Bill Would Prohibit State Board of Education from Limiting Number of Professional Education Credits that can be Transferred from Two- to Four-Year Colleges
(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assemblywomen Pamela R. Lampitt and Connie Wagner to ease State Board of Education restrictions on education majors seeking to matriculate from a two-year to four-year college was released Monday by the Assembly Higher Education Committee.
“There is no reason that a student who has satisfactorily completed education coursework at the community college level should have to retake those same courses upon enrolling at a four-year institution,” said Lampitt (D-Camden) chair of the committee. “It flies in the face of everything we have been doing to give students a seamless path to a bachelor’s degree.”
Under the Lampitt/Wagner measure (A-1550), the State Board of Education would be prohibited from limiting the number of professional education credits earned at a two-year college that can be applied toward the requirements for teacher certification.
Currently, the board caps the number of two-year professional education credits students can apply toward the requirements for teacher certification at six. This almost invariably forces students to repeat coursework at a four-year college, increasing education costs and delaying degree completion.
“If we’re making the case in New Jersey that there is no difference between credits earned at a two-year school and credits earned at a four-year school, then that should actually be the case,” said Wagner (D-Bergen). “Getting rid of what amounts to a higher education money grab is simply the right thing to do for students.”
The committee unanimously voted to released the bill. It now heads to the Assembly Speaker, who decides if and when to post it for a floor vote.
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