Education

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 3143: Requires certain candidates for employment with DOE to undergo criminal history background check.

This bill requires candidates for New Jersey Department of Education (DOE) positions involving access to school facilities to undergo criminal history background checks. Applicants must provide fingerprints with written consent and pay for the check, which the Commissioner of Education will process using the same standards applied to public school employees under existing law (P.L.1986, c.116). The DOE cannot hire applicants with disqualifying criminal convictions for offenses listed in that law, and must terminate employees if new convictions for those offenses arise after hire. The bill implements a recommendation from a state auditor's report to align DOE hiring practices with public school safety protocols.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates background checks for DOE employees accessing schools, enhancing student safety and school environment protection within education policy.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates background checks for DOE employment to ensure workplace safety, directly aligning with labor protections for workplace environments.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 19, 2026

S 3577: Requires second enrollment count for determining State school aid.

This bill changes how New Jersey school districts calculate their state aid by requiring two enrollment counts instead of one. Specifically, it mandates averaging the number of students enrolled on the last school day before October 16 and the last school day before February 2 each year. This affects all public school districts receiving state aid, as the average enrollment directly determines their funding amount. The change aims to provide a more accurate reflection of student population throughout the school year.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesChanges school aid calculation method to average two enrollment counts, directly affecting state budget allocation for public schools. Promotes accurate fiscal management of education funding.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationChanges enrollment calculation to average two dates, ensuring more accurate state aid funding for schools, preventing underfunding from seasonal enrollment dips.85% confidence

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

A 3769: Requires certain employees and candidates for public school employment or service and youth camp employees to undergo child abuse record information check.

This bill requires certain school staff, school bus drivers, and youth camp employees to undergo child abuse record checks through New Jersey's Department of Children and Families. Candidates and current employees in these roles must provide written consent and pay for the check, which will be conducted alongside existing criminal history checks. If the check reveals a substantiated child abuse allegation, the individual is permanently disqualified from these positions. The bill also guarantees individuals a chance to challenge any inaccurate information that would lead to disqualification.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires child abuse checks for school staff to protect students, directly strengthening educational safety protocols in K-12 settings.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Transportation

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died · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2189: Requires DOE to partner with nonprofit organization to establish central registry of individuals and organizations interested in providing supplemental tutoring support to students.

This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Education to partner with a nonprofit to create a free, public online registry of tutors and tutoring organizations. It allows eligible participants - including certified teachers, retired educators, college students, industry professionals, and relevant organizations - to list their contact details, subject expertise, and availability without charging students for services. All registrants (except certified teachers with prior background checks) must undergo a criminal history check, and the registry will include a disclaimer noting the information hasn't been verified or endorsed by the state. The registry will be accessible on the Department of Education's website to connect students with free tutoring support.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates free public registry for supplemental tutoring access, expanding educational support for students through centralized resource matching without cost.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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

A 3647: Establishes "Summer Earn and Learn Pilot Program."

This New Jersey bill establishes a three-year "Summer Earn and Learn Pilot Program" to help students recover from pandemic-related learning loss. It provides eligible students (NJ residents in good academic standing, aged to work) with paid summer employment opportunities alongside supplemental learning support (at least 3 hours/day, 5 days/week). The program uses federal pandemic relief funds (CARES, ARP, etc.) to pay students a stipend at or above minimum wage. Participating schools must submit plans detailing learning content and employer partnerships, with the state coordinating with labor agencies to create a public list of approved employers.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds paid summer employment with learning support using pandemic relief funds to address learning loss, expanding educational access and student support.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides paid summer employment with stipends at or above minimum wage, advancing employment standards for students through federal pandemic relief funds.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Apprenticeships Child Labor Minimum Wage

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

ACR 19: Proposes constitutional amendment prohibiting any student from being compelled to attend public school other than one nearest to student's residence.

ACR 19 proposes a constitutional amendment requiring New Jersey public schools to allow students to attend the school nearest their home within their district that offers their specific courses. It would prevent schools from compelling students to attend schools outside their neighborhood district unless the home school provides the same classes. If approved by voters, this change would override current school assignment policies statewide. The bill, currently under review by the Assembly Education Committee, has not yet advanced to a vote.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires nearest school attendance, expanding local educational access within district boundaries by preventing forced out-of-neighborhood assignments.85% confidence

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died · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1329: Establishes New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative Act.

New Jersey Bill A-1329 establishes the "New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative" to connect students, workers, and job seekers with training for high-demand careers. It creates Centers of Workforce Innovation at community colleges focused on 11 key fields like healthcare, cybersecurity, renewable energy, and manufacturing. These centers will develop public curricula, provide job-specific skills training, promote financial aid (including Community College Opportunity Grants), and expand apprenticeships. The bill was introduced in 2026 but withdrawn after being approved as P.L.2025, c.374.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates workforce training centers at community colleges with financial aid (Community College Opportunity Grants), enhancing career-focused educational access and funding for high-demand fields.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates workforce training centers and financial aid for high-demand careers, advancing employment opportunities and skills development in key industries.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill explicitly includes cybersecurity as a key focus area for workforce training centers, directly advancing cybersecurity workforce development through funding and curriculum development.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Workforce Development Cybersecurity

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died · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2322: Concerns charter school enrollment, student placements, reporting, and athletics.

This bill (A2322) updates New Jersey charter school rules to ensure fair enrollment, improve student transitions, and increase transparency. It requires charter schools to admit all students without discrimination using random selection (except for weighted lotteries to promote diversity), prohibits admission criteria beyond random selection, and mandates schools to make applications available in the seven most common non-English languages in their district. New requirements include appointing a student placement liaison to coordinate transitions for new and exiting students, conduct exit interviews for non-graduating students, and annually report exit reasons and placements to the state and school districts. These changes directly affect charter schools, students, and their home school districts by standardizing enrollment practices and tracking student movement.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationPromotes equitable charter school access via non-discriminatory enrollment, diversity-weighted lotteries, and multilingual applications, advancing educational access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice

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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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