New Jersey Senate Proposes Elimination of Basic Skills Test for Teacher Certification
TRENTON, NJ — A bill that would lessen the requirements to become a public school teacher in New Jersey is advancing as it moves through the process in the halls of the Statehouse in Trenton.
Senators James Beach of Burlington and Camden counties and Shirley K. Turner of Hunterdon and Mercer counties have sponsored a new bill aimed at reforming teacher certification in New Jersey. The proposed legislation, Senate Bill No. 1287, seeks to remove the requirement for teacher candidates to pass a basic skills test to earn various types of teaching certificates.
The bill specifically targets the elimination of the Commissioner of Education-approved tests in basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills, including the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators test. This change would apply to those seeking a certificate of eligibility, a certificate with advanced standing, a provisional certificate, or a standard instructional certificate.
According to the bill, the certificates mentioned would still have lifetime validity and require candidates to meet degree and academic criteria, along with completing an educator preparation program for advanced standing. The bill has been pre-filed for introduction in the 2024 session of the New Jersey Legislature and is co-sponsored by Senators Diegnan and Burgess. If passed, the act would take effect immediately, potentially streamlining the pathway for individuals entering the teaching profession in the state.