Education (K-12 Education)

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 2, 2026

S 3462: Requires high school students to receive financial literacy instruction.

This bill requires all New Jersey high school students pursuing a state-endorsed diploma to complete a one-semester financial literacy course. It directly affects high school students by mandating curriculum covering budgeting, savings, credit, debt, taxes, college financial planning, banking, and consumer skills. The course must be taught by teachers with appropriate endorsements and cannot be satisfied by existing economics or business courses. The requirement applies to students entering 12th grade in the 2027-2028 school year.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates required financial literacy curriculum for all high school students, enhancing student financial education programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Higher Education K-12 Education

Track

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Feb 19, 2026

A 4352: Requires school districts to provide instruction on artificial intelligence; requires Secretary of Higher Education to develop artificial intelligence model curricula.

This New Jersey bill requires public school districts to teach artificial intelligence (AI) to students in grades K-12 as part of computer science and design thinking curricula. It mandates instruction on basic AI concepts, foundational user skills, and responsible ethical use, with the state providing age-appropriate teaching resources. Public colleges and universities must also offer AI certificate and degree programs, with the Secretary of Higher Education developing model curricula for these programs in consultation with education and workforce agencies. The model curricula must include course sequences, career pathways, and student outcome standards, taking effect in the first full school and academic year after enactment.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates AI curriculum in K-12 and requires AI programs at colleges, expanding educational content and access to emerging technology education.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates AI education in K-12 and higher ed curricula, advancing technology literacy and workforce readiness through required instruction and model programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education K-12 Education Artificial Intelligence

Track

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Feb 19, 2026

ACR 117: Urges United States President to expand access to menstrual products in schools.

This concurrent resolution (ACR 117) urges the U.S. President to expand access to free menstrual products in schools nationwide. It argues that Title IX - which prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded schools - should be interpreted to require schools to provide menstrual products, addressing how lack of access causes students to miss school or use unsafe alternatives. The resolution cites data showing over half of high school students who menstruate face attendance disruptions due to period poverty, risking health issues like infections. As a non-binding resolution, it has no legal force but seeks to encourage federal action through policy interpretation.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill explicitly urges expanding access to menstrual products in schools to prevent attendance disruptions, directly advancing educational access for menstruating students as described in the topic.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands access to menstrual products in schools, addressing public health access issues and preventing absenteeism due to lack of essential health resources.90% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Student Health

Track

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 138: Provides gross income tax deduction for certain wages of kindergarten through grade 12 school teachers.

This bill creates a 25% gross income tax deduction for K-12 teachers' wages. It directly affects teachers employed by public school districts (boards of education), charter schools, Renaissance school projects, or nonpublic schools in New Jersey. The deduction equals 25% of the wages paid by these employers during the taxable year. The policy applies to taxable years beginning after the bill's enactment date.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides 25% tax deduction for K-12 teachers' wages, reducing taxable income and offering direct tax relief to educators, aligning with support indicators for middle-income tax relief.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides 25% tax deduction for K-12 teachers' wages, directly supporting educator compensation and financial well-being per bill summary.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides 25% tax deduction on teachers' wages, increasing net compensation and directly supporting teacher employment benefits under Labor & Employment.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax K-12 Education Teachers

Track

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 2, 2026

S 3235: The "Safe Playing Fields Act"; restricts use of lawn care pesticides at child care centers and certain schools.

S 3235, the "Safe Playing Fields Act," prohibits the use of lawn care pesticides (excluding low-impact pesticides defined in current law) on the grounds of child care centers and schools serving kindergarten through 8th grade, including playgrounds and athletic fields. The bill allows exceptions only for immediate health emergencies, determined by facility leaders, and requires children to be kept away from treated areas for at least seven hours after application. It also mandates that the Environmental Protection Commissioner, with health officials, create new rules for pesticide use, record-keeping, and parent/staff notifications at these facilities within one year of the law taking effect. This directly affects child care centers and K-8 schools in New Jersey by restricting pesticide applications on their grounds.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRestricts pesticides on school grounds to protect student health, advancing safe educational environments for K-8 schools.90% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill restricts pesticide use on school grounds, reducing environmental pollution and protecting ecosystems from chemical runoff, aligning with pollution control indicators.92% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRestricts pesticide use in schools/child care to prevent health hazards, advancing public health protection as a core healthcare policy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

Track

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2793: Establishes three-year pilot program for school-based mentoring in public schools located within 1,000 feet of gunfire.

