New Jersey lawmakers want to create an advisory commission to improve out-of-school-time programs. (Photo by Edwin J. Torres | N.J. Governor’s Office)
By MORGAN LEASON
Republished with permission of N.J. Monitor
State legislators advanced legislation Monday that would establish an advisory commission to improve out-of-school-time programs in New Jersey.
The bill aims to improve the quality of before-school, after-school, and summer programs, which supporters say provide relief for working families and enrichment for children during a pivotal developmental period.
Supporters who testified before the Assembly’s education committee Monday said the bill would benefit working parents who need childcare.
Rob Casale, executive director of School Age Child Care and Camp at the YMCA Montclair, cited research associating high-quality programs with improved academic performance, engagement in learning, and social and emotional skills.
“These programs provide safe spaces that keep students actively engaged, reducing the likelihood of risky behaviors and fostering positive relationships with mentors and peers,” Casale said.
Paula White is executive director of JerseyCAN, an education policy advocacy group. She asked legislators to task the commission with establishing curriculum standards for out-of-school-time programs to ensure they align with what’s taught during the school day and don’t vary wildly from district to district.
“We have barely half of our third-grade students reading proficiently, and many schools in our state have single-digit proficiency,” White said. “The statistical evidence is that most of those children will never catch up, and we have to disrupt that trajectory.”
Under the bill, the commission would assess existing out-of-school-time programs, adopt statewide standards, review research and best practices, coordinate funding requirements and sources, and develop an action plan. The commission would be tasked with issuing a final report on its findings and recommendations to the governor and legislators within two years of its organizational meeting.
The committee unanimously passed the bill, which has been introduced but failed to pass in every legislative session since 2013. The bill now awaits votes in the Assembly and Senate appropriations committees.
