Education in New Jersey

in committee · New Jersey · Senate May 11, 2026

S 4150: Allows students to use certain grant awards during summer session.

This bill allows students in New Jersey to use a portion of their tuition aid grants or opportunity grants to pay for summer courses that help them meet graduation requirements or earn major credits. To use these funds, students must notify their financial aid authorities before the academic year begins, which reduces the amount of grant money they receive during the regular semester. The legislation also requires annual reporting on how many students use these grants for summer classes and their subsequent graduation rates within normal timeframes. Finally, the bill clarifies that using grant funds for summer sessions does not count toward the total number of years a student is eligible to receive financial aid.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Curriculum Higher Education Student Financial Aid

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 7, 2026

A 4888: Establishes provisions for use of applicant and student criminal history at institution of higher education and degree-granting proprietary institution.

This New Jersey bill restricts colleges and private degree-granting schools from asking about criminal history on standard admission applications, except for specific serious offenses like homicide, sexual assault, and child exploitation. While applicants cannot be asked about most crimes upfront, schools are allowed to check criminal records after accepting a student and can deny admission only for the listed serious offenses. The law also requires schools to consider factors like the time passed since the crime and evidence of rehabilitation when making decisions, and it explicitly excludes expunged records from consideration.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Violent Crime Higher Education

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 7, 2026

A 4906: Permits use of unexpended State aid for specific nonpublic school programs may be used to support certain other nonpublic school programs rather than being refunded.

This bill allows New Jersey school districts to use leftover state funding from one nonpublic school program to pay for services in another program instead of returning the unused money to the state. Specifically, it permits funds originally designated for nursing services or security services to be redirected to the other category if a district spends less than the allocated amount. Under current rules, districts must refund any unspent aid after the school year ends, but this legislation creates flexibility by letting districts apply those funds to the alternative program's needs. The change directly affects public school districts that manage state aid for private school nursing and security services, enabling them to utilize available resources more efficiently.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

in committee · New Jersey · Senate May 28, 2026

S 4351: Provides that unexpended nonpublic textbook aid or aid for Nonpublic Technology Initiative may be used to support services provided under other program.

This bill allows New Jersey school districts to use leftover state funding from the nonpublic textbook aid program or the Nonpublic Technology Initiative to pay for services in the other program. Currently, districts must return any unused money from these specific programs after the school year ends. The legislation changes this rule by permitting the transfer of unspent funds between the two programs to help cover costs, provided any remaining balance is refunded by December 1. This change directly affects school districts that receive state aid for nonpublic schools and may help them utilize available resources more flexibly.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Curriculum

in committee · New Jersey · Senate May 28, 2026

S 4336: Requires principals and teachers of public schools to conduct two sentence oral recitation from Declaration of Independence before opening of school each day in grades three through 12; appropriates $10,000.

This bill requires public school principals and teachers in New Jersey to lead a daily two-sentence recitation of the Declaration of Independence for students in grades three through twelve. The specific text to be read covers the famous preamble regarding equality and the consent of the governed, and it must occur after the pledge of allegiance but before the school day begins. To support this requirement, the legislation appropriates $10,000 to the Department of Education to create and distribute notices to school districts outlining the new obligation. Additionally, the bill mandates that schools develop an age-appropriate curriculum explaining the historical significance of the recited passage and includes exemptions for students with conscientious objections or children of foreign diplomats.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Curriculum

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 7, 2026

A 4926: "New Jersey Prison Libraries Act"; establishes "Prison Libraries Fund" and appropriates $1 million.

This bill creates the New Jersey Prison Libraries Act to establish a dedicated fund within the Department of Corrections for improving library services for incarcerated individuals. The legislation appropriates $1 million to support the purchase of books, digital resources, and computers, as well as to fund programs like job training, literacy classes, and cultural events. The fund is restricted to library-related expenses and cannot be used for general prison operations, medical care, or basic needs like food and clothing.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Education ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Corrections Libraries

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 11, 2026

A 5031: Requires pay for extracurricular activities to be included in compensation for TPAF purposes.

This New Jersey bill requires that pay for extracurricular activities be counted as compensation when calculating contributions to the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund. It directly affects teachers who earn additional money for duties outside the regular school day or year, such as coaching sports, leading clubs, or participating in performances. By including this extra pay in the definition of compensation, the bill ensures these earnings are used to determine pension benefits and retirement contributions. The change applies to teachers joining the retirement system on or after July 1, 2007, and does not include salary adjustments made primarily in anticipation of retirement.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · New Jersey · Senate May 14, 2026

S 4292: Establishes timeline for DOE to provide State assessment results to public schools and for public schools to provide results to parents.

This New Jersey bill establishes specific deadlines for sharing standardized test scores between the state education department, public schools, and parents. It requires the Department of Education to send assessment results to public schools at least 30 days before the end of each school year. Once schools receive these results, they must provide individual student scores to parents and guardians within 15 days. The law applies to all state-mandated assessments and aims to create a more predictable timeline for data distribution without changing the testing requirements themselves.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Testing & Assessment

in committee · New Jersey · Senate May 14, 2026

S 4284: Requires certain school districts to partner with licensed child care providers and Head Start programs to provide free preschool opportunities.

This bill requires New Jersey school districts that receive specific state preschool funding to partner with licensed child care providers and Head Start programs to offer free preschool education. Under the new rules, districts receiving these grants cannot use state funds to operate more than two preschool classrooms in a single school building, forcing them to contract with external providers to meet demand. To ensure quality and fairness, the legislation mandates that districts use competitive contracting to select partners and must publicly disclose which providers are chosen or rejected. Additionally, the Department of Education will offer technical assistance and establish a grant program to help these external providers meet high-quality standards, with priority given to those serving underserved communities.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Early Childhood

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 7, 2026

A 5018: Establishes "Academic Freedom in Higher Education Protection Act."

This bill, known as the Academic Freedom in Higher Education Protection Act, aims to protect the independence of colleges and universities in New Jersey from interference by state government officials. It explicitly grants governing boards and faculty the authority to make key decisions regarding curriculum, hiring, admissions, and research without direction from the Executive Branch or other state agencies. The legislation also establishes a legal process allowing individuals to file complaints in Superior Court if they believe these academic freedoms are being violated, with provisions for preliminary injunctions and attorney's fees. By codifying these protections, the bill seeks to ensure that higher education institutions can operate autonomously in their educational and scholarly missions.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Curriculum Higher Education

All education bills