Education (K-12 Education)

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

A 4361: Permits excused absence for students participating in college visits, visits to postsecondary technical institutions, and military recruitment-related activities.

This New Jersey bill allows high school juniors and seniors (grades 11-12) to miss up to three school days per year for college visits, tours of technical schools, or military recruitment activities without penalty. Absences for military enlistment prep - like testing, medical evaluations, or interviews - are specifically designated as excused. Schools cannot list these absences on student transcripts, job applications, or attendance records, and they won’t affect a student’s perfect attendance status. The policy aims to support college and career pathway exploration while ensuring no academic or administrative disadvantage for participating students.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnables college/technical school visits without academic penalty, expanding student access to higher education opportunities per bill's explicit purpose.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education

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

A 3640: Allows gross income tax deduction of up to $1,200 for purchases of school supplies by parents and guardians.

This bill allows New Jersey parents and guardians to deduct up to $1,200 from their taxable income for eligible school supply purchases made for students in public or private K-12 schools or higher education institutions. It specifically covers common items like notebooks, pencils, folders, calculators, paper, and other standard classroom materials. The deduction applies to purchases made during the taxable year and takes effect for years beginning after the bill's enactment date. This creates a direct tax benefit for families covering recurring school-related expenses.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax relief via income deduction for school supplies, benefiting middle-income families by lowering taxable income.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllows tax deduction for school supplies, reducing out-of-pocket costs for families and improving access to educational materials for K-12 and higher education students.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax K-12 Education

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jun 15, 2026

A 2042: Requires Commissioner of Education to develop guidance on accommodations for certain students fasting for religious or medical reasons.*

This bill allows public high school students observing Ramadan to substitute required physical education classes with an instructional course or study hall during the marking period containing Ramadan. Students must provide written notice to their principal before schedule creation, and the substitute must award the same graduation credits as physical education. It also permits student-athletes to be excused from sports, intramural, or cheerleading programs during Ramadan by submitting written notice to their coach, with coaches prohibited from penalizing such absences. The bill takes effect immediately for the first full academic year after enactment.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllows religious accommodation in curriculum, expanding educational access for students observing Ramadan by substituting PE with equivalent credit courses.90% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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

A 354: Establishes commission to study mental health impact of COVID-19 pandemic on K-12 students.

This bill establishes a 17-member commission to study the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on K-12 students in New Jersey. The commission will assess existing mental health resources in schools, identify which student groups and school districts were most affected, and evaluate how pandemic disruptions impacted available services. It must produce a final report within one year, including recommendations for improving access to mental health programs and staffing needs. The commission includes state agency leaders, school representatives, mental health professionals, and appointed public members with relevant expertise. The report will be submitted to the Governor, Legislature, and all school districts.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes commission to study pandemic mental health impacts on K-12 students, with mandate to recommend improved access to mental health programs and staffing needs.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes commission to study mental health impacts on students and recommend improved access to programs/staffing, aligning with mental health service support indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Student Health Mental Health

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

A 1583: Requires school districts to provide instruction on water safety as part of New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.

This bill requires all New Jersey public school districts to teach water safety as part of the health education curriculum for students in grades K-12, starting with the 2018-2019 school year. It mandates instruction on four specific topics: proper use of flotation devices, awareness of water conditions, dangers of rip currents and how to respond, and the importance of swimming in lifeguard-monitored areas. The law directly affects every student in New Jersey public schools, integrating water safety into existing health education standards. It aims to address drowning as a leading cause of accidental death by providing practical safety knowledge. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates water safety curriculum integration into required health standards, enhancing student safety education within K-12 curriculum framework.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education School Safety

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

A 518: Establishes New Jersey Property Tax Relief and Education Empowerment Program to provide both property tax relief to citizens and educational grants to certain students enrolled in nonpublic schools.

This bill establishes New Jersey's Property Tax Relief and Education Empowerment Program, providing property tax relief to residents while offering educational grants to eligible students attending nonpublic schools. It directly affects low-income students (households earning ≤3.7x the federal poverty level for a family of four) who previously attended public school for at least 100 days and switch to a participating nonpublic school. The program provides grants equal to 50% of the public school district's per-pupil spending (capped at the nonpublic school's fees), paid directly to the nonpublic school by the student's resident district. This funding reduces the public school district's budget by the grant amount, with the savings used to lower local school taxes in the following year.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides direct property tax relief to low-income households (≤3.7x federal poverty level) while funding educational grants, advancing tax relief and fiscal support for vulnerable residents.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides educational grants to low-income students attending nonpublic schools, expanding access and funding options for education while targeting disadvantaged students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax K-12 Education School Choice

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

A 871: Requires State Board of Education to authorize Teacher of the Blind or Visually Impaired Kindergarten through Grade 12 endorsement.

This bill requires New Jersey's State Board of Education to create a new "Teacher of the Blind or Visually Impaired Kindergarten through Grade 12" endorsement for instructional certificates. It directly affects educators seeking to teach blind or visually impaired students in public schools, allowing them to hold this specialized endorsement without needing additional subject or grade-level endorsements. To qualify, candidates must complete a state-approved training program for this specialty. The bill addresses a current gap where teachers needed multiple endorsements, aiming to help schools hire qualified specialists amid a nationwide shortage of such educators.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates specialized teacher endorsement for blind/visually impaired students, enhancing educational access and teacher qualifications in K-12 without additional requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Teachers

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

A 2265: Requires provision of water safety instruction as part of New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.

This New Jersey bill (A 2265) requires all public school districts to include water safety instruction in health education for students in grades K-12 as part of existing curriculum standards. It mandates teaching specific topics: the dangers of rip tides, beach safety practices (especially for students not near coastlines), hand signals for swimmer distress, and lifeguard sightline limitations. The instruction must be integrated into the Comprehensive Health and Physical Education standards starting with the first full school year after enactment. The bill directly affects all New Jersey public school students and their health education curriculum.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates water safety instruction in K-12 health curriculum, enhancing student safety education within existing standards without restricting content or funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jun 15, 2026

A 4236: Designates accounting as STEM subject for various educational and other programs.

This New Jersey bill amends state law to officially include accounting as a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subject for educational programs. It updates two existing statutes - specifically P.L.2021, c.76 and P.L.2021, c.239 - to add "accounting" to the definition of STEM fields. This change expands eligibility for state-funded initiatives supporting underrepresented students (such as women and minorities) in higher education recruitment and K-12 outreach programs focused on STEM careers. The bill does not create new programs but adjusts statutory language to ensure accounting degrees and careers qualify for existing STEM-related support.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands STEM eligibility for underrepresented students in state-funded programs, strengthening educational access and participation in STEM fields.90% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 5, 2026

S 3363: Establishes pilot program in DOE to provide assistive technology to elementary and middle school students with dyslexia and related conditions.

This bill establishes a three-year pilot program within New Jersey's Department of Education to provide assistive technology tools to elementary and middle school students with dyslexia and related learning conditions. The program will supply devices and services like text-to-speech software, speech-to-text applications, and specialized spelling aids to help students access grade-level curriculum, improve reading fluency, and boost writing confidence. Students do not need formal special education classification to qualify. The Commissioner of Education, working with the Office of Information Technology, will manage the pilot, including assessing student needs, acquiring technology, and providing training for educators.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides assistive technology for dyslexia students to access curriculum and improve reading/writing skills, directly enhancing educational access and support for K-12 learners.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyProvides assistive technology tools (text-to-speech, etc.) to students with dyslexia, promoting digital equity in educational access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education Special Education

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