Requires State Board of Education to authorize Teacher of the Blind or Visually Impaired Kindergarten through Grade 12 endorsement.
This bill requires New Jersey's State Board of Education to create a new "Teacher of the Blind or Visually Impaired Kindergarten through Grade 12" endorsement for instructional certificates. It directly affects educators seeking to teach blind or visually impaired students in public schools, allowing them to hold this specialized endorsement without needing additional subject or grade-level endorsements. To qualify, candidates must complete a state-approved training program for this specialty. The bill addresses a current gap where teachers needed multiple endorsements, aiming to help schools hire qualified specialists amid a nationwide shortage of such educators.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 13, 2026
Last action Jan 13, 2026
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
1
Key actions
0
Committee
0
Jan 13, 2026
Introduced
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Gerry Scharfenberger
RRepublican
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