S 483 creates a $100,000 grant program to help nonprofit organizations teach financial literacy. The Commissioner of Banking and Insurance will award grants of up to $5,000 each to 501(c)(3) nonprofits focused on financial counseling or education. These grants fund classes covering budgeting, credit management, loans, and investing, specifically for high school, college, and adult education settings. The program expires after one year or once all $100,000 is spent.
This bill establishes the "New Jersey Works Dual Enrollment Option Program" to help at-risk high school students (those identified as likely to drop out) and recent dropouts earn their diplomas through county college coursework. Students complete high school requirements via college courses that count toward both their diploma and a college credential, with no tuition or fees for them or their families. The program requires school districts to partner with county colleges to create agreements specifying eligible courses, and the state provides job placement services after successful completion. It is fully funded by the state, including state aid for participating students' school districts.
S 3086 requires every public school district in New Jersey to provide each student with their own textbook (including electronic versions) for classes that use textbooks as the primary learning material. This directly affects all students enrolled in courses using textbooks, ensuring they have individual access rather than sharing materials. The law defines "textbook" broadly to include books, workbooks, manuals, or digital resources used as the main study source. It aims to address situations where students lacked textbooks, which hindered their ability to complete homework and prepare for assessments. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.
This bill allows high school students aged 16-18 to earn graduation credits in health, safety, and physical education by completing a county fire academy course. To qualify, students must pass a junior firefighter exam and commit to two years of volunteer service at their local fire department. The policy amends New Jersey's education rules to accept fire academy completion as fulfillment of specific graduation requirements, directly affecting eligible students in participating school districts. It does not replace existing junior firefighter auxiliary programs.
S 2862 requires New Jersey public school districts to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) education into K-12 curricula, covering basic concepts, foundational skills, and ethical use, with age-appropriate resources provided by the Commissioner of Education. It also mandates all public colleges and universities to offer AI certificate and degree programs, with the Secretary of Higher Education developing model curricula for both four-year institutions and community colleges. The model curricula must meet accreditation standards, include career pathway materials describing AI jobs, and ensure students gain preparation for AI-related careers. This bill directly affects all New Jersey public K-12 schools and higher education institutions, aiming to standardize AI education across the state.
This bill creates a New Jersey grant program for public and private K-12 schools to collect plastic waste, donate it to approved recyclers, and receive funding proportional to their plastic collection to purchase new school furniture made from those materials. Schools must document plastic collection activities from the previous school year and donate the plastics to authorized upcyclers, who reprocess them into items like desks or chairs. The Environmental Protection Department would administer the program, distributing annual grants based on each school’s share of collected plastics relative to all participating schools. Schools use these funds exclusively to buy furniture produced through the upcycling process, with grants adjusted annually based on plastic collection data.
This bill removes a requirement for New Jersey public schools to teach diversity and inclusion lessons to students in kindergarten through grade 8. It specifically eliminates the mandate that schools incorporate instruction on unconscious bias and its societal impact for these younger grades. The bill modifies existing law (P.L.2021, c.32), which previously required such lessons for all students in grades K-12, by narrowing the requirement to apply only to grades 9-12. The change directly affects K-8 students and school districts, removing specific curriculum obligations related to diversity education and unconscious bias examination.
This bill requires New Jersey public school districts to allow students attending nonpublic schools to try out for and join their district's high school sports teams, provided they meet the same eligibility requirements as public school students (including academic standards, physical exams, and fees). Nonpublic school students must provide proof of district residency and comply with all team rules, behavior expectations, and participation requirements set by the district. School districts may charge nonpublic students a fee up to the actual per-pupil cost of the sport (excluding those with financial hardship, defined by school lunch program criteria), but are not required to provide transportation or alter team schedules. The bill does not change existing eligibility rules governed by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.
S 268 directs New Jersey's Commissioner of Education to create a three-year pilot program providing summer reading instruction to second graders not reading at grade level in selected school districts. The program requires participating districts to apply with details about their schools and past summer enrollment, and the commissioner will choose two districts per region (north, central, south) to ensure urban, suburban, and rural representation. The bill appropriates $1 million from the state general fund to cover the program’s implementation and mandates a final report evaluating its effectiveness and feasibility for statewide adoption. This directly affects students in participating districts and school districts applying for the pilot.
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.
