juniorgrant inunder the CCOG program.  The OLS does not have the information necessary to project how many high school.school graduates would pursue a bridge year and how many of those students would be eligible for a grant under the CCOG program.

           The 2. OLS a. notes Thethe CommissionerCCOG ofprogram Educationwas shallauthorized establishpursuant ato three-yearthe “BridgeFY Year2019 Pilotand Program,”FY under2020 whichappropriations eachacts schoolto districtprovide with“last-dollar” afinancial highaid schoolgrants shallto offereligible students into cover the graduatingcost class of 2021tuition and thecertain graduatingeducational classfees ofnot thealready opportunitycovered toby pursueother aavailable bridgegrants yearand duringscholarships.  In FY 2019, $20 million was appropriated to the yearCCOG immediatelyprogram followingto theirprovide seniorfinancial yearaid ofgrants highto school,students enrolled in accordanceat withleast thesix provisionscredits ofwith thisannual act. income Thenot purposeexceeding of$45,000.  theIn pilotFY program2020, shall$25 bemillion was appropriated to providethe participatingprogram studentsto anprovide additionalfinancial yearaid grants to addressstudents learningenrolled lossin andat missedleast opportunitiessix incredits extracurricularwith activities,annual includingincome springnot sportsexceeding programs,$65,000.  as      aThe resultOLS ofalso theconcludes publicthat healththere statewill ofbe emergencyan causedindeterminate byrevenue theimpact coronaviruson diseasecertain 2019county pandemic. colleges     and Afour-year nonpublicinstitutions schoolof mayhigher electeducation.  toOn participatethe inone thehand, Bridgethese Yearinstitutions Pilotwill Program. receive     tuition Underand thefees pilotfrom program,participating eachbridge highyear schoolstudents inleading ato schoolan districtincrease shallin designaterevenues.  aOn schoolthe staffother memberhand, asthe amaximum that bridge year liaisonstudents tomay servebe ascharged under the school’sbill centralis pointlower ofthan contactwhat foris studentscharged interestedto inregular pursuingmatriculating astudents.  If bridge year pursuantstudents choose to thisenroll actin anda forpublic studentsinstitution participatingof inhigher aeducation bridgefollowing year. their Nothingparticipation in thisthe subsectionpilot shallprogram, bethey construedwill tohave requirepaid aless schoolper districtcollege tocredit hirethan anif individualthey tohad servematriculated asdirectly from high school, resulting in a bridgenet yearloss liaison.of revenue for the institutions.

     b.    A student in the graduating class of 2021 or the graduating class of 2022 who has met all applicable high school graduation requirements by the end of the senior year of high school may defer graduation from high school to pursue a bridge year.  A student who intends to pursue a bridge year shall notify his host high school’s bridge year liaison of that intent no later than the first day of the second semester of the student’s senior year of high school.  The host high school shall permit students participating in the bridge year to participate in graduation ceremonies with the graduating class of 2021 or class of 2022, as applicable, but shall not issue diplomas to those students until the conclusion of the bridge year.  Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a student to pursue a bridge year.  To be eligible to participate in the bridge year program, a student shall be 19 years of age or younger and shall not turn years of age at any time during the bridge year, except that a classified student shall be eligible to participate if the student will turn 20 years of age during the bridge year due to services provided pursuant to the student’s individualized education program.

     c.     (1)  A student pursuing a bridge year shall remain enrolled in the host high school while participating in the Bridge Year Pilot Program.

