This bill (A 901, "Max's Law") requires New Jersey public school districts to include age-appropriate instruction on the dangers of fentanyl and xylazine in health education for students in grades 6-12. Key provisions mandate teaching specific topics like abuse prevention, poisoning symptoms, emergency response, and legal protections for seeking help, using resources from federal agencies like the CDC and DEA. The bill also requires the state education department to provide resources, maintain online materials for schools and parents, and submit annual reports on the curriculum's effectiveness. The bill was withdrawn after being approved as P.L.2025, c.278.
This bill prohibits New Jersey colleges and universities from paying online program management companies (like third-party firms managing their online courses) incentive-based compensation (such as commissions or bonuses tied to student enrollment or financial aid) except for recruiting international students. It requires all new or amended contracts with these companies to be submitted to the state higher education office within 20 days and approved by the institution's governing board, banning provisions like tuition-based payments, involvement in curriculum design, or use of the school's branding. Institutions must also submit annual reports detailing how these companies spent funds across specific categories, including instruction, student support, and technology. The law applies to both public colleges and licensed for-profit schools offering degree programs.
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.
This resolution urges the New Jersey State Board of Education to require school districts to incorporate financial literacy instruction into existing mathematics and social studies classes, rather than creating new separate courses. It directly affects school districts by directing them to integrate practical skills like budgeting, debt management, and savings planning into current curricula. The resolution emphasizes this approach reduces administrative burden while ensuring students learn critical financial topics aligned with existing state standards. It is a non-binding recommendation, not a law, and does not impose new graduation requirements.
This bill requires every New Jersey public school with a library to post a complete, up-to-date list of all library resources - such as books, magazines, DVDs, and digital databases - on its public website in an easily accessible location. Schools must add any newly purchased or ordered resources to the list within 10 days. The school library media specialist is responsible for maintaining the list, or if no specialist exists, the principal must assign a staff member to handle it. The law takes immediate effect upon enactment.
This bill would have required New Jersey public school districts to teach cursive handwriting to students in kindergarten through fifth grade, with a specific goal for students to read and write cursive legibly by the end of third grade. It mandated that school curricula include activities and materials to develop these skills, citing potential cognitive and literacy benefits. The bill was introduced in January 2026 but was withdrawn the same day after being approved as part of a prior law (P.L.2025, c.284), meaning it never became law. It directly affected all public elementary schools and their curriculum planning. The bill's provisions would have taken effect for the first full school year following enactment.
This bill (A 3819) requires all New Jersey 11th grade students to complete a mandatory United States civics course starting in the 2023-2024 school year as part of their high school graduation requirements. The course must cover democratic principles, U.S. government, and New Jersey's state, county, and municipal governments to prepare students for civic participation. Local school boards must provide the course, and the State Board of Education must ensure it is included in graduation requirements. The policy directly affects all public high school students in 11th grade across New Jersey.
This bill requires all New Jersey high school students pursuing a state-endorsed diploma to complete a one-semester financial literacy course. It directly affects high school students by mandating curriculum covering budgeting, savings, credit, debt, taxes, college financial planning, banking, and consumer skills. The course must be taught by teachers with appropriate endorsements and cannot be satisfied by existing economics or business courses. The requirement applies to students entering 12th grade in the 2027-2028 school year.
This bill establishes a three-year pilot program for school-based mentoring in New Jersey public schools located within 1,000 feet of where gunfire occurred in the prior school year (a "crisis zone"). It directly affects kindergarten through third-grade students at risk for mental health issues or substance abuse, targeting improvements in their emotional resilience, social skills, and behavior. The program requires participating schools to use a weekly, 25-minute one-on-one mentoring curriculum focused on monitoring emotions, building coping skills, and maintaining emotional control, with schools selecting mentors and evaluating student progress at three intervals. After the pilot, the Commissioner of Education must report on whether the program could be expanded statewide.
S 2797 would have required New Jersey public school districts to teach cursive handwriting to students in kindergarten through fifth grade, with a goal of achieving legible cursive writing proficiency by the end of third grade. The bill mandated incorporating specific activities and materials into the curriculum to develop students' ability to read and write cursive, citing research linking cursive instruction to improved cognitive, motor, and literacy skills - particularly for students with learning disabilities like dyslexia. This bill was withdrawn on January 13, 2026, as it was already enacted through P.L.2025, c.284.