This bill establishes a three-year pilot program for school-based mentoring in New Jersey public schools located within 1,000 feet of where gunfire occurred in the prior school year (a "crisis zone"). It directly affects kindergarten through third-grade students at risk for mental health issues or substance abuse, targeting improvements in their emotional resilience, social skills, and behavior. The program requires participating schools to use a weekly, 25-minute one-on-one mentoring curriculum focused on monitoring emotions, building coping skills, and maintaining emotional control, with schools selecting mentors and evaluating student progress at three intervals. After the pilot, the Commissioner of Education must report on whether the program could be expanded statewide.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes mentoring program for K-3 students in crisis zones to improve emotional resilience and social skills, directly enhancing student support programs in schools.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill targets mental health issues in at-risk students via school-based mentoring program, directly supporting mental health services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education Mental Health Substance Abuse

Track

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 3043: Directs Commissioner of Education to develop sensitivity training program for high school athletic directors, coaches, and sports officials of interscholastic athletic sports programs.

S 3043 requires New Jersey's Commissioner of Education to create a sensitivity training program for high school athletic staff, including coaches, athletic directors, and sports officials. The training covers topics like gender/sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, disabilities, religious tolerance, unconscious bias, and diversity. All coaches, athletic directors, and sports officials must complete this training every four years, with new hires required to complete it in their first year. The program must be developed with input from the Division on Civil Rights and will apply to both public and nonpublic school athletic programs statewide. The bill was introduced to the Senate Education Committee on January 13, 2026.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates sensitivity training on diversity topics for school athletic staff, promoting inclusive environments in K-12 athletics and aligning with educational equity goals.90% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

Track

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2227: Requires public schools to offer or expand summer school programs to students.

New Jersey's S 2227 requires all public school districts, charter schools, and renaissance schools to create or expand summer school programs for students entering kindergarten through 12th grade the following fall. These programs must address pandemic-related learning loss with focused instruction in language, literacy, math, and social-emotional skills, plus family support resources. Schools must offer the programs to all enrolled students, with parental requests required 45 days before the summer start date (or at kindergarten registration if late). Schools must also report program details to the Commissioner of Education annually and may use federal funds or partner with other organizations to implement the requirements.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates summer programs addressing pandemic learning loss in core subjects, expanding educational access and student support programs for K-12 students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

Track

died · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2797: Requires instruction on cursive handwriting in public school curriculum.

S 2797 would have required New Jersey public school districts to teach cursive handwriting to students in kindergarten through fifth grade, with a goal of achieving legible cursive writing proficiency by the end of third grade. The bill mandated incorporating specific activities and materials into the curriculum to develop students' ability to read and write cursive, citing research linking cursive instruction to improved cognitive, motor, and literacy skills - particularly for students with learning disabilities like dyslexia. This bill was withdrawn on January 13, 2026, as it was already enacted through P.L.2025, c.284.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates cursive handwriting instruction in K-5 curriculum, citing cognitive and literacy benefits to enhance student program development per educational standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education

Track

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 1742: Establishes grant program for school districts to establish substance abuse prevention programs for eighth grade students.

This bill establishes a New Jersey state grant program to fund substance abuse prevention programs for eighth-grade students in public school districts. It requires school districts to apply for grants and certify they have funding (from district budgets, private donations, or federal sources) to support two key components: (1) staff/parent workshops on recognizing substance abuse risks, and (2) a four-part student education program featuring personal stories from rehab residents, affected families, correctional facility inmates, and positive role models. Students may opt out if parents provide a signed statement citing religious or moral objections. The program is modeled after an existing successful initiative at Copeland Middle School in Rockaway Township.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates state grants for K-12 substance abuse prevention programs, directly funding student education initiatives and supporting school-based health services within the education topic.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

Track