This bill establishes a $1 million grant program to expand mental health services for students connected to military families in New Jersey school districts. School districts with high concentrations of military-connected students (defined as those with parents in active duty, National Guard, or reserve components) can apply for grants to fund additional counseling, mental health outreach, and support for students when parents are deployed. Grants must be used to enhance existing services, with districts required to demonstrate need and report on program impact, including student outcomes. The program requires the Department of Education to administer grants and submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature.
This bill requires New Jersey public school districts to appoint a mental health specialist for student-athletes. The specialist must conduct three mental health screenings per season using approved tools (with parental consent), provide ongoing support for injured athletes, and develop a school mental health policy for coaches and staff. It also mandates the creation of a state registry for aggregated, non-identifiable data collected from screenings. The bill directly affects all public schools with athletic programs and aims to integrate mental health support into student-athlete participation.
This bill requires every public school in New Jersey to have at least one full-time school social worker employed by the local school district board. For schools with over 500 students, districts must add additional social workers in proportion to the student count. The law takes effect immediately for the first full school year after enactment, applying to all schools within participating districts. It directly affects all New Jersey public school districts and their staffing requirements for student support services.
This bill requires New Jersey public schools to create policies for emergency treatment of students with seizure disorders, specifically for administering nasal seizure rescue medication and using manual vagus nerve stimulators. It directly affects students with diagnosed seizure disorders, school nurses, and designated school staff trained to provide these emergency interventions. Key provisions include mandating written parental consent, requiring school nurses to train at least two volunteer staff members, ensuring medication access, and requiring hospital transport after emergency treatment. The policy also includes liability protections for school employees acting in good faith under the guidelines.
This bill requires all New Jersey public schools to prominently display a direct link to the subsidized school meals application on their official websites. It directly affects public schools by adding this website posting requirement to existing rules about meal applications. The key provision mandates that schools place the link in a visible location on their internet sites, making it easier for families to access the application. This change aims to improve accessibility to school meal programs without altering eligibility rules or funding.
This bill establishes a New Jersey Department of Education grant program to fund school districts implementing therapy animal programs in wellness centers or counseling offices. School districts must apply with plans for using therapy animals to support student wellness, safety protocols for students/staff/animals, and other required details. The program selects two districts per region (south, central, north) annually, prioritizing urban, suburban, and rural representation, with grants covering teacher training fees for therapy animals. Participating districts must submit annual reports on program impacts, and the commissioner will report findings to the Governor and Legislature.
This bill creates a $4.5 million grant program to reimburse New Jersey school districts for costs incurred when expanding their procurement of locally grown food for students. It directly affects eligible school districts participating in federal meal programs (like National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs), requiring them to submit plans for new or expanded local food sourcing beyond current baseline levels. The program reimburses documented costs for minimally processed local foods (like fruits, vegetables, or grains grown in New Jersey), excluding fluid dairy milk. School districts must implement new policies to increase local food access during school meals or summer programs to qualify for reimbursement.
This bill establishes a four-year pilot program for up to 15 New Jersey school districts to create confidential mental health assistance programs for students in grades K-12. The programs will identify students facing mental health challenges (including those related to family, school, or personal issues), provide voluntary counseling and support services, and connect students with community resources - all while maintaining strict confidentiality. Districts must apply with funding plans, and participating schools will track student participation and outcomes. After the pilot, the state will evaluate the program’s effectiveness and recommend whether to expand it statewide.
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 (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.
