N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:7-1.7

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 6A:7-1.7 - Equity in school and classroom practices

(a) Each district board of education shall provide all students with equitable and bias-free access to all school facilities, courses, programs, activities, and services, regardless of the protected categories listed at N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.1(a), by:

1. Ensuring barrier-free access to all school and classroom facilities;

2. Attaining, within each school, minority representation that approximates the school district's overall minority representation. Exact apportionment is not required; the ultimate goal is a reasonable plan achieving the greatest degree of a representative balance that is feasible and consistent with sound educational values and procedures;

3. Utilizing, on an annual basis, a State-approved English language proficiency assessment that evaluates a student's English language proficiency on the four domains of listening, speaking, writing, and reading for determining the eligibility and placement of students who may be identified as multilingual learners, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:15-1.3(a)3;

4. Utilizing bias-free multiple measures for determining the special needs of students with disabilities, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:14-3.4;

5. Ensuring support services, including intervention and referral services and school health services, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16, are available to all students; and

6. Ensuring a student is not discriminated against because of a medical condition. A student shall not be excluded from any education program or activity because of a long-term medical condition unless a physician certifies such exclusion is necessary.

i. If excluded, the student shall be provided with equivalent and timely instruction that may include home instruction, without prejudice or penalty.

(b) Each district board of education shall ensure the school district's curriculum and instruction are aligned to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS). The district board of education also shall ensure its curriculum and instruction address the elimination of discrimination by narrowing the achievement and opportunity gaps, by providing equity in educational activities and programs, and by providing opportunities for students to interact positively with others regardless of the protected categories listed at N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.1(a), by:

1. Ensuring there are no differential requirements for completion of course offerings or programs of study solely on the basis of the protected categories listed at N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.1(a);

2. Ensuring courses shall not be offered separately on the basis of the protected categories listed at N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.1(a);

i. Portions of classes that deal exclusively with human sexuality may be conducted in separate developmentally appropriate sessions based on gender identity, provided the course content for such separately conducted sessions is the same;

3. Increasing and promoting equitable representation of all students in all classes and programs;

4. Ensuring schools demonstrate the inclusion of a multicultural curriculum in its instructional content, materials, and methods, and ensuring students understand the basic tenet of multiculturalism;

5. Ensuring the Amistad Commission Curriculum is infused into the curriculum and is taught;

6. Ensuring the Commission on Holocaust Education curriculum is included in the curriculum of all elementary and secondary schools, as developmentally appropriate, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:35-28; and

7. Ensuring that all curricular requirements pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:8 and the NJSLS are taught, including any curriculum developed concerning any of the protected categories listed at N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.1(a) or curriculum developed by any commissions constituted for the development of curriculum concerning any of the protected categories listed at N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.1(a).

(c) The district board of education shall ensure all students have access to adequate and appropriate counseling services.

1. When informing students about possible careers or professional or vocational opportunities, the district board of education shall not restrict or limit the options presented to students on the basis of the protected categories listed at N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.1(a).

2. The district board of education shall not use tests or guidance or counseling materials that are biased or stereotyped on the basis of the protected categories listed at N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.1(a).

(d) The district board of education shall ensure the school district's physical education is in a coeducational setting that is developmentally appropriate and does not discriminate on the basis of the protected categories listed at N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.1(a) as follows:

1. The district board of education shall provide separate restroom, locker room, and shower facilities on the basis of gender, but such facilities provided for students of each gender shall be comparable;

2. A school district may choose to operate separate teams based on sex in one or more sports or single teams open competitively to members of all sexes, as long as the athletic program as a whole provides equal opportunities for students of all sexes to participate in sports at comparable levels of difficulty and competency; and

3. The activities comprising such athletic programs shall receive equitable treatment, including, but not limited to, staff salaries, purchase and maintenance of equipment, quality and availability of facilities, scheduling of practice and game time, length of season, and all other related areas or matters.

N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:7-1.7

Amended by 48 N.J.R. 590(b), effective 4/4/2016

Administrative Change, 48 N.J.R. 1802(a).

Amended by 55 N.J.R. 1877(a), effective 9/5/2023