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.
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.
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.
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.
This bill eliminates the statewide high school graduation proficiency test requirement for all New Jersey students. It directly affects every high school student in the state by removing a mandated test as a condition for earning a diploma. The key mechanism deletes references to the "Statewide proficiency test" from existing graduation statutes (including sections of P.L.1979, c.241), shifting responsibility to local school districts to set their own graduation standards. This change means students will no longer need to pass a state-administered test to graduate, though local districts must still establish and monitor proficiency requirements.
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 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 (A-167) requires New Jersey's State Board of Education to obtain legislative approval before implementing changes to core curriculum standards or statewide assessments. Specifically, any revision to these standards or assessments must be submitted to the Legislature, which must vote on a concurrent resolution within 45 days to approve or disapprove the change. If disapproved, the change cannot be implemented; if approved, it takes effect. This directly affects the State Board of Education (which develops standards) and the Legislature (which must vote on changes), shifting authority from the Board to the elected Legislature for these education policy decisions.
This bill prohibits New Jersey's State Board of Education from requiring teachers to use "student growth objectives" (SGOs) to measure student progress as part of teacher evaluations. Currently, SGOs account for 15-50% of a teacher's evaluation score. The bill directly affects all public school teachers by eliminating this specific evaluation component. The key provision bans the State Board from mandating SGOs or any substantially similar assessment for teacher evaluations, effective immediately upon enactment.
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.