 A bridge year liaison shall develop, in consultation with a student pursuing a bridge year, an individual learning plan for the student.  The individual learning plan shall define academic and co-curricular goals for the bridge year and detail activities and strategies for accomplishing those goals including, but not limited to, counseling, academic support, coursework, and co-curricular or athletic participation.  During the fall semester of the student’s bridge year, the student shall take between nine and 12 credits at the host high school, the county college that serves the county of the host high school, or a combination thereof.  During the spring semester of the student’s bridge year, the student shall take between nine and 12 credits at the county college that serves the county of the host high school.  The credits taken by a student pursuant to this paragraph shall together form a coordinated sequence of academic content that prepares the student for high-skill, high wage, or in-demand occupations.  At the conclusion of each semester of the bridge year, the host high school shall update the student’s high school transcript to reflect any high school credits earned during the bridge year.  For the purpose of enrolling in college credits pursuant to this paragraph, the student shall be considered a non-matriculated student of the county college.  A student who pursues a bridge year and participates in a spring sport sanctioned by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association pursuant to section 3 of this act shall enroll in less than 12 college credits, or otherwise be enrolled in a number of college credits as to not be considered a full-time college student, in each of the fall and spring semesters during the student’s bridge year.       (2)   The student shall maintain a grade point average of 2.0 in order to remain in the Bridge Year Pilot Program.  The county college or other institution of higher education which a student pursuing a bridge year is attending shall report at least quarterly to the bridge year liaison at a student’s host high school, in a manner specified by the student’s individual learning plan developed pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection, concerning the student’s academic progress and performance.       (3)   A county college shall charge students participating in a bridge year pursuant to this act a maximum of $145 per credit inclusive of all fees, except that fees associated with specific courses or with the use of on-campus science laboratories may be charged at a maximum of $45 per course.       (4)  During a semester of the bridge year, a student may take three credits offered by a four-year institution of higher education at any high school in the State or at any other location to fulfill the student’s credit requirement.  The four-year institution shall charge the student no more than is permitted pursuant to paragraph (3) of this subsection and shall report to the student’s bridge year liaison as required pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection.       d.    Notwithstanding the requirement established under the Community College Opportunity Grant Program to be enrolled in a course of study or a curriculum leading to a degree or certificate and subject to the availability of funds in the annual appropriations act, a student pursuing a bridge year shall be eligible for a financial aid grant under the Community College Opportunity Grant Program if the student meets all other applicable eligibility requirements.       e.     A public institution of higher education shall, pursuant to P.L.2007, c.175 (C.18A:62-46 et seq.), accept all applicable credits that a student, who completed a bridge year pursuant to this act, earned during the bridge year.  An independent institution of higher education in the State may elect to accept the credits that a student earned during the bridge year.       f.     In the event that a student initially decides to pursue a bridge year in the fall semester but does not continue the bridge year in the spring semester, the student’s host high school shall release all final transcripts and other records as necessary and as may be requested.  A student who decides not to continue the bridge year in the spring semester shall not be eligible to participate in a spring sports program or extracurricular activities pursuant to this act.

       3.    a.  A student who pursues a bridge year pursuant to this act shall be permitted to participate in a spring sport sanctioned by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association and extracurricular activities at the student’s host high school.  A student pursuing a bridge year shall not be eligible to participate in any fall or winter sport sanctioned by the association.  A student participating in a spring sport or extracurricular activity during his bridge year shall pay applicable student athletics and activities fees and be subject to the host high school’s student code of conduct, athletic code of conduct, and any other applicable codes, rules or policies that other students participating in the spring sport or extracurricular activity at the host high school are required to follow.  Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, an insurer doing business in the State and issuing liability insurance policies to school districts shall provide coverage for students participating in a spring sport or extracurricular activity pursuant to this act, as part of a school district’s liability insurance policy.

     This section shall not be construed to supersede the governance or eligibility rules applicable to a particular extracurricular activity, except as otherwise provided in subsection c.

of this section.  This section shall also not be construed to supersede the governance or eligibility rules, which are established by a local, state, or national organization with bona fide authority over a particular extracurricular activity, that are applicable to that activity, except as otherwise provided in subsection c.

of this section.       b.    In order to participate in a spring sport during the bridge year, the student shall meet the current age participation requirements of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.  The student shall participate in the spring sport at the student’s host high school and shall not be permitted to transfer to a different high school, even in the event that the student experiences a change in residence.       c.     For students participating in a spring sport pursuant to this act, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association shall be requested to waive the eight semester rule under which a student is not eligible for high school athletics after the expiration of eight consecutive semesters following the student’s entrance into the ninth grade.       d.    The association shall confer with the National Collegiate Athletic Association or any other athletic association, conference, or group or organization with authority over intercollegiate athletics to ensure that any student participating in a spring sport during a bridge year will be eligible to declare as a college recruit during the bridge year and participate in intercollegiate athletics.

       4.    a.   The State Board of Education shall promulgate regulations pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act.       b.    The Higher Education Student Assistance Authority shall promulgate regulations, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), necessary to effectuate the provisions of subsection d.

of section 2 of this act.

       5.    This act shall take effect immediately.