Bill
A 6043
Provides four-year grants to 10 NJ school districts to expand performing arts education, with funded programs and required annual reporting.
Status: Referred to Correction (Assembly Education Committee)
Purpose and scope
- Establishes a four-year Performing Arts Education Improvement Grant Program within the Department of Education.
- The program aims to bolster performing arts education across New Jersey public school districts by awarding grants to develop and improve curricula, programming, and associated opportunities consistent with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Visual and Performing Arts.
- The Commissioner of Education must consult with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts in the Department of State on design and administration of the program.
Key provisions
1) Grant program design and administration
- A four-year grant program to enhance performing arts education in school districts.
- The Commissioner shall design, administer, and oversee the grants, with consultation from the NJ State Council on the Arts.
- The program is funded "within funds appropriated or otherwise made available," i.e., grants depend on annual state appropriations.
2) Eligibility, applications, and funding decisions
- The Commissioner will award grants to 10 school districts, potentially as multi-year awards.
- Districts must apply and demonstrate that a majority of the district’s schools have high concentrations of:
- multilingual learners
- students in resource family care
- students from rural areas
- at-risk pupils (as defined by statute)
- Applications must include:
- current performing arts offerings and needs
- anticipated use of funds for expanding/creating programs and estimated costs
- other funds to supplement the grant (co-funding)
- estimated number of students served
- plan to sustain programs beyond the grant period
- any other information the commissioner deems appropriate
- Grant use may cover:
- purchase of materials, equipment, and supplies
- professional development and training for performing arts teachers
- programs helping students progress through grade levels and toward higher education or careers in the performing arts
- tutoring and extracurricular programs in the performing arts
3) Reporting and accountability
- Annual reporting requirement for districts receiving grants, including:
- number and descriptions of expanded/created programs and student participation by grade
- explanation of how funds were used
- narrative description of the benefits of grant funding
- After the four-year program, the Commissioner must submit a report to the Governor and Legislature with:
- a summary of district-level reporting
- recommendations on whether to continue or expand the program to additional districts
4) Effective date
- The act takes effect immediately upon enactment.
Impact and implementation considerations
Sponsors and related actions
- Primary sponsor: Jen Lunsford; cosponsors include John T. McDonald III, Stacey Pheffer Amato, and Paula Kay.
- Related bills: A 9500, A 4447 (prior-session); S 1245 (companion).
Who is affected
- Public school districts in New Jersey (10 selected districts for grants).
- School-age students in those districts, particularly in grades affected by new or expanded performing arts programming.
- Performing arts educators and district staff responsible for program development and reporting.
- State agencies: Department of Education and the NJ State Council on the Arts.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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