New Jersey S 247: Requires Rutgers University to create a liberal studies program for students with intellectual disabilities; appropriates $500,000.

Bill Text

S247 

SENATE, No. 247 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Senator PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.

District 18 (Middlesex)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Greenstein, Zwicker, Lagana and Sarlo

SYNOPSIS

���� Eliminates high school graduation proficiency test.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative 
Counsel.

��

An Act concerning the high school graduation proficiency test, 
supplementing P.L.1979, c.241 (C.18A:7C-1 et seq.), and amending various parts 
of the statutory law.

���� Be It 
Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of 
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� (New section)� 
Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, 
the State Board of Education shall not require as part of the standards for 
graduation from secondary school, developed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1979, 
c.241 (C.18A:7C-1), that any secondary school pupil achieve satisfactory 
performance on any Statewide proficiency test.

���� 2���� Section 1 of P.L.1979, 
c.241 (C.18A:7C-1) is amended to read as follows:

���� 1.� By July 1, 1980 the 
Commissioner of Education with the approval of the State Board of Education 
shall establish a program of standards for graduation from� secondary school.� 
Such a program shall include, but not be limited to:

���� a.���� [The 
development of a Statewide assessment test in reading, writing and 
computational skills to be administered to all secondary school pupils as 
provided herein;] 
(Deleted by amendment, P.L.��� , c.��� ) (pending before the Legislature as 
this bill)

���� b.��� [Clear and 
explicit Statewide levels] 
Levels of proficiency in reading, writing, and computational 
skills to be demonstrated as a minimum requirement for high school graduation to 
be determined by local boards of education;

���� c.���� Guidelines for the 
development of graduation standards by local boards of education;

���� d.��� Guidelines for 
remediation procedures for pupils who fail to meet graduation standards;� and

���� e.���� Guidelines for 
graduation standards for those pupils classified pursuant� to chapter 46 of 
Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

(cf: P.L.1979, c.241, s.1)

���� 3.��� Section 2 of P.L.1979, 
c.241 (C.18A:7C-2) is amended to read as follows:

���� 2.��� Pursuant to guidelines 
established by the Commissioner of Education, each board of education shall 
establish standards for graduation from its secondary schools.� The standards 
shall include, but need not be limited to:

���� a.���� [Satisfactory 
performance on the Statewide assessment test as provided for in section 1 of 
P.L.1979, c.241 (C.18A:7C-1);] 
(Deleted by amendment, P.L.���� , c.���� ) (pending before the Legislature 
as this bill)

���� b.��� Demonstration of 
proficiencies in those subject areas and skills identified by the board as 
necessary for graduation [other 
than those assessed by the Statewide assessment tests] .

���� The [Commissioner of Education] commissioner 
shall monitor local plans for the assessment of proficiencies required for 
graduation including techniques and instruments to be used to determine pupil 
proficiency;� required programs designed to provide the opportunity for pupils 
to progress toward the mastery of proficiencies required for graduation;� and 
remediation programs for pupils who fail to meet graduation proficiency 
standards in order to assure compliance with the requirement of P.L.1979, c.241 
(C.18A:7C-1 et seq.).

���� The [Commissioner of Education] commissioner 
shall, upon request of the local board, provide such technical assistance as 
may be necessary to aid a district in the planning, implementation, and 
evaluation of graduation standards.

(cf: P.L.1996, c.138, s.46)

���� 4.��� Section 4 of P.L.1979, 
c.241 (C.18A:7C-4) is amended to read as follows:

���� 4.��� All students who meet 
State and local graduation requirements shall receive a State endorsed diploma; 
provided, however, that the Commissioner of Education shall approve any State 
endorsed diploma which utilizes the comprehensive assessment techniques as 
provided in section 3 of P.L.1979, c.241 (C.18A:7C-3). 

���� Local districts may not 
provide a high school diploma to students not meeting these standards.� Any 
out-of-school youth or adult age 18 or over who has otherwise met the district 
graduation requirements but has [failed 
to earn] 
not previously been granted a State endorsed diploma [may take the 
graduation proficiencies test which has been developed and administered under 
the auspices of the Commissioner of Education.� Upon passing this test, a State 
endorsed diploma will be granted] 
may apply for and shall be granted a State endorsed diploma. 

���� Each board of education shall 
provide, in a format approved by the [Commissioner 
of Education] 
commissioner, a performance t