Education in New Jersey

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

A 963: Directs Commissioner of Education to develop sexual assault prevention training program for high school athletic directors and coaches of interscholastic sports programs.

This bill requires New Jersey's Commissioner of Education (with input from the Division of Criminal Justice) to create a sexual assault prevention training program for high school athletic coaches and athletic directors. The training covers preventing sexual assault, recognizing signs of assault, and connecting victims to medical, legal, and counseling services. All coaches and athletic directors in public and nonpublic high school sports programs must complete this training every four years, with new hires required to complete it in their first year. The program must be updated regularly to reflect current best practices.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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

A 2750: Establishes New Jersey Tuition Reimbursement Program for Special Education Teachers.

Bill A 2750 establishes New Jersey's Tuition Reimbursement Program for Special Education Teachers, directly affecting current or prospective special education teachers in New Jersey public schools. The program reimburses eligible tuition costs for approved master's programs or graduate coursework in special education (leading to NJ certification), up to 100% of expenses, in exchange for a four-year teaching commitment in a NJ public school after completing the program. To qualify, participants must be NJ residents, hold a valid teaching certificate, enroll in an approved program, and agree to teach special education for four years. Failure to complete the service term or meet performance standards (like maintaining certification or residency) requires full repayment of the reimbursement to the state.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Higher Education Special Education

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

A 1114: Establishes position of Ombudsman of Student Discipline to serve within Office of Secretary of Higher Education.

This bill establishes an Ombudsman of Student Discipline within New Jersey's Office of the Secretary of Higher Education. The ombudsman will directly assist students facing disciplinary actions at public or private colleges and universities in the state, prioritizing urgent cases involving potential suspension, dismissal, or academic loss. Key mechanisms include reviewing student requests for help during disciplinary hearings, investigating claims of unfair process or overly harsh penalties, and submitting findings to students, disciplinary boards, and institution leaders. Institutions must then decide whether to adjust disciplinary procedures or penalties based on the ombudsman's report and publicly disclose whether they accept the findings. The position takes effect 90 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 19, 2026

S 3551: Excludes deferred compensation of certain public school and federal tax-exempt organization employees from current taxation under gross income tax.

S 3551 would amend New Jersey's gross income tax law to allow employees of public schools and federal tax-exempt organizations (such as hospitals, churches, and social service groups) to exclude their retirement savings contributions from current taxable income. Currently, New Jersey permits this tax deferral for employees of private businesses but not for these specific retirement plans used by tax-exempt organizations. The bill extends the same tax treatment to these employees by aligning New Jersey's rules with federal tax code provisions for retirement savings. This change would take effect for taxable years beginning after the bill's enactment.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Income Tax Tax Incentives

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

A 116: Requires Commissioner of Education to prepare report on learning loss of students with developmental disabilities during COVID-19 public health emergency.

This bill requires New Jersey's Commissioner of Education to study learning loss among students with developmental disabilities during pandemic school closures. The study must compare current academic skills to pre-pandemic levels using data from student assessments, attendance records, compensatory services, and parent feedback on challenges faced. The Commissioner must submit findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within 180 days of the bill's effective date. This directly affects students with developmental disabilities and the state's education planning processes.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 2, 2026

S 3296: Requires public institution of higher education to provide alternative scholarship to student-athlete who loses athletic scholarship due to injury.

This bill requires New Jersey public colleges to provide a replacement scholarship to student-athletes who lose their athletic scholarship due to an injury or illness directly related to intercollegiate athletics. If a student-athlete becomes medically ineligible for sports participation (as determined by the institution's medical staff), the school must offer a scholarship equal in value for the rest of their undergraduate degree program or up to five academic years - whichever is shorter. It specifically covers injuries deemed "incapacitating" under the bill's definition, ensuring financial support continues after athletic eligibility ends. The policy applies only to public institutions of higher education in New Jersey and takes effect immediately upon passage.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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

A 3399: Permits certain noncitizen teachers to be eligible for tenure.

This bill allows noncitizen teachers who hold a special teaching certificate (issued to those with intent to become U.S. citizens) to qualify for tenure in New Jersey public schools. It removes the current requirement that teachers must be U.S. citizens to earn tenure, while keeping all other tenure requirements (like teaching experience and performance) unchanged. Teachers with existing certificates under this program can count prior teaching service toward tenure eligibility, and the bill repeals previous laws blocking this change. The policy directly affects noncitizen teachers employed in New Jersey public schools who meet standard tenure qualifications.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Immigration

Sub-Topics Teachers Citizenship & Naturalization

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

A 373: Requires school safety teams to include coaches; broadens definition of "harassment, intimidation or bullying" to include hazing; requires coaches and certain advisors to complete training on anti-bullying policy.

This New Jersey bill (A 373) requires school safety teams to include coaches and broadens the definition of "harassment, intimidation, or bullying" to explicitly include hazing behavior. It directly affects public schools, coaches of athletic programs, and advisors of extracurricular activities by mandating they complete annual anti-bullying training focused on protected characteristics like race, gender, and disability. Key provisions include adding coaches to school safety teams (which must meet twice yearly), expanding bullying definitions to cover hazing, and requiring districts to train staff on preventing bullying based on protected categories. The bill also mandates schools to incorporate anti-bullying policies into staff training and provide accessible policy information to relevant school personnel.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics School Safety

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

A 2460: Requires NJT to offer discount fares to certain individuals.

This bill requires New Jersey Transit (NJT) to offer discounted fares on tickets or passes for specific groups: K-12 students commuting to school, full-time college/university students, participants in workforce training programs, individuals receiving Work First New Jersey benefits, and newly employed residents meeting strict criteria (e.g., starting at minimum wage, working 20+ hours/week, unemployed 30+ days prior). The discounts apply to all NJT services, including buses, trains, and light rail. It takes effect immediately upon enactment. The bill directly affects eligible students, trainees, low-income recipients, and new workers seeking affordable transit access.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education Public Transit Rail

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

A 4341: Establishes New Jersey Community Learning Program in DOE to provide comprehensive after school programs in certain communities; dedicates portion of State cannabis revenue to support program.

This bill establishes the New Jersey Community Learning Program within the Department of Education to provide comprehensive after-school programs in school districts (called "impact districts") most affected by past cannabis enforcement. It directly affects students in these designated communities by funding academic support and enrichment during non-school hours (before/after school, summer). The program is funded using a portion of New Jersey's state cannabis tax revenue, requiring districts to create detailed plans for services, staffing, locations, and costs within 120 days of the bill's effective date. The program aims to close achievement gaps by offering structured activities during times when school is not in session.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Revenue

All education bills