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Bill

A 4991

Requires public institutions of higher education to report certain information concerning remedial course placement of Office of Secretary of Higher Education; requires secretary to produce report on course placements.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Aura Dunn and 1 co-sponsor

Public colleges in NJ must report remedial placement criteria, outcomes, and related data; OSHE will collect and publish an annual comprehensive remediation report.

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee
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Bill Summary · A 4991

Summary of Bill A-4991 (New Jersey, 222nd Legislature)

Purpose and Intent

  • The bill requires public institutions of higher education in New Jersey to report specific information regarding remedial (developmental) course placement.
  • It assigns the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) the responsibility to collect and analyze these data and to produce a formal report on course placements.

Key Provisions

  1. Reporting Requirement for Public Higher Education Institutions

    • All public colleges and universities in New Jersey must report information related to the placement of students into remedial courses.
    • The reporting focuses on the criteria, processes, and outcomes associated with initial placement into remedial coursework.

  2. Data Elements (as mandated by the bill)

    • While the precise data elements are not enumerated in the provided summary, the bill generally requires disclosure of:
      • Methods and criteria used for placement decisions into remedial courses (e.g., placement tests, high school GPA, standardized test scores, course prerequisites).
      • The number or proportion of entering students placed into remedial or developmental coursework.
      • Retention and progression metrics for students placed in remedial courses.
      • Completion outcomes for remedial coursework (e.g., passage rates, subsequent credit-bearing course success).

  3. Secretary of Higher Education Role

    • OSHE is required to collect the submitted data from each public institution.
    • OSHE is tasked with producing a comprehensive report detailing remedial course placement practices and outcomes across institutions.

  4. Reporting Timeline and Process

    • The bill establishes an annual reporting framework or a defined reporting period (as dictated by the bill's text) for institutions to submit required data.
    • OSHE must compile the data into an annual or periodic report and likely publish findings publicly, though exact publication requirements are not specified in the summary provided.

  5. Transparency and Public Access

    • The intention is to increase transparency around how students are placed into remedial courses and how these placements affect academic success.

Who is Affected

  • Public institutions of higher education in New Jersey (state colleges and universities).
  • Prospective and current students at these institutions, as the data and resulting reports pertain to remedial course placement practices and outcomes.
  • OSHE, which will collect data, analyze it, and publish the resulting report.

Potential Impact

  • Inform Policy and Practice: Data-driven insights could guide policy decisions about placement practices, potential reform of remediation requirements, and alignment with college readiness initiatives.
  • Transparency and Accountability: Public reporting enhances accountability by making placement criteria and outcomes visible to policymakers, educators, and the public.
  • Student Guidance: Institutions may use findings to adjust advising, placement procedures, or remediation supports to improve student success and reduce time to degree.

Procedural and Timeline Considerations

  • The bill creates an ongoing data collection and reporting obligation; specifics (e.g., annual due dates, format of the report, data standards) would be defined in the bill’s text or accompanying regulations.
  • Implementation would require coordination among all public institutions to standardize data elements for comparability.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to highlight particular sections of the bill (e.g., data definitions, enforcement provisions, or fiscal implications) or compare it to similar remediation reporting bills in other states.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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