This bill requires lead screenings for children aged six months to six years at specific intervals: between 9-18 months, 18-26 months, and immediately before school entry (starting 2024-2025). It directly affects young children, parents/guardians (who must provide screening documentation), healthcare providers (who must conduct screenings), and schools (which must verify results before enrolling pre-K or kindergarten students). Schools cannot admit children without proof of the required screening, and healthcare providers must document results in permanent health records and share them on school enrollment forms. The law updates existing screening schedules and mandates documentation to ensure early detection of lead exposure, a known health risk for young children.
This bill establishes the Public Education Innovation Fund within New Jersey's Department of Education to provide grants to low-performing public schools for implementing educational innovation programs. Schools qualify if they meet specific academic performance thresholds based on state assessment results, such as high percentages of students scoring below proficiency in math or language arts. Businesses that donate to this fund receive tax credits - up to $10,000 annually for gross income tax, and corporation business tax credits - directly tied to their donations. The total tax credits available annually are capped at $5 million, with certifications issued on a first-come, first-served basis. The fund aims to address academic barriers through innovative strategies in schools meeting the defined performance criteria.
This bill prohibits public school staff from distributing campaign materials to students that promote, favor, or oppose any candidate for general, municipal, or school elections, or ballot issues. It directly affects public school students and staff in New Jersey, preventing schools from giving such materials to students or asking them to distribute them. The key change extends an existing ban (which previously covered only school elections) to all election types, requiring school boards to create rules enforcing this prohibition. The amendment makes it illegal for schools to share election-related literature with students on school property or grounds.
This bill (S 1071) amends New Jersey law to allow charter schools to limit admissions to students based on four specific categories: single gender, students at-risk of academic failure, students with disabilities, or English language learners. It directly affects charter schools in New Jersey by expanding their permitted admission criteria beyond current limits (which only allowed grade-level or academic concentration limits). The key mechanism updates Section 7 of P.L.1995, c.426 to explicitly include these categories, requiring schools to outline such criteria in their charter. The bill does not change existing prohibitions against discrimination based on other factors like disability or language proficiency.
S 2486 establishes a competitive grant program through New Jersey's Department of Education to fund organizations recruiting, training, and placing new teachers in high-poverty school districts. Eligible organizations (tax-exempt nonprofits with existing partnerships in districts where ≥40% of students are at-risk) receive grants matching their private contributions, up to $2 million annually for three years. The bill appropriates $6 million from the General Fund to cover these matching grants, targeting districts with high student poverty rates.
This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Education to create and maintain a searchable website listing all educational programs and resources for students eligible for special education services. The website must include information on approved schools (both in-state and out-of-state), specialized programs for specific disabilities, assistive technologies, and support organizations, all organized to be easily accessible to families. It mandates that the site be searchable by keyword, disability type, and location, and updated annually. This directly affects students with disabilities, their families, and educational providers by centralizing critical resource information in one accessible location.
This bill, S 247, would eliminate New Jersey's statewide high school graduation proficiency test requirement. It directly affects all New Jersey public high school students, removing the mandate to pass a state-administered test in reading, writing, and math for graduation. The bill deletes references to the "High School Proficiency Test" from existing education laws and shifts responsibility to local school districts to establish their own graduation standards. Instead of a statewide test, districts would set their own criteria for student proficiency, with the State Board of Education no longer requiring the test as part of graduation standards. The bill is pending before the Senate Education Committee.
S 3246 requires all New Jersey public school districts to adopt policies setting temperature standards for school buildings. These policies must ensure classrooms maintain a learning-friendly environment by designating staff to monitor temperatures, creating protocols for extreme conditions, and aligning with existing indoor air quality standards. School boards must also follow local building and fire codes when implementing temperature controls. The Department of Education and Department of Health will jointly create guidance to help districts comply. The law takes effect July 1 of the school year following its enactment.
This bill reestablishes a state education aid program providing $500 per student to school districts located in New Jersey municipalities where over 51% of residents are age 65 or older (based on the 2000 census). It directly affects school districts in qualifying communities like Manchester Township and Berkeley Township, which are part of the Central Regional School District. The aid is calculated based on projected student enrollment in these areas and is added to existing state funding without adjustment for actual enrollment. The program, previously repealed in 2008, aims to stabilize school funding in communities with high senior populations by reducing municipal tax burdens.
