This bill establishes New Jersey's Safe Remote Learning Program within the Department of Education to support schools providing remote instruction during the pandemic. It requires schools to set up remote learning facilities meeting specific standards: equipped with connected devices and mobile broadband internet, staffed by qualified personnel, and operating under health guidelines. The program prioritizes access for students eligible for free meals and children of essential workers (including school staff), with schools reimbursed for facility costs using federal CARES Act funds. It directly affects public school districts, charter schools, and renaissance schools implementing virtual learning, ensuring equitable access to remote instruction resources.
This bill caps annual tuition increases for resident undergraduate students at New Jersey's public colleges and universities at no more than 2% above the previous year's rate. It directly affects public higher education institutions and in-state undergraduate students by limiting how much tuition can rise each academic year. The key provision prohibits any institution from raising resident undergraduate tuition rates beyond this 2% threshold, regardless of existing laws or regulations. The law takes effect immediately for the first full academic year after enactment, applying to all public institutions of higher education in the state.
This New Jersey bill (S 3442) requires the next Educational Adequacy Report to include a comprehensive review of school funding formulas after consulting with stakeholders and experts. It mandates that the Governor, working with the Commissioner of Education, engage school administrators, parents, students, and community members to identify underfunded resources, and commission school finance experts to review methodologies for calculating key funding amounts. These amounts include base per-pupil funding, special education costs, transportation aid, and preschool funding. The goal is to ensure the funding formulas adequately support students meeting state education standards.
ACR 126 is a concurrent resolution expressing the New Jersey Legislature's intent to revise the School Funding Reform Act of 2008 (SFRA) to prevent abrupt state aid cuts for school districts. It specifically targets districts in the Highlands Region (protected by the Highlands Water Protection Act) and other areas with development restrictions, which limit their ability to raise local taxes to offset aid losses. The resolution highlights that eliminating "adjustment aid" in 2018 under S2 caused significant funding shortfalls, and the current formula disadvantages these districts due to restricted housing and business growth. This resolution does not change the law but formally urges the state to revise the SFRA to stabilize funding.
This bill adds $1.2 million in supplemental funding to the Community College Opportunity Grant program for the 2026 fiscal year. It directly supports low-income New Jersey community college students who meet specific criteria: enrolled in at least six credits, without a prior degree, with household income under $65,000 (or reduced awards for $65,001-$100,000), and who complete financial aid applications. The grant covers remaining tuition and approved fees not covered by other aid, up to 18 credits per semester. This funding ensures continued access to financial support for eligible students pursuing associate degrees.
This bill requires all New Jersey public schools and nonpublic schools receiving federal funding to post specific information on their websites. Schools must clearly state students' rights under Title IX, provide the Title IX coordinator's contact details (including phone and email), and explain how to file complaints - including statute of limitations and investigation procedures. The Commissioner of Education must also send annual reminders to schools about these requirements. The law applies immediately to schools subject to Title IX regulations.
This bill requires New Jersey public schools to add specific, age-appropriate instruction about cannabis and marijuana risks to health and physical education curricula for grades 3-12. It mandates teaching students about cannabis' effects on adolescent brains and bodies, THC's impact, addiction risks, driving under influence dangers, differences between medicinal and recreational use, and factors influencing usage decisions. The Department of Education must develop this content in consultation with the Division of Addiction Services. The policy takes effect 60 days after enactment, directly affecting all K-12 public school students and educators in New Jersey.
This bill increases the minimum annual salary for full-time public school teachers in New Jersey from $18,500 to $60,000 (with $61,500 for teachers holding a master's degree or higher), effective for the 2022-2023 school year and all future hires. It directly affects all public school teachers in New Jersey school districts and educational services commissions who are certified as performing acceptably. The bill mandates that school districts cannot pay below these new minimums and requires the state to cover the full difference between current salaries and the new minimums for the 2022-2023 school year, phasing down to zero funding by 2027-2028. This establishes a concrete policy change in teacher compensation standards without altering existing collective bargaining agreements.
This bill would have required New Jersey public school districts to teach cursive handwriting to students in kindergarten through fifth grade, with a specific goal for students to read and write cursive legibly by the end of third grade. It mandated that school curricula include activities and materials to develop these skills, citing potential cognitive and literacy benefits. The bill was introduced in January 2026 but was withdrawn the same day after being approved as part of a prior law (P.L.2025, c.284), meaning it never became law. It directly affected all public elementary schools and their curriculum planning. The bill's provisions would have taken effect for the first full school year following enactment.
This bill creates the Grow Your Own Teacher Loan Redemption Program to help new teachers reduce student loan debt by working in school districts with teacher shortages. It targets graduates of high schools in shortage districts (or those who lived in such districts for over five years) who become certified teachers there, with eligibility requiring NJ residency, a valid teaching job, and eligible student loans. For each full year of teaching in a qualifying district, the program redeems up to $10,000 of loan principal and interest, capping total redemption at $50,000 over five years, with annual program spending limited to $500,000. Participants must sign a five-year contract to teach in the designated district and submit annual employment verification.
