TRENTON – Today, Governor Murphy signed legislation into law sponsored by Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz, Senate Education Committee Chair Vin Gopal, and Senator Shirley Turner that aims to enhance student performance in reading through foundational literacy instruction and intervention programs and establishes the new Office of Learning Equity and Academic Recovery (LEAR) in the Department of Education.
The legislation is the result of a sustained collaborative effort to boost New Jersey’s literacy rates in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic between the Department of Education (DOE), the Legislature, the Governor’s Office, and education stakeholder groups, including:
- New Jersey Association of School Administrators
- New Jersey Children’s Foundation
- New Jersey School Boards Association
- New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association
- Garden State Coalition of Schools
- New Jersey Education Association
- New Jersey Public Charter Schools Association
- JerseyCAN
- New Jersey Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages
- American Federation of Teachers
- New Jersey Association of School Librarians
- New Jersey Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- Decoding Dyslexia NJ
- SPAN Parent Advocacy Network
“The bills signed today establish a framework to address the alarming fact that 57.6% of all third graders statewide are not meeting reading proficiency levels, with even more troubling rates for students of color, with 73.6% of Black and 72.5% of Latino third graders not reading at grade level,” said Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex/Hudson). “These initiatives are a major step toward reversing these trends by strengthening foundational literacy instruction and addressing long standing educational inequities across New Jersey.”
“Reading is the cornerstone of learning and academic achievement, and if we do not intervene now, another generation of children will fail to achieve their academic and economic potential,” added Senator Ruiz. “Early success in school significantly boosts the likelihood of students obtaining a high school diploma, pursuing higher education, and improving their future earning potential. The data is clear – median earnings rise from $35,500 for those without a high school diploma to $66,600 for those with a bachelor’s degree. Setting our children up for success in life begins in the classroom. This is not only an investment in their futures but in the future of our communities,” added Senator Ruiz.
“New Jersey public schools are some of the strongest in the nation, yet our children are still struggling to meet basic literacy proficiency thresholds,” said Senator Gopal (D-Monmouth). “Securing our children’s success later in life begins in the classroom. These foundational literacy skills can determine a student’s academic success, college readiness, and future career and economic prospects. Establishing a framework for reading assessments and interventions will give teachers and school districts a reliable resource that can propel students to their full potential.”
The first bill, S-2644, sponsored by Senator Ruiz and Senator Gopal, establishes a Working Group on Student Literacy in the Department of Education that will work with DOE to implement evidence-based literacy strategies, screenings, and interventions for students, and creates a professional development program in literacy education for teachers.
The Commissioner of Education will appoint members representing all regions of the State to the Working Group on Student Literacy. This will include professionals with expertise working with students with disabilities, multilingual students, and those with dyslexia. After the Working Group on Student Literacy presents its recommendations to DOE, the department will develop and publish guidance for school districts detailing acceptable instruments to conduct universal literacy screenings, high-quality literacy instructional materials, and data analysis strategies to determine their effectiveness.
Once implemented, school districts will be required to conduct at least two literacy screenings annually for students in grades K-3 and notify parents or guardians of the results within 30 days of availability.
The DOE must also create a professional development program regarding foundational literacy instruction for early education professionals, including teachers and librarians.
The second bill, S-2647, sponsored by Senator Ruiz and Senator Turner, establishes the Office of Learning Equity and Academic Recovery (LEAR) in the DOE. The office is responsible for enhancing DOE’s ability to make data-driven decisions, coordinate resources, and research best practices for literacy, learning equity, and learning acceleration.
“Recent state test scores show significant drops in student performance compared to pre-pandemic, with preexisting disparities worsening for low-income students, students of color, and students with disabilities,” said Senator Shirley Turner (D-Mercer/Hunterdon), “The academic performance data is abundant and alarming, and we must utilize it in our efforts to ensure all students have a fair shot at success in school. Establishing the new Office of Learning Equity and Academic Recovery will help improve our understanding of the factors that impact students reading ability and will implement new data-driven strategies to get students back on track.”