This bill eliminates the requirement for students to provide a sales tax exemption form when purchasing textbooks, and removes the need for schools to formally declare textbooks as required for school. It directly affects students (especially those buying online), schools, and retailers by simplifying the tax exemption process. Key provisions include removing all form submissions, clarifying that rentals and all textbook formats (new, used, electronic, physical) qualify for exemption, and removing school approval requirements. The change applies immediately to all textbook sales and rentals without needing proof of school use.
S 1968 requires New Jersey public schools to obtain written parental consent before students can participate in health, family life, or sex education programs. Parents gain access to all curriculum materials (including videos) through school online portals and in-person reviews during office hours. School districts must also post summaries of these programs on their websites to help parents understand the content. This replaces current law, which only allowed students to be excused for religious/moral conflicts without requiring prior consent.
This bill establishes the New Jersey School Counts County College Scholarship Program, which provides up to $4,000 in scholarships to eligible high school graduates attending county colleges. To qualify, students must earn a "School Counts" certificate by meeting strict attendance (95%+), academic (C+ GPA), and graduation requirements during high school, including completing Algebra I. The scholarship covers tuition, books, and fees up to the full cost of attendance per year (capped at $2,000 annually), requires students to apply for other aid first, and is funded through state appropriations, college contributions, and private donations. It directly affects New Jersey high school graduates who meet the School Counts criteria and participating county colleges.
This bill (S 854) allows parents or guardians of public school students to receive a voucher from their school district if they withdraw their child due to objections about curriculum materials or activities they consider harmful. The voucher covers 75% of the district's annual per-pupil spending (prorated for remaining school days) to help pay for nonpublic school tuition and fees. It specifically includes objections related to materials addressing sex, sexuality, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, or ethics. The bill requires school districts to provide this funding if parents withdraw their child for these reasons, and it takes effect immediately upon enactment.
S 2627 establishes a permanent 25-member Advisory Commission on Advancing LGBTQIA+ Youth Equity and Inclusion in Schools within New Jersey's Executive Branch. The commission, appointed by state leaders and including representatives from education associations, advocacy groups, and state agencies, will review school policies affecting LGBTQIA+ students and recommend strategies to reduce bullying, improve mental health support, and ensure inclusive curriculum content. It directly serves LGBTQIA+ students in New Jersey public schools by guiding state efforts to create safer learning environments. The bill does not enact new school policies but creates a body to study challenges and advise the Department of Education, following a 2024 executive order.
S 1106 establishes a state-funded STEM grant program targeting at-risk students (defined as those from households earning at or below 1.85x the federal poverty level) in grades 6-8 across selected school districts. The bill requires participating districts to provide hands-on STEM projects, offer an accelerated learning option for students behind grade level (allowing two years of coursework in one year), and include staff training and classroom resources. It appropriates $2.25 million from the General Fund to the Department of Education, which will partner with the nonprofit Engaged Learning Strategies to administer the program. Districts must already have existing STEM programs meeting specific criteria and must serve at least 60 at-risk students per district. The program aims to expand project-based STEM learning in qualifying schools through direct funding and structured curriculum support.
This bill (S 2654) requires all New Jersey public school districts to add instruction about interacting with law enforcement to their social studies curriculum starting in the 2018-2019 school year. It directly affects all K-12 students by mandating age-appropriate lessons on mutual respect during police interactions, the role of law enforcement in public safety, individual responsibilities to comply with directives, and legal rights during encounters. The curriculum must be developed with an advisory committee including police unions, civil rights groups, and educators, split into two parts: simpler content for grades K-4 and more detailed material for grades 5-12. The law specifies concrete teaching requirements without altering existing standards or creating new enforcement mechanisms.
S 3082 creates a New Jersey Student Learning Standards Advisory Council with 15 members representing K-12 education, higher education, business, parents, and students to oversee revisions of state education standards. The council will form subject-specific subcommittees that must review existing standards, gather public feedback through online surveys and 60-day comment periods, and consider research and standards from other states before proposing changes. All materials, meeting minutes, and feedback must be posted online for public access. The process requires annual conflict-of-interest disclosures and mandates public hearings before revised standards are submitted to the State Board of Education for adoption. This bill establishes a structured, transparent review mechanism affecting all New Jersey public schools, higher education institutions, and families through the standards revision process.
This bill requires New Jersey public school districts to add instruction about social media and cell phone risks to grades 6 through 12. It expands current requirements by moving this education from technology classes (grades 6-8) to the health curriculum for all grades 6-12. The instruction must cover responsible use, cyber safety, and specifically address how addiction affects mental health, relationships, and development. School districts must implement this as part of existing health education standards, with the state providing sample resources. The bill directly affects all public school students in those grades and their schools.
This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Education (DOE) to create and maintain a public list of textbook vendors whose materials include "inclusive content" - defined as accurate portrayals of diversity in areas like race, gender, disability, and sexual orientation. School districts must select new textbooks only from vendors on this DOE-listed roster when purchasing for the first time. Exceptions allow districts to request commissioner approval for non-listed vendors, and the rule doesn't apply to textbooks from the state's existing textbook bank or for damaged/lost books needing replacement. The policy directly affects all New Jersey public school districts purchasing new textbooks.
