Education

passed · New Jersey · Senate Jun 30, 2026

S 3245: Revises high school student financial aid application requirements.

This bill makes permanent a requirement that New Jersey high school students (and their parents or guardians) complete a financial aid application as a prerequisite for earning a high school diploma. Currently, this requirement was temporary, applying only to the 2023-2024 grade 11 class and the following school year, but the bill removes the expiration date. Students may be exempt through a waiver signed by a parent/guardian (or by the student if 18+), or with a school counselor’s authorization if a parent signature cannot be obtained. The bill also mandates that the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority provide resources like webinars and guides to schools, students, and families to help complete the application, and requires schools to annually notify students and parents about the requirement.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMakes financial aid application permanent for graduation, supporting educational access to higher education.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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signed · New Jersey · General Assembly Jun 18, 2026

A 3882: Requires public schools to post link to subsidized school meals application, and certain informational videos related to application, in prominent place on Internet website.*

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates visible website links for school meal applications, directly improving family access to nutritional programs in K-12 schools.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jun 15, 2026

A 4236: Designates accounting as STEM subject for various educational and other programs.

This New Jersey bill amends state law to officially include accounting as a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subject for educational programs. It updates two existing statutes - specifically P.L.2021, c.76 and P.L.2021, c.239 - to add "accounting" to the definition of STEM fields. This change expands eligibility for state-funded initiatives supporting underrepresented students (such as women and minorities) in higher education recruitment and K-12 outreach programs focused on STEM careers. The bill does not create new programs but adjusts statutory language to ensure accounting degrees and careers qualify for existing STEM-related support.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands STEM eligibility for underrepresented students in state-funded programs, strengthening educational access and participation in STEM fields.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · New Jersey · Senate Jun 15, 2026

S 1340: Requires Commissioner of Education to develop guidance on accommodations for certain students fasting for religious or medical reasons.*

This bill allows public high school students in New Jersey who observe Ramadan to opt out of required physical education classes and sports participation during the holy month. Students may substitute PE with an instructional course or study hall (earning equivalent graduation credits) by submitting written notice to their principal before scheduling. Student-athletes may also be excused from sports or cheerleading programs by notifying their coach, with coaches prohibited from penalizing such absences. The policy specifically accommodates Muslim students' religious obligation to fast during Ramadan, without exempting them from other required health education courses.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnables religious accommodation in PE/sports, allowing students to meet graduation requirements via alternatives, expanding educational access and inclusivity for observant students.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jun 8, 2026

A 1492: Requires Secretary of Agriculture to establish Farm to School Local Food Procurement Reimbursement Grant Program to reimburse school districts for costs expended in sourcing and procuring local foods for students; appropriates $4,500,000.

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates $4.5M grant to reimburse schools for local food procurement, directly enhancing school meal programs and student nutrition within educational funding framework.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 18, 2026

A 2135: Requires institutions of higher education to collect and report employment data for certain graduates.

This bill requires New Jersey colleges and universities to collect and publicly report employment outcomes and earnings data for recent graduates using the state's statewide data system. It directly affects all public and private post-secondary institutions in New Jersey by mandating they post this information on their websites, disaggregated by factors like race, income, and gender. Key provisions include annual updates to a "student consumer information report" covering employment data for the three most recent graduation years, alongside other metrics like graduation rates and costs. Institutions must also provide physical copies with admission applications and link to a state-maintained comparative profile. The goal is to give prospective students and families transparent, data-driven insights about post-graduation outcomes.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates transparency in graduate employment data to inform student choices, enhancing educational access and accountability in higher education.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 7, 2026

A 1646: Establishes timelines for review and approval by Commissioner of Education of annual certified audits submitted by approved private schools for students with disabilities.

This bill sets strict deadlines for the New Jersey Commissioner of Education to review annual audits submitted by Approved Private Schools for Students with Disabilities (APSSDs). For audits submitted after the bill's effective date, the Commissioner must complete the review within seven years of submission; for older audits, the deadline is seven years after submission or two years after the bill's effective date (whichever is later). If the Commissioner misses these deadlines, the audit is automatically approved, preventing indefinite delays that previously disrupted school district budgeting and created unfair financial penalties for APSSDs. The bill directly affects APSSDs and the school districts that fund them through tuition payments.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnsures timely review of audits for private schools serving disabled students, preventing delays that could disrupt educational services. Protects access to approved programs for students with disabilities.80% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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signed · New Jersey · Senate May 7, 2026

S 1370: Requires new flooring for schools, community centers, and child care centers to be certified mercury-free.*

S 1370 requires that all new flooring installed in schools (K-12 public or private) and licensed child care centers must be certified by the manufacturer as mercury-free before a construction permit can be issued. This applies to any new construction, repair, or upgrade of flooring in these facilities. Manufacturers falsely claiming mercury-free flooring face civil penalties of $10,000 for a first offense and $25,000 for repeat violations. The bill takes effect 90 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates mercury-free flooring in schools for safety, directly improving school infrastructure and student/staff health as part of facility standards.90% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill mandates mercury-free flooring to prevent environmental contamination from toxic mercury, directly reducing pollution and aligning with environmental protection regulations.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 4, 2026

A 1212: Modifies matching grant criteria for New Jersey Better Educational Savings Trust accounts.

This bill modifies New Jersey's NJBEST educational savings program to expand eligibility for matching grants. Taxpayers with gross income of $75,000 or less who open an NJBEST account will now qualify for a dollar-for-dollar match on **all initial deposits** (not just the first deposit), up to a total $750 grant. The change clarifies that all initial contributions to the account - within the $750 cap - will be matched, whereas current law only referenced "the initial deposit." It directly affects low-to-moderate-income New Jersey residents opening these accounts for education savings.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax relief for lower-income taxpayers ($75k income cap) via expanded matching grants on educational savings, directly advancing fiscal support for middle/lower income households.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands NJBEST matching grants to all initial deposits for low-income families, increasing educational savings access and funding support.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · New Jersey · General Assembly May 4, 2026

A 2195: Directs DOH to develop guidelines for school districts and institutions of higher education concerning student vaping awareness campaigns.*

This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Education (DOE) to create and distribute annual guidelines for school districts and colleges. The guidelines must include research-backed materials on vaping's health risks (lung effects, mental health, comparison to smoking, dangers to pregnant people and children), age-appropriate anti-vaping campaigns, decision-making tools to resist peer pressure, and promotional materials for students from middle school through college. Schools and colleges must use these guidelines to implement campus anti-vaping programs. The DOH and DOE will update the guidelines yearly and post them online with additional resources.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires DOE/DOH to create anti-vaping guidelines for schools, enhancing student health education programs through research-backed materials and age-appropriate campaigns.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates health risk education on vaping's effects, including mental health, to prevent harm and promote student health awareness.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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