Gov. Phil Murphy signed two bills on Tuesday establishing new initiatives to help ensure young students become strong readers.
The governor said the legislation calls for targeted intervention, tested learning strategies, teacher training and continuous monitoring.
“Literacy education represents the foundation upon which all future learning is built, and we owe it to our children to give them the strongest foundation possible,” Murphy said.
“By bolstering support for literacy education, we are enabling New Jersey students to thrive both academically and in life, helping them to become informed, thoughtful, and engaged citizens,” he added.
The first bill (S2644/A4303) requires school districts to conduct literacy screenings at least twice annually for students in grades K-3, beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.
The districts must notify parents and guardians of their child’s results within 30 days of the close of the initial screening period. The Fiscal Year 2025 budget includes $5.25 million for literacy initiatives to advance this work.
The bill also establishes the Working Group on Student Literacy. This group, made up of members appointed by the Commissioner of Education from all regions of the state, will be responsible for making recommendations to the state DOE on the implementation of evidence-based literacy strategies, screening methods and instruction for students, in addition to investigating ways to expand professional learning.
Based on the group’s recommendations, the DOE will develop and publish guidance for school districts to use beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. It will also establish an online resource center to aid school districts in the selection of literacy instructional materials, including data analysis tools, as part of the school district’s implementation of the state Student Learning Standards in English Language Arts.
The DOE will also 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.
Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz pointed out that statistics show that that 57.6% of all third graders statewide are not meeting reading proficiency levels. Those numbers increase to 73.6% for Black, and 72.5% for Latino third graders not reading at grade level.
“These initiatives are a major step toward reversing these trends by strengthening foundational literacy instruction and addressing long standing educational inequities across New Jersey,” she said.
She added that literacy helps set students up for greater success in life. Median earnings rise from $35,500 for those without a high school diploma to $66,600 for those with a bachelor’s degree.
The second bill (A2288/S2647) establishes the Office of Learning Equity and Academic Recovery in the Department of Education.
The office will tasked with improving the DOE’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.
“Recent state test scores show significant drops in student performance compared to pre-pandemic, with preexisting disparities worsening for low-income students, students of color, and students with disabilities,” said Senator Shirley Turner, a Lawrence Township resident who was a cosponsor of the bill.
“Establishing the new Office of Learning Equity and Academic Recovery will help improve our understanding of the factors that impact students reading ability and will implement new data-driven strategies to get students back on track,” Turner said.
Kevin Dehmer, acting commissioner of education said, “These new initiatives, when coupled with our other programs to foster literacy, such as high-impact tutoring for students and existing professional development for teachers, can help students build those foundational skills that are so crucial to learning.”
Gov. Phil Murphy poses with students after signing two bills aimed at improving literacy in New Jersey on Aug. 13, 2024.,
