NJSS
Questions about Required Paperwork
How does a district go about appointing or changing a working paper issuing officer?
Can a student start an SLE while the paperwork is being put together?
What standard should I use for SLEs that focus on workplace readiness skills?
Which Standard should I use for Career Exploration SLEs?
Questions about Required Paperwork
What SLE or co-operative education experience (co-op) documents are required in order to be compliant with the NJ Department of Education and NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development code, regulations, and statutes?
The required documentation that districts should have on file includes:
- Documentation of the initial site approval by the SLE teacher or co-operative education coordinator, especially if it is a new site for student placements;
- The training agreement between employer, district, parent, and student;
- The student’s individual SLE student training form establishing the goals, educational, and training objectives and worksite activities of the SLE;
- The once-every-tenth-day SLE or co-op onsite supervision visit review form; and,
- If the position is paid, an employment certificate (working paper).
Additional documents might include the formative and summative assessments being used by the district and worksite mentor to assess the student's progress in accomplishing the learning objectives that are identified in the student learning plan.
Model training agreements, student training plans, and the worksite evaluation checklist for all types of SLEs and co-ops may be found in the SLE FORMS section of the SLE homepage at www.state.nj.us/education/cte/sle/. Worksite evaluation forms can be found on the NJ Safe Schools webpage: www.njsafeschools.org/about/pdf/evalguide.pdf
If your district needs employment certificates (working papers), you can access them here: lwd.dol.state.nj.us/labor/forms_pdfs/wagehour/A300.pdf.
I am a new SLE teacher. When I do set students up with jobs, what is the required paperwork? According to my notes and the classes I attended, I believe I need to complete a training plan and a training agreement. Is that correct?
Yes. All SLEs, including co-operative education experiences, require a student training plan and a training agreement. The only exception to this rule is job shadowing, which does not involve hands-on activities at the worksite. No forms are required for job shadowing other than what the district would require for a field trip. A job shadowing handbook can be found on the SLE homepage at www.state.nj.us/education/cte/sle/.
Sample student training plans and training agreements for all types of SLEs are available to download on the SLE homepage at www.state.nj.us/education/cte/sle/. Districts may use these forms and substitute the district’s name for “NJ Model” in the document titles.
If the SLE is paid and the student is under the age of eighteen, then the student must also have an employment certificate (working paper). If your district does not have employment certificate forms available, contact your county executive superintendent of schools office. They are responsible for distributing employment certificates to districts in their county. Don’t wait until you run out to order forms!
How does a district go about appointing or changing a working paper issuing officer?
Typically, the superintendent authorizes the building principal as the issuing officer, who, in turn, appoints a staff person as needed to process the working papers. However, a teacher may be appointed to serve as the issuing officer, as well. Appointments are made as needed following district protocols. Below is the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Child Labor Statute governing the appointment of issuing officers:
N.J.S.A. 34:2-21.1. Definitions
(c) "Issuing officer" means any superintendent of schools, supervising principal, or teacher in a school district who is designated by the board of education in the district to issue certificates or permits in accordance with the provisions of this act.
If your district has a new person handling employment certificates (working papers), a handbook for completing working papers can be found on the SLE webpage at www.state.nj.us/education/cte/sle/. Scroll down to the bottom of the page. Click here http://www.state.nj.us/education/cte/sle/WorkingPapersHandbook.pdf to download the handbook.
How long does our district have to keep copies of working papers that we issued? How long should an employer keep paperwork pertaining to SLEs and co-operative education experiences?
New Jersey Statute permits school districts (issuing officer) to destroy employment certificates (working papers) the day after the minor for whom the employment certificate was issued turns 21 years old. Here is the citation:
N.J.S.A. 34:2-21:12 The Commissioner of Labor and the issuing officer may destroy all employment and age certificates and special permits thereof when the birth dates set forth in such certificates and special permits are more than twenty-one years before the date of destruction. (Day after they turn 21 years old).
In other words, districts and employers can destroy the paperwork one day after the student (or former student) turns 21 years old. Employers should follow the same procedure for unpaid SLEs. Thanks to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Division of Wage and Hour Compliance for the information.
Can a student start an SLE while the paperwork is being put together?
No. The completed paperwork is required in order to place a student onto an SLE or co-operative education site. All of the required paperwork must be completed, signed, and distributed to relevant parties prior to placing the student onto the SLE site.
What standard should I use for SLEs that focus on workplace readiness skills?
SLEs that have as their primary purpose the development of 21st Century Skills, which include workplace readiness skills, will be structured primarily around the Cumulative Progress Indicators (CPIs) found in Standard 9.1 21st Century Life and Careers. These SLEs should be structured to give students an opportunity to learn about working conditions and employer/employee behaviors and expectations at the workplace. As is the case with career exploration SLEs, work is not the primary purpose; learning about work is the purpose. Student training plans should focus on learning about:
- Work environments within a workplace, as well as within different types of businesses
- How employees interact with each other, particularly from the perspective of collaboration and team work to achieve work goals
- How employees and employers interact with each other, and what rules, policies and procedures provide the framework for those interactions
- Expectations of employees, including attendance/tardiness, dress, hours, wages, opportunities for career advancement, conditions for disciplinary, etc.
- Opportunities for students to observe planning and problem-solving at the workplace
- Opportunities for students to observe the use of technology at the workplace
- Of course, students will also learn other valuable skills and information when at a worksite, and they will participate in hands-on activities. But when designing the training plan for a workplace readiness-focused SLE, students should be given the opportunity to both develop and observe workplace readiness skills. Finally, all SLEs must be based in academics, so review and include appropriate academic standards such as Language Arts Literacy.
