New Jersey's A 3711 requires all public school districts to add age-appropriate lessons on interacting with law enforcement to social studies curriculum starting in 2018-2019. It mandates teaching students about police responsibilities for public safety, individual duties to follow lawful directives, and legal rights during police interactions. The bill specifies two curriculum tiers: basic lessons for K-4 students and more detailed instruction for grades 5-12. An advisory committee - including police unions, civil rights groups, and education organizations - will help develop the materials, with the Commissioner of Education overseeing implementation.
This New Jersey bill (A 303) allows high school students aged 16-18 to earn graduation credits in health, safety, and physical education by completing a county fire academy course. To qualify, students must pass a junior firefighter exam and commit to volunteering at their local fire department for two years. The credits apply only to specific graduation requirements (N.J.A.C.6A:8-5.1) and do not count toward membership in the Junior Firefighter’s Auxiliary. The bill takes effect immediately for the next full school year after enactment. It directly affects students seeking alternative pathways to meet graduation requirements through fire safety training.
This New Jersey bill (A 848) requires all 11th grade students in public school districts to complete a civics course as part of their high school graduation requirements, starting with the 2021-2022 school year. The course must cover democracy principles, New Jersey's government structure (municipal, county, and state levels), citizenship types, and how the Electoral College differs from the popular vote. School districts must design the curriculum to prepare students to be informed citizens, voters, and community members. The State Board of Education must ensure this civics requirement is included in local graduation standards.
This New Jersey bill (A 855) requires all public high school students to receive mandatory financial literacy instruction covering four key areas: applying for financial aid, understanding higher education costs and funding options (loans, grants), student loan rights and payment choices, and cryptocurrency risks including "get rich quick" scams. It directly affects every public high school student in New Jersey by adding these topics to existing financial literacy curriculum requirements. The bill mandates school boards to integrate these specific lessons into secondary education programs, effective immediately for the next full school year after enactment. The policy aims to provide practical, real-world financial education without endorsing any specific financial products or services.
This bill establishes a three-year pilot program in specific New Jersey counties (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, and Union) and first-class cities to train school staff, law enforcement, mental health professionals, and students to identify and report behaviors signaling potential school violence. Key provisions include developing a threat assessment tool, creating a training curriculum on recognizing risk indicators, and building a system for immediate threat reporting and response. The program requires the Attorney General to collaborate with health and education officials and submit annual reports evaluating the pilot's effectiveness, with recommendations for potential statewide expansion. Funding for implementation will be provided through a general fund appropriation.
This bill establishes a $2.25 million grant program through New Jersey's Department of Education to support STEM education for low-income students in grades 6-8. It requires selected school districts (with existing STEM programs meeting specific criteria) to provide hands-on project-based learning, offer accelerated options for students behind grade level (allowing them to complete two years of material in one year), and include staff training and classroom resources. The program targets at-risk pupils defined as those from households earning at or below 1.85 times the federal poverty level. Funds will be administered by the Department of Education in partnership with the nonprofit Engaged Learning Strategies to expand existing STEM initiatives, not create new ones.
This bill requires all New Jersey public schools to teach suicide prevention and related mental health education in every grade from kindergarten through 12th grade. It mandates that the State Board of Education revise curriculum standards within 180 days to include eight specific elements, such as recognizing suicide warning signs, understanding mental health's connection to overall health, identifying support resources, and addressing stigma. The instruction must be age-appropriate and evidence-based, covering topics like risk factors, protective factors, and the relationship between mental health and substance abuse. Implementation begins with the first full school year after the bill takes effect.
This bill requires all New Jersey high school students to complete a one-semester financial literacy course as part of their curriculum. The course must cover budgeting, savings, credit, debt, taxes, college financial planning, and other personal finance topics, while excluding primarily business or economic instruction. Teachers must hold specific endorsements (e.g., in Finance, Social Studies, or Business) to teach the course, and school districts must integrate it into graduation requirements for state-endorsed diplomas. The requirement applies to students entering 12th grade in the 2027-2028 school year.
This bill requires New Jersey high school students to pass a civics test identical to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization test (60 correct answers out of 100) to graduate. Students must take the test in ninth grade and retake it each year until they pass, with schools documenting the result on their transcripts. The policy directly affects all New Jersey public high school students seeking graduation, beginning with the 2015-2016 school year.
This bill establishes a 15-member Core Curriculum Content Standards Advisory Council to review and update New Jersey's K-12 education standards. The council, including educators, higher education experts, business representatives, parents, and students, will create subject-specific subcommittees to assess current standards. Each subcommittee must research best practices, gather public feedback via surveys and hearings, and propose revisions - ensuring transparency through 60-day comment periods and public posting. The revised standards then go to the State Board of Education for adoption, directly affecting public school curricula, school districts, and students across the state.
