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A4954
ASSEMBLY, No. 4954
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED MAY 7, 2026
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman� LISA SWAIN
District 38 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
���� Modifies certain provisions of law concerning
speech-language specialists.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
concerning speech language services and amending
various parts of the statutory law.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� Section 1 of P.L.1982,
c.162 (C.18A:46-5.1) is amended to read as follows:
���� 1.��� Each board of education
and State operated program shall separately or jointly with one or more boards
of education or State agencies provide for basic child study team services.�
The basic child study team shall consist of a school psychologist, a learning
disability teacher consultant and a school social worker, and for the purposes
of evaluation and classification shall include pertinent information from
certified school personnel making the referral.� This information shall be
considered in the evaluation and classification process as defined in
[
N.J.A.C.
6:28-1.1 et seq
]
State Board of Education regulations concerning special education
.
����
In addition to the members
required pursuant to this section, the basic child study team shall also
include a speech-language specialist when a student has a classification of
preschool child with a disability, communication impairment, or eligible for speech-language
services.
���� The referring certified school
personnel and the school principal, or
[
his
]
a
designee, may attend the classification conference as defined in
[
N.J.A.C.
6:28-1.1 et seq.
]
State board regulations concerning special education
and participate in
the classification decision.
(cf: P.L.1982, c.162, s.1)
���� 2.��� N.J.S.18A:46-8 is
amended to read as follows:
���� 18A:46-8.� Each board of
education shall provide for the examination and classification of each child
residing in the district and identified pursuant to N.J.S.18A:46-6, except that
the board of education of a county vocational school district shall provide for
the examination and classification of each child who is attending the county
vocational school on a full-time basis and is identified pursuant to
N.J.S.18A:46-6.�
[
Such
]
The
examination and classification shall be accomplished according to procedures
prescribed by the commissioner and approved by the State board, under one of
the categories identified in N.J.S.18A:46-1.� The examination and
classification of
[
such
]
nonpublic
school children shall be in a location determined by the local board of
education of the district in which the nonpublic school is located and approved
by the commissioner pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the State
board.
���� The classification of a child
with a communication impairment shall be made by the basic child study team and
an approved
[
speech
correctionist
]
speech-language specialist
or
[
speech
]
speech-language
pathologist,
[
without
]
with
child study consultation.� Such children shall be reported to the basic child
study team.� The proposed classification shall be reported to the parent or
guardian of the child
at a meeting to determine eligibility
and an
opportunity provided, prior to implementation of the classification, for
consultation by
[
such
]
the
parent or guardian with the appropriate special educational services personnel
of the district. Pursuant to rules of the State board, the parent or guardian
shall also be provided an opportunity for further review of the classification
in the Department of Education.
(cf: P.L.2017, c.131, s.45)
���� 3.��� Section 9 of P.L.1977,
c.193 (C.18A:46-19.7) is amended to read as follows:
���� 9.��� A board of education may
contract with an educational improvement center, an educational services
commission or other public or private agency approved by the commissioner other
than a church or sectarian school, for the provision of examination, classification
and
[
speech
correction
]
speech-language
services required by
[
this
act
]
P.L.1977,
c.193 (C.18A:46-19.1 et al.)
.� Prior to any change in the provision of
these services, the board shall provide timely and meaningful consultation with
appropriate nonpublic school representatives, including parents.
����
Notwithstanding the
provisions of this section to the contrary, a board of education may only
contract with a private agency or clinic approved by the Department of
Education for the provision of speech-language services to supplement existing
district staff for temporary vacancies when the board is unable to hire
sufficient staff to provide speech-language services.�
(cf: P.L.1999, c.364, s.1)
���� 4.��� This act shall take
effect immediately and shall first apply to the first full school year
following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
���� This bill modifies certain
provisions of law concerning special education and related services in
connection with speech-language services.
���� This bill removes statutory
references to speech correctionist and replaces those references with
speech-language specialist or speech-language pathologist.� The bill also
replaces reference to certain expired State Board of Education regulations concerning
special education with general references to State board regulations concerning
special education.
���� Under current law, the
classification of a child with a communication impairment is required to be
made by the basic child study team and an approved speech-language specialist
or speech-language pathologist, without child study consultation.� This bill
requires child study team consultation for the classification of these
students.� The bill also requires a basic child study team to include a
speech-language specialist for students with a classification of preschool
child with a disability, communication impairment, or eligible for
speech-language services.
���� Finally, the bill amends
current law to permit a board of education to contract with a private agency or
clinic approved by the Department of Education for speech-language services to
supplement existing district staff for a temporary vacancy only when a school
is unable to hire sufficient staff to provide these services.