This bill provides free tuition at New Jersey public colleges and universities for dependent children and surviving spouses of military personnel killed while on duty. Eligible individuals must be New Jersey residents, enrolled full-time in undergraduate programs at designated institutions (like Rutgers, NJIT, or county colleges), and the state covers tuition costs not already covered by other scholarships or aid. Benefits are limited to eight years: from high school graduation for children or from the service member's death for surviving spouses. The program takes effect immediately for the 2020-2021 academic year.
This bill modifies New Jersey's Bridge Year Pilot Program to exempt students with disabilities from the requirement to take college credits during their bridge year. Instead, these students may participate in vocational programs or transition services as outlined in their Individualized Education Program (IEP), determined by their IEP team and parent/guardian. It also adjusts age eligibility to allow students who would turn 20 during the program to participate if their IEP requires it. The bill applies to students in the 2021 and 2022 graduating classes enrolled in the pilot program.
This bill provides a $3.5 million supplemental appropriation to fund the Community College Opportunity Grant (CCOG) program for adult students in career and technical education. It directly affects eligible adult students enrolled in county vocational school programs (minimum four months) who are New Jersey residents, have household incomes between $0-$65,000, and have applied for all other available grants/scholarships. The funding covers remaining tuition and approved fees after other state, federal, or institutional aid is applied, acting as "last-dollar" support. Eligibility requires good academic standing, enrollment in programs leading to industry certifications or licenses, and meeting residency requirements.
This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD), with input from the Department of Education (DOE), to create a private database of new teachers (those with a teaching certificate but not yet a full license) and host three annual job fairs across the state. The database will include contact details and certification information for new teachers, who can opt out or limit how they're contacted. School districts can use the database to find new teachers, and the job fairs will connect them with new teachers, teacher training program students, and other certified educators. The bill also allows DOLWD to charge a small fee to participating schools to cover job fair costs.
This bill lowers the mandatory school transportation mileage thresholds in New Jersey: elementary students living more than 1.5 miles from school and secondary students living more than 1.5 miles must now qualify for district-provided transportation (down from 2 miles and 2.5 miles, respectively). It allows school districts to optionally provide transportation for students living closer than these new limits, with parents potentially paying costs. Parents may also formally waive transportation services for the school year, though districts must create hardship policies for affected families. The bill includes a cost cap of $675 annually (adjusted for inflation) for transportation to nonpublic schools within 20 miles, with districts covering costs if bids stay under this limit.
This bill extends New Jersey's existing protections for young students by expanding the grade range covered under restrictions on school expulsions and suspensions. It prohibits expulsions for students in kindergarten through third grade (previously only through second grade), except for gun-related offenses under the "Zero Tolerance for Guns Act." It also bans out-of-school suspensions for these grades, except when the conduct is violent or sexual in nature and endangers others. These changes directly affect all public and charter school students in kindergarten through third grade across New Jersey.
This bill requires New Jersey public schools (including district, charter, and renaissance schools) that employ school psychologists and offer in-person counseling to students in grades K-12 to also provide remote counseling sessions as an option. Schools must allow students to attend sessions remotely unless a school psychologist determines in-person counseling is necessary for the student's well-being. Students retain the right to choose in-person sessions if they prefer, and the bill defines "school psychologist" as someone holding a specific New Jersey certification. The law takes effect immediately for the next full school year.
This bill requires the state to appropriate $1 million annually from the General Fund to educational services commissions that primarily serve students from School Development Authority (SDA) districts. These commissions currently receive no state funding for school facility upgrades or security improvements, despite having similar needs as SDA districts. The funds must be used for specific facility projects (like construction or renovations) and security measures (such as cameras, emergency notification systems, and access controls).
This bill (A3115) requires every New Jersey public school to have at least one full-time school psychologist, with a maximum student-to-psychologist ratio of 500:1 per school. It directly affects all local school districts in New Jersey, mandating they hire qualified psychologists certified under New Jersey law. School districts must also seek federal funding to support implementation. The law takes effect for the second full school year after enactment.
This New Jersey bill, titled the "Homeschool Parent’s Bill of Rights," affirms that parents or guardians have the fundamental right to direct their child’s education at home without government interference. It specifically grants homeschooling parents the right to design individualized curricula based on their child’s needs, choose instructors, explore topics of interest, maintain sole authority over curriculum, and set teaching pace and methods. The law takes immediate effect and applies directly to all homeschooling families in New Jersey, removing any requirement for state oversight of their educational choices. It does not mandate new government actions but declares parental control as a protected right.
