New Legislation Bolstering Literacy Education for New Jersey Students
By Kathleen Fernandez
On August 13, I had the pleasure of attending the signing of two bills that will strengthen the literacy skills of Multilingual Learners across New Jersey. This legislation will establish new initiatives to ensure young learners have access to the tools and resources needed to become strong, confident readers and provides educators with professional development opportunities to support those initiatives.
Stakeholder Group
The first bill – S2644/A4303 – aims to strengthen foundational literacy instruction by establishing a Working Group on Student Literacy. This group, comprised of members appointed by the Commissioner of Education from all regions of the state, will be responsible for making recommendations to the Department of Education on the implementation of evidence-based literacy strategies, screening methods, and instruction for students, in addition to investigating ways to expand professional learning. This working group will include a professional who works with Multilingual Learners.
Based on these recommendations, the Department will develop and publish guidance for school districts to use beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, and shall establish an online resource center to aid school districts in the selection of evidence-based, high-quality literacy instructional materials, including data analysis tools, as part of the school district’s implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in English Language Arts. Additionally, the Department will create a professional development program for early education teaching staff, including librarians, and those serving multilingual learners and/or students with disabilities. This will be available to all districts at no cost.
Kathleen Fernandez, NJTESOL/NJBE Executive Director with Governor Phil Murphy
Under the bill, districts will be required to conduct literacy screenings at least twice annually for students in grades K-3, beginning in the 2025-2026 school year. Districts must notify parents and guardians of their child’s results within 30 days of the close of the initial screening period.
The second bill – A2288/S2647 – establishes the Office of Learning Equity and Academic Recovery in the Department of Education to promote student literacy and advance learning equity through academic recovery practices. The office will be responsible for improving the Department’s capacity to make data-driven decisions, coordinate resources, and research best practices to support the creation of effective literacy, learning equity, learning acceleration policies, and professional development opportunities.
Thanks to Senator Theresa Ruiz and her office, NJTESOL/NJBE was invited to participate as a member of the stakeholder discussion group, providing input on the foundational literacy learning needs of young Multilingual Learners.
Kathleen Fernandez is the NJTESOL/NJBE Executive Director.
