S 1370 requires that all new flooring installed in schools (K-12 public or private) and licensed child care centers must be certified by the manufacturer as mercury-free before a construction permit can be issued. This applies to any new construction, repair, or upgrade of flooring in these facilities. Manufacturers falsely claiming mercury-free flooring face civil penalties of $10,000 for a first offense and $25,000 for repeat violations. The bill takes effect 90 days after enactment.
This New Jersey bill (S 932) prohibits public school districts from teaching concepts defined as "critical race theory" in classroom instruction or allowing teachers to use materials promoting those concepts. It specifically bans teaching ideas like race-based superiority, assigning historical guilt to individuals, or claiming the U.S. government is fundamentally racist. The bill also prohibits teachers from engaging in political, ideological, or religious advocacy in class, such as endorsing candidates or legislation, and requires balanced presentation of controversial issues. It directly affects all public school teachers and districts in New Jersey, with enforcement through potential loss of state funding for violations. Exceptions allow teaching ethnic history, impartial historical discussion, and historical documents.
This resolution urges New Jersey school districts to establish concussion management teams. These teams - comprising school nurses, psychologists, athletic trainers, and other staff - would support students recovering from concussions by coordinating care, monitoring cognitive needs, and ensuring safe returns to both classroom and sports activities. The resolution highlights CDC data showing concussions are common in youth sports and emphasizes that such teams provide immediate, school-based expertise to complement existing district policies. It does not create new legal requirements but encourages districts to adopt this approach for student health and safety.
This bill eliminates the requirement for students to provide a sales tax exemption form when purchasing textbooks, and removes the need for schools to formally declare textbooks as required for school. It directly affects students (especially those buying online), schools, and retailers by simplifying the tax exemption process. Key provisions include removing all form submissions, clarifying that rentals and all textbook formats (new, used, electronic, physical) qualify for exemption, and removing school approval requirements. The change applies immediately to all textbook sales and rentals without needing proof of school use.
This bill establishes a four-year "New Jersey STEM Scholars Grant Pilot Program" to provide competitive grants to school districts for enhancing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. Grants would support three specific program types: project-based learning (student-driven STEM projects), after-school STEM activities (like clubs and workshops), and out-of-school STEM experiences (non-classroom learning). School districts applying must demonstrate how funds will supplement existing STEM programs (not replace them), include student recruitment plans, and detail program sustainability beyond the grant period. The program would be funded through state appropriations, private donations, and federal STEM-related funds, managed via a dedicated "STEM Scholars Grant Fund" within the Department of Education.
This bill requires New Jersey's Secretary of Higher Education to create guidelines ensuring colleges provide clear, standardized financial aid offers to students. The guidelines mandate that institutions disclose direct/indirect costs, total and net price of attendance, standardized terms for aid types, student rights to accept/decline offers, contact information for assistance, and ban the term "award" in offers. It directly affects all New Jersey colleges and universities (including proprietary institutions) that receive state funding, aiming to address transparency gaps identified in a 2022 GAO report where most schools failed to provide key cost information. The guidelines must align with federal requirements and existing state law on financial aid transparency.
This bill creates a matching grant program for New Jersey public school districts, charter schools, and designated "renaissance" schools to address pandemic-related learning loss. It requires schools to use a portion of their federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to implement evidence-based programs that increase instructional time and accelerate learning, with the state matching 50% of those funds. Eligible schools must demonstrate increased learning loss (via state assessment data) and submit detailed plans for interventions like extended learning time, tutoring, summer programs, or targeted academic support. The program is funded from state ARP funds, capped at $200 million, and requires annual reports on effectiveness.
This bill directs New Jersey's State Board of Education to create three new teaching endorsements:
1) A Students with Disabilities endorsement (pre-K-grade 12, excluding blind/visually impaired or deaf/hard-of-hearing students), allowing teachers to instruct all students with disabilities across all grade levels and provide consultative support.
2) A Kindergarten-Grade 8 endorsement, enabling teachers to teach grades K-6 and specialty subjects in grades 7-8.
3) A Bilingual and Bicultural endorsement, requiring language proficiency and a specialized program to teach bilingual education at all grade levels.
These changes directly affect teachers seeking certification and students in special education, elementary/middle schools, and bilingual programs, replacing current endorsement restrictions.
S 1968 requires New Jersey public schools to obtain written parental consent before students can participate in health, family life, or sex education programs. Parents gain access to all curriculum materials (including videos) through school online portals and in-person reviews during office hours. School districts must also post summaries of these programs on their websites to help parents understand the content. This replaces current law, which only allowed students to be excused for religious/moral conflicts without requiring prior consent.
This bill allows New Jersey taxpayers to voluntarily redirect a portion of their state income tax refund (or make a separate contribution) into a dedicated "School Aid Contribution Fund." The collected funds are required to supplement, not replace, the state's annual school aid budget, with all money deposited into the fund being annually appropriated to school districts through the existing school funding formula. Taxpayers can choose to contribute via their tax return, and the Legislature must use all collected funds to increase school aid without reducing the prior year's state funding level.
