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 2016 requires New Jersey's public colleges and universities to adopt a test-optional admissions policy for undergraduate programs, meaning students can choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores. Public institutions may still require tests for applicants to honors/specialized programs, those with equivalent high school instruction elsewhere, or for scholarship applications that specifically demand test scores. The bill does not prevent schools from considering voluntary test submissions and encourages private colleges to adopt similar policies. This directly affects public higher education institutions in New Jersey and their prospective undergraduate students.
S 1106 establishes a state-funded STEM grant program targeting at-risk students (defined as those from households earning at or below 1.85x the federal poverty level) in grades 6-8 across selected school districts. The bill requires participating districts to provide hands-on STEM projects, offer an accelerated learning option for students behind grade level (allowing two years of coursework in one year), and include staff training and classroom resources. It appropriates $2.25 million from the General Fund to the Department of Education, which will partner with the nonprofit Engaged Learning Strategies to administer the program. Districts must already have existing STEM programs meeting specific criteria and must serve at least 60 at-risk students per district. The program aims to expand project-based STEM learning in qualifying schools through direct funding and structured curriculum support.
This bill (S 2654) requires all New Jersey public school districts to add instruction about interacting with law enforcement to their social studies curriculum starting in the 2018-2019 school year. It directly affects all K-12 students by mandating age-appropriate lessons on mutual respect during police interactions, the role of law enforcement in public safety, individual responsibilities to comply with directives, and legal rights during encounters. The curriculum must be developed with an advisory committee including police unions, civil rights groups, and educators, split into two parts: simpler content for grades K-4 and more detailed material for grades 5-12. The law specifies concrete teaching requirements without altering existing standards or creating new enforcement mechanisms.
S 3082 creates a New Jersey Student Learning Standards Advisory Council with 15 members representing K-12 education, higher education, business, parents, and students to oversee revisions of state education standards. The council will form subject-specific subcommittees that must review existing standards, gather public feedback through online surveys and 60-day comment periods, and consider research and standards from other states before proposing changes. All materials, meeting minutes, and feedback must be posted online for public access. The process requires annual conflict-of-interest disclosures and mandates public hearings before revised standards are submitted to the State Board of Education for adoption. This bill establishes a structured, transparent review mechanism affecting all New Jersey public schools, higher education institutions, and families through the standards revision process.
New Jersey's S 1831 establishes a statewide youth apprenticeship program for students aged 16-21, directly affecting high school students (particularly 11th and 12th graders), employers, and low-income apprentices. The bill creates career-connected high school pathways, combines paid on-the-job training with community college dual enrollment, and prioritizes high-demand sectors like healthcare, IT, manufacturing, and green jobs. It appropriates $25 million annually starting in FY2026 to fund the program, including tax credits of up to $5,000 per apprentice for employers who pay at least 60% of journeyperson wages and meet diversity and reporting requirements. The program requires annual reporting on participation demographics, completion rates, and state savings from reduced reliance on student aid, while prohibiting duplication of existing apprenticeship programs.
This bill (S 1773) requires New Jersey school districts to include specific post-graduation data in annual school performance report cards. It mandates reporting the number and percentage of graduates placed in employment or further education, including apprenticeships, as part of the required school profile. The change applies to all high schools and districts, adding this metric to existing report card requirements like graduation rates and student test scores. The bill aims to provide families and communities with clearer insights into student outcomes after high school.
This bill allows high school students in grades 11-12 at New Jersey public schools to miss up to three days per school year for college visits, visits to technical institutions, or military recruitment activities without penalty. Students must provide documentation to their school, and these absences will not appear on transcripts, job applications, or affect perfect attendance records. Military recruitment-related activities include required testing, medical evaluations, interviews, and fingerprinting for enlistment. The law aims to support students exploring college or military career paths while maintaining attendance accountability.
This bill establishes a 17-member Elementary Student Literacy Task Force to assess reading levels in New Jersey's public elementary schools and identify effective strategies to help all students read at or above grade level. The task force, including education officials, school leaders, teachers, and community experts appointed by the Governor, Senate, and General Assembly, will examine current reading data, analyze teaching techniques, research successful national programs, and study support for students with reading disabilities. It must issue a final report with recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within one year of organizing, focusing on teacher training, student intervention, and family engagement strategies. The task force expires 30 days after submitting its report.
This bill establishes a program offering conditional admission to New Jersey public colleges for eligible high school seniors. It directly affects public high school students in grade 12 who are New Jersey residents for at least one year, applying full-time for the first time to a degree program. Admission is based on academic merit, including GPA, course rigor (like AP/IB classes), test scores, and state assessments, with colleges required to offer admission within their capacity. The program requires annual reporting on participant demographics and impact, but does not guarantee admission to specific majors or programs.
