Last fall the NJ State Board of Education heard testimony about proposed amendments to the public charter school regulations, including giving public charter schools the authority to grant provisional and standard certificates. Currently, the state has sole authority to grant these certificates, and the state teachers’ union strongly opposed the “development of two classes of teachers.”

Earlier this month, the Board rejected the proposal. According to NJ Spotlight, BOE President Mark Biedron said, “I didn’t find anyone other than the charters who thought this was a good idea.”

NCTE members in NJ can count this decision as support for the professional credentials that they have earned. Students in all NJ public schools can be assured their teachers of literacy have met the standards of the state in order to achieve their certification.