Students should follow-up workplace readiness SLEs with additional online or library research about the worksite practices, policies and procedures that they were exposed to during the SLE. A reflection piece on their experience and presentations to students and teachers are appropriate follow-up activities, which can be included in the students’ portfolios. All of these activities will enhance students’ understanding about the requirements of work, jobs and careers, and help them with career decision-making.
Some Resources:
- Take the “Workplace Readiness Credential” exam recommended by the New Jersey State Employment and Training Commission. National Workplace Credential Exam website: www.workreadiness.com/
- Participate in the School Counts! “Get the Right Attitude: Develop a Professional-level Work Ethic” online workshop to learn about the personal attitudes and work ethics needed to succeed in the workplace and practice those behaviors during high school. School Counts! workshop website: www.learndoearn.org/lde/SC.asp
- Learn how to write resumes on the Monster free online employment site. Write, practice and read resumes to the co-operative education coordinator or structured learning experience teacher to request placement in a structured learning experience. Monster career advise webpage: career-advice.monster.com/
Prepare a resume to participate in an in-school or out-of-school volunteer activity using the county volunteer center. Request a letter of referral after volunteering for a minimum of three months. New Jersey Department of State volunteer website: www.state.nj.us/state/programs/dos_program_volunteerism.html
Which Standard should I use for Career Exploration SLEs?
The primary purpose of career exploration SLEs is to expose students to career options and to help them learn how to research career interests. In career exploration SLEs, students should not just be working; they should be researching career interests and options. Student training plans should focus on learning about:
Job titles and job categories at the worksite
- Work environments
- Occupational preparation requirements, e.g. training and education
- Career ladders within an occupation or industry
- Salaries and benefits
- “All aspects of the industry,” meaning what is the business context of a particular company or business within the local and greater economy
The standard that contains Cumulative Progress Indicators (CPIs) directed towards career exploration activities is Standard 9.3 Career Awareness, Exploration and Preparation. While these CPIs are written for school-based learning, they may be revised for work-based learning situations. Of course, all students are learning 21st Century Skills when participating in SLEs, so a review Standard 9.1 21st Century Life and Careers for additional CPIs would be appropriate. Finally, all SLEs must be based in academics, so review and include appropriate academic standards such as Language Arts Literacy.
Students should follow-up career exploration SLEs with additional online or library research about the occupations, business and careers they were exposed to during the SLE. A reflection piece on their experience and presentations to students and teachers are appropriate follow-up activities, which can be included in the students’ portfolios. All of these activities will enhance students’ understanding about jobs and careers, and help them with career decision-making. Some Resources:
- Standards 9.1 and 9.3: www.state.nj.us/education/cccs/standards/9/index.html
- New Jersey Department of Education: Personalized Student Learning Plans: www.state.nj.us/education/cte/pslp/ (Click on the New Jersey Career Assistance Navigator (NJCAN) for ideas on career activities, programs, etc.)
- New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development website: lwd.dol.state.nj.us/labor/
- New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development Career Development website: www.jobs4jersey.com/
- New Jersey Next Stop website: www.njnextstop.org
- Career Equity Resource Center: www.cerc.rutgers.edu/
- State’s Career Clusters website: www.careertech.org/career-clusters
- College Board “Planning for College and Career” website: www.professionals.collegeboard.com/k-12/planning/
- American College Testing website: www.actstudent.org (Click on Career Planning)
- College Career Life Planning website : www.collegecareerlifeplanning.com
When you say that an SLE must be graded, does it have to be a letter grade (A,B,C, etc) or a number grade or can it be a "pass" or "fail" class?
The NJ Child Labor Regulations require that students who participate in an SLE receive some sort of educational “credit” for the experience, regardless of length of time and whether or not the SLE is paid. Assessment for learning is one of the required components that make an SLE a “learning experiences” rather than a “job.”
What is meant by “credit” in the case of the child labor regulations is different than what is required for co-operative education experiences. It is not a requirement that all SLEs award graduation credit as is required for co-operative education experiences. The regulations do require that there is some formal and documented assessment of the student’s learning and performance during the SLE. Districts may award the student a letter grade, a number grade, or a pass/fail, depending upon what the district deems to be most appropriate for a particular student and SLE.
It should not be difficult to assign a grade or pass/fail because all SLEs must have a student training plan that is aligned to the Core Curriculum Content Standards and, in particular, Standard 9.1 21st-Century Life and Careers and Standard 9.3 Career Preparation. Additionally, all student training plans must identify the formative and summative assessments to be used as well as how the assessments will be documented.
In the case of co-operative education experiences, the students are, in fact, receiving graduation credit for their experience, typically 5-15 credits. Students should be assessed on both the academic skills used and the industry skills demonstrated for that occupation because co-operative education experiences are part of career and technical education program.
With regard to job shadowing, where students observe and interview employees rather than participate in hands-on activities, the students should engage in preparatory activities prior to the job shadowing experience as well as post-job shadowing reflections and presentations. In this case, how well the student prepares for and presents afterwards would be the natural places to assess for a grade or pass/fail. With regard to job sampling SLEs used for students with special needs, which are typically a series of short, paid or unpaid experiences designed to help determine individual training objective for students with a disability, the district may award a grade or pass/fail for the entire series of experiences that make up the job sampling for an individual student.
In summary, every student’s training plan should include the student’s learning objectives for the SLE, the formative and summative assessment plan, and how the result of the assessments for learning will be documented. To view and download model student training plans that include these elements, visit the Structured Learning Experience homepage at www.state.nj.us/education/cte/sle/