Bill
S 3457
Establishes a temporary New Jersey Out-of-School Time Advisory Commission to review and recommend improvements to OST programs, funding, accountability, and access across the state
Status and sponsors
- Introduced: June 17, 2024.
- Most recent committee action: Reported favorably with amendments by the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee (2R) on November 13, 2025; previously reported by the Senate Education Committee (1R) on March 17, 2025. Current procedural status: reported and committed to Finance.
- Primary sponsors: Senators M. Teresa Ruiz and Angela V. McKnight. Co‑sponsors include Senators Timberlake, Wimberly, Burgess, Vitale and Michael Gianaris.
- Related/companion bills: A2414 and A6871 (Assembly).
Purpose
- Establishes a temporary New Jersey Out‑of‑School Time Advisory Commission to review before‑school, after‑school, and summer programs and to develop recommendations to strengthen program design, accountability, quality, funding, and access across the State.
Key provisions and duties
- Commission membership (as amended): 22 members total — the Commissioners of Education, Human Services, and Children and Families, and the Secretary of Higher Education (ex officio or designees), plus 18 public members appointed by the Governor (including one member appointed upon recommendation of the Senate President and one upon recommendation of the Assembly Speaker). Public members are to represent major stakeholder organizations (child care, school administrators, parent/teacher groups, teacher unions, school boards, youth organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs and YMCA, and one academic researcher in youth development).
- Core duties:
- Assess the state of out‑of‑school time (OST) programs by reviewing State agency policies, research, and best practices.
- Recommend models for OST program design, implementation, and assessment (committee amendments changed earlier language that would have required adoption of Statewide standards).
- Examine current funding levels and funding sources for OST programs.
- Examine program development and operations across urban, suburban, and rural districts and recommend ways to increase accountability, quality, and access.
- Support and staffing: The Department of Education is required to provide staff and related support services; alternatively, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education and within 90 days of the bill’s effective date, the Department may select a public institution of higher education willing to provide staff at no cost to the State.
- Organization, reporting, and sunset:
- Commission organizes within 60 days of member appointment (amendment extended from 30 to 60 days) and appoints officers, including a secretary from among members.
- Interim report due to the Governor and Legislature no later than one year after the organizational meeting; final report due no later than two years after the organizational meeting.
- Commission expires 30 days after submission of the final report.
Fiscal impact
- Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimated an indeterminate State expenditure increase over approximately two years related to consultant and personnel costs and reimbursement of member expenses (FY2026–FY2028). However, later committee amendments removed a provision requiring the chairperson to retain a consultant and provided for DOE (or a public institution) to supply staff, which could reduce direct costs. Fiscal impact therefore remains indeterminate and dependent on implementation choices.
Who is affected
- State agencies (Department of Education, Human Services, Children and Families, higher education) required to cooperate/provide staff; OST program providers (school districts, child care providers, youth organizations); students and families who rely on before‑school, after‑school, and summer programs; and legislative and executive policymakers receiving the commission’s recommendations.
Timeline highlights
- Interim report: 1 year after organizational meeting.
- Final report: 2 years after organizational meeting.
- Commission sunsets 30 days after final report submission.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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