Read the full stored bill text
S3239
SENATE, No. 3239
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 2, 2026
Sponsored by:
Senator� SHIRLEY K. TURNER
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
���� Clarifies that teachers and professional support
staff employed in charter schools and other public schools must meet same
certification requirements.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
concerning the certification of certain charter school
personnel and amending P.L.1995, c.426.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� Section 14 of P.L.1995,
c.426 (C.18A:36A-14) is amended to read as follows:
���� 14.� a.� The board of trustees
of a charter school shall have the authority to decide matters related to the
operations of the school including budgeting, curriculum, and operating
procedures, subject to the school's charter.� The board shall provide for appropriate
insurance against any loss or damage to its property or any liability resulting
from the use of its property or from the acts or omissions of its officers and
employees.
���� b.��� In the case of a
currently existing public school which becomes a charter school pursuant to the
provisions of subsection b. of section 4 of this act, all school employees of
the charter school shall be deemed to be members of the bargaining unit defined
in the applicable agreement and shall be represented by the same majority
representative organization as the employees covered by that agreement.� In the
case of other charter schools, the board of trustees of a charter school shall
have the authority to employ, discharge and contract with necessary teachers
and nonlicensed employees subject to the school's charter.� The board of
trustees may choose whether or not to offer the terms of any collective
bargaining agreement already established by the school district for its
employees, but the board shall adopt any health and safety provisions of the
agreement.� The charter school and its employees shall be subject to the
provisions of the "New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act,"
P.L.1941, c.100 (C.34:13A-1 et seq.).� A charter school shall not set a teacher
salary lower than the minimum teacher salary specified pursuant to section 7 of
P.L.1985, c.321 (C.18A:29-5.6) nor higher than the highest step in the salary
guide in the collective bargaining agreement which is in effect in the district
in which the charter school is located.
���� c.���� All classroom teachers
and professional support staff shall hold appropriate New Jersey
certification.�
[
The
commissioner shall make appropriate adjustments in the alternate route program
in order to expedite the certification of persons who are qualified by
education and experience.
]
�
The requirements for the certification of classroom teachers and
professional support staff employed by charter schools shall be identical to
the requirements for the certification of classroom teachers and professional
support staff employed by school districts.
���� d.��� A public school
employee, tenured or non-tenured, may request a leave of absence of up to three
years from the local board of education or State district superintendent in
order to work in a charter school.� Approval for a leave of absence shall not
be unreasonably withheld.� Employees on a leave of absence as provided herein
shall remain in, and continue to make contributions to, their retirement plan
during the time of the leave and shall be enrolled in the health benefits plan
of the district in which the charter school is located.� The charter school
shall make any required employer's contribution to the district's health
benefits plan.
���� e.���� Public school employees
on a leave shall not accrue tenure in the public school system but shall retain
tenure, if so applicable, and shall continue to accrue seniority, if so
applicable, in the public school system if they return to their non-charter school
when the leave ends.� An employee of a charter school shall not accrue tenure
pursuant to N.J.S.18A:17-2, N.J.S.18A:17-3, or N.J.S.18A:28-5, but shall
acquire streamline tenure pursuant to guidelines promulgated by the
commissioner, and the charter shall specify the security and protection to be
afforded to the employee in accordance with the guidelines.
���� f.���� Any public school
employee who leaves or is dismissed from employment at a charter school within
three years shall have the right to return to the employee's former position in
the public school district which granted the leave of absence, provided the employee
is otherwise eligible for employment in the public school.
(cf: P.L.1995, c.426, s.14)
���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill provides that the
certification requirements for teachers and professional support staff employed
in charter schools must be the same certification requirements as those for
teachers and professional support staff employed in school districts.� This
bill ensures same that all teachers employed in public schools will be held to
the same rigorous standards.