This bill clarifies how payments are made for non-resident students enrolled in New Jersey's Renaissance School projects, which are publicly funded schools operated by nonprofit entities. It requires the home school district of each non-resident student to pay 95% of the district's per-pupil expenditure to the nonprofit entity running the school, along with specific categorical aid and federal funds. The legislation also maintains that Renaissance schools must meet standard public school testing requirements and prohibits for-profit entities from operating them, while allowing the nonprofit operator to retain certain business entities for staffing and management purposes.
This bill designates December 18 of each year as "New Jersey History Day" to honor the state's role in American history and encourage civic engagement. It requires the Governor to issue an annual proclamation for the day and allows school districts to observe it through activities like lessons on local history, student projects, and visits to historic sites. To support these efforts, the New Jersey Historical Commission will create educational resources, promote participation, and offer grants to schools and community groups.
This bill allows school districts in New Jersey to use leftover state funding for nonpublic school nursing services to pay for security services, and vice versa. Currently, districts must return any unused money from these specific programs to the state after the school year ends. The change permits districts to apply unspent funds from one program toward the costs of the other before a refund is required. This adjustment provides districts with more flexibility in managing state aid allocated for student safety and health care in private schools.
New Jersey's S 229 requires colleges and universities to collect and publicly report detailed employment outcomes and earnings data for recent graduates, along with other key metrics like graduation rates, costs, and financial aid. Institutions must post annual, disaggregated data (by race, gender, income, and other factors) on their websites, including employment rates, average student debt, and cost projections for different student scenarios. This transparency aims to help prospective students and families compare institutions based on concrete outcomes rather than general information. The law applies to all higher education institutions in New Jersey, with reports due annually and linked directly from application pages. The Secretary of Higher Education will also compile comparative profiles to help students easily evaluate institutions.
This New Jersey bill (S 2962) gives educational support professionals (like cafeteria workers, bus drivers, and administrative staff) who served in the U.S. military and qualify for VA benefits up to four years of seniority credit. The credit counts military service completed before or during their school district employment, treating it as equivalent to actual work time for seniority purposes. It expands an existing benefit currently only available to teaching staff. The policy takes effect immediately upon enactment.
This bill requires all New Jersey public schools to prominently display a direct link to the subsidized school meals application on their official websites. It directly affects public schools by adding this website posting requirement to existing rules about meal applications. The key provision mandates that schools place the link in a visible location on their internet sites, making it easier for families to access the application. This change aims to improve accessibility to school meal programs without altering eligibility rules or funding.
This bill, known as the "Jack Reid Law: Protect All Students Act," aims to stop harassment and bullying in nonpublic schools by requiring these institutions to create and share clear anti-bullying policies. It defines bullying to include cyberbullying and covers incidents that happen on school grounds, during school events, or online if they threaten a student's safety or well-being. Under the new rules, schools must investigate any reported incidents within five days, document their findings, and take immediate steps to protect victims, while staff members are required to report witnessed or heard bullying promptly. The legislation also ensures that anyone who reports bullying in good faith is kept safe and clarifies that these protections do not limit rights to free speech or religious expression.
This New Jersey bill amends state law to officially include accounting as a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subject for educational programs. It updates two existing statutes - specifically P.L.2021, c.76 and P.L.2021, c.239 - to add "accounting" to the definition of STEM fields. This change expands eligibility for state-funded initiatives supporting underrepresented students (such as women and minorities) in higher education recruitment and K-12 outreach programs focused on STEM careers. The bill does not create new programs but adjusts statutory language to ensure accounting degrees and careers qualify for existing STEM-related support.
This bill allows public high school students in New Jersey who observe Ramadan to opt out of required physical education classes and sports participation during the holy month. Students may substitute PE with an instructional course or study hall (earning equivalent graduation credits) by submitting written notice to their principal before scheduling. Student-athletes may also be excused from sports or cheerleading programs by notifying their coach, with coaches prohibited from penalizing such absences. The policy specifically accommodates Muslim students' religious obligation to fast during Ramadan, without exempting them from other required health education courses.
This bill creates a $4.5 million grant program to reimburse New Jersey school districts for costs incurred when expanding their procurement of locally grown food for students. It directly affects eligible school districts participating in federal meal programs (like National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs), requiring them to submit plans for new or expanded local food sourcing beyond current baseline levels. The program reimburses documented costs for minimally processed local foods (like fruits, vegetables, or grains grown in New Jersey), excluding fluid dairy milk. School districts must implement new policies to increase local food access during school meals or summer programs to qualify for reimbursement.
