Education (Testing & Assessment) in New Jersey

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 19, 2026

S 3609: Requires carbon monoxide detectors in school buildings.

S 3609 requires all New Jersey public and private schools to install carbon monoxide detectors meeting Underwriters Laboratories standard 2034 (or equivalent) in buildings used for instruction, unless a hazard assessment determines no risk exists. The Commissioner of Community Affairs will establish rules for detector placement and installation. This applies to all school buildings, including new constructions where building permits must now include detector provisions. The bill exempts structures with no identified carbon monoxide hazard.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics School Safety Testing & Assessment

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3394: Requires registration and oversight of home education programs.

This bill requires parents or guardians who educate their children at home to register with their local school district by August 1st each year (or within 14 days of starting). They must submit a letter with the student’s name/age and the instructor’s name, plus a curriculum aligned with New Jersey’s learning standards. Supervisors must maintain a student portfolio of work samples and secure an annual evaluation from an external qualified evaluator (not a parent), which is submitted to the school district by June 30th. Students meeting these requirements can earn a state-endorsed high school diploma.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education Testing & Assessment

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Feb 24, 2026

A 4486: Requires public institution of higher education to provide academic credit for certain examinations.

This bill (A4486) requires New Jersey public colleges and universities to award academic credit to students who earn a score of 3 or higher on Advanced Placement (AP) exams or 50 or higher on College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) assessments. It applies specifically to students pursuing associate or bachelor's degrees who completed the relevant high school courses/exams before enrolling. Institutions must post their credit policies online, submit them to the Higher Education Secretary, and notify the Secretary 60 days before changing policies. The bill also allows limited exemptions for specific courses if institutions provide data showing different score requirements are needed for student success.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education Testing & Assessment

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Feb 19, 2026

A 4089: Establishes loan redemption program for certain bilingual education teachers.

This bill establishes a loan redemption program for New Jersey public school teachers who teach bilingual education or English as a second language (ESL) programs. To qualify, teachers must work full-time for four consecutive years in a school where at least 10% of students are enrolled in such programs, and they must be New Jersey residents. The program, administered by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, will redeem up to $20,000 in eligible student loan expenses (25% of the balance per year, capped at $5,000 annually) after four years of service. Priority is given to teachers working in schools designated as "low performing" based on student assessment data.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid Testing & Assessment

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3033: Establishes "Responsible School Violence Prevention, Preparation, and Protection Pilot Program" in certain counties and cities of first class; makes an appropriation.

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget Curriculum School Safety Testing & Assessment

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3211: Requires students to pass test identical to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services civics test as part of high school graduation requirements.

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.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education Testing & Assessment

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1276: Requires Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery-Armed Forces Qualifying Test to be offered as alternative assessment for high school graduation proficiency test requirement.

This bill requires New Jersey's State Board of Education to reinstate the ASVAB-AFQT (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery-Armed Forces Qualifying Test) as an approved alternative assessment for meeting high school graduation requirements. It directly affects public high school students who need to demonstrate proficiency in state standards, allowing them to use the ASVAB-AFQT score instead of the standard graduation test. The bill adds ASVAB-AFQT back to the list of approved "substitute competency tests" that were previously removed from the 2024-2025 graduation pathways. This change provides students with an additional, standardized option to prove they meet graduation standards without needing to retake the state test.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education Testing & Assessment

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3018: Requires Commissioner of Education to develop best practices guidelines concerning student preparation for State assessments.

This bill requires New Jersey's Commissioner of Education to create and issue guidelines by September 1, 2023, for school districts on preparing students for state assessments. The guidelines must include best practices for test preparation, specifically addressing how to limit the amount of classroom time dedicated to test prep. These rules apply directly to all public school districts in New Jersey that administer state assessments. The bill focuses on setting clear parameters for instructional time rather than changing the assessments themselves.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Testing & Assessment

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 2, 2026

S 3227: Authorizes municipal assessment of development impact fees following State guidelines and makes an appropriation.

This bill authorizes New Jersey municipalities to charge development impact fees on new construction projects to fund infrastructure improvements. It requires these fees to follow state-established guidelines and directs the funds toward upgrading roads, water systems, sewer facilities, and school infrastructure strained by new development. Developers of new projects will pay these fees, while municipalities will use the revenue to address specific infrastructure needs identified by the state. The bill also includes a funding appropriation to support this fee program.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Appropriations Testing & Assessment

died · New Jersey · Senate Jan 28, 2026

S 1560: Requires decommissioned nuclear power facility to pay annual community service payment in lieu of property taxes.

S 1560 requires owners of decommissioned nuclear power plants that still contain spent nuclear fuel (and thus cannot be redeveloped) to pay annual community service payments instead of property taxes. The first payment equals the plant owner's last full year of property taxes before decommissioning, increasing by 2% each subsequent year. Payments are made annually by August 1 to the local municipality, which keeps the municipal portion and forwards the school district portion within five business days. The payments continue until the spent nuclear fuel is safely removed, at which point the property returns to regular property tax assessment.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Testing & Assessment

All education bills