New Jersey Assembly Bill A3969

New Jersey 2024-2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/4/24
• Refer: 3/4/24

Caption

Directs Secretary of Higher Education to revoke proprietary school's license to award academic degrees if school fails to achieve certain minimum graduation rates.

Impact

If enacted, A3969 would significantly impact the operational landscape for proprietary schools in New Jersey. Schools that are unable to meet the stipulated graduation rate thresholds risk losing their ability to award academic degrees, which could affect their student enrollment and financial stability. This could lead to a reevaluation within the proprietary education sector, prompting schools to enhance their support systems and educational practices in order to improve student outcomes. Overall, this bill aims to encourage better educational performance at these institutions.

Summary

Assembly Bill A3969 is a legislative proposal that aims to ensure educational quality by imposing strict graduation rate requirements on proprietary schools in New Jersey. Specifically, the bill mandates that the Secretary of Higher Education must revoke the license of any proprietary school that fails to achieve a graduation rate of at least 75 percent for both four-year and two-year degree programs within a specified timeframe. The measure is intended to improve accountability and promote higher standards in for-profit educational institutions, addressing concerns about the quality of education provided by such schools.

Contention

While the bill has the potential to improve student success rates, there are notable points of contention among stakeholders. Critics argue that the rigid graduation rate requirements may disproportionately affect certain demographics of students who may require more support to complete their degrees, particularly non-traditional learners or those balancing work and studies. Additionally, concerns have been raised about the feasibility and implications of enforcing such a law, including potential unintended consequences that might arise from drastically reducing the number of operational proprietary schools.