June 30th in Trenton is a day when much of the legislative work of the past year is finalized, including the FY 2026 State Budget. On Monday, the NJ State Senate and NJ General Assembly voted upon 129 individual pieces of legislation that address diverse aspects of life in our state from education to taxes to transportation and social services. Your Government Relations Team of Debra Bradley, Jennie Lamon, and Chris Nelson covered it all and our efforts were successful in achieving many important goals for our members, our students and our system of public education. The following is a summary of our efforts, the legislation and the status of the bills passed by our State Legislature that impact our schools. The Government Relations team also wishes to thank our active and retired members for helping us stop negative legislation to eliminate IRMAA reimbursement during state budget negotiations!
Signed Into Law
In addition to the Appropriations Act, Governor Murphy also signed the following bills into law on June 30th, 2025:
NJPSA is excited to announce the passage of P.L. 2025, Chapter 78 (S-3933/A-5075) that establishes a NJ School Supervisor Mentorship Pilot Program and to thank bill sponsors Assembly Budget Chair Lisa Swain (D-38) and Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz (D-29) for their leadership! This legislation addresses the “school leadership support gap” by establishing a voluntary, three year pilot program for novice supervisors. The legislation was developed by NJPSA in response to supervisor members’ need for support as they begin to serve in the unique role of school supervisor.
The program will be developed and administered through a partnership between the NJDOE and NJPSA/FEA. Each first year supervisor who volunteers for the program will receive the benefit of one year of working with an experienced supervisor mentor on a regular basis. Additionally, peer group support meetings, regular phone contact, best practices discussions and professional learning in relevant topics (school law, evaluation and supervisory practice, curriculum etc.) will be provided during the one year mentorship period. The NJDOE will oversee the program, develop guidelines and ultimately evaluate the program for potential expansion. NJPSA will be developing this program based upon the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders developed by the Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Policy Board for Educational Administration. The pilot will run for two years, after which the Department will issue a report and there will be an opportunity to continue and expand the program. NJPSA was successful in our efforts to have the bill include an appropriation of $500,000 to cover mentorship fees and program development and administration. Please stay tuned for more information on the NJ School Supervisor Mentoring Program this summer!
Another important goal of NJPSA over the past two years has been the updating and streamlining of the educator evaluation process. NJPSA was instrumental in steering this conversation on a productive path through the establishment of the NJ Educator Evaluation Task Force nearly two years ago. Since the Task Force issued its report in September 2024, a NJDOE Working Group has continued to meet to pursue potential NJDOE guidance and regulatory changes that will clarify and streamline the educator evaluation process created by the TEACH NJ statute, N.J.S.A. C.18A:6-123, and further defined by the ACHIEVE NJ regulations, N.J.A.C. 6A:10, adopted over a decade ago. Since the timeline for changes to state regulations is time-consuming and the 2025-26 school year begins a few months from now, legislation was necessary to extend and clarify the current moratorium on the development of new SGOs and administrator goals for 2025-26 and beyond till new regulations are adopted. NJPSA made sure that the new law specifically exempts, “principals, assistant principals and vice-principals” the job titles specifically mentioned in the evaluation sections of the TEACH NJ statute from the requirement to collect student data in support of their administrator goals in 2025-26 and thereafter until new regulations are adopted. For other job titles such as director or supervisor, the passage of Chapter 79 provides a strong basis to persuade local boards of the need to extend the SGO/administrator goals moratorium on data collection to related job titles.
In the first school year following the adoption of new regulations modifying N.J.A.C. 6A:10, school districts will implement guidelines for the collection of SGOs and administrator goals data consistent with the new regulations and guidance. Chapter 79 does permit a teacher or principal, assistant principal or vice-principal who is not satisfied with the sgo/administrator goal score to complete new SGOs or administrator goals for one year. In such cases, the educator must notify their supervisor and the school principal in writing on or before September 30 of the year in which the new SGO or administrator goals are to be completed. Once this new score is developed in the educator’s final summative evaluation for that school year, that score will continue to be used until new regulations are adopted or the educator requests the opportunity to develop a new SGO or administrator goals.
Another important change in Chapter 79 concerns teachers, principals, assistant principals and vice-principals who will potentially earn tenure during the school year. In such cases, if the educator is eligible to attain tenure on or before February 15 , that teacher, principal, assistant principal or vice-principal shall not be required to set SGOs or administrator goals data for the school year in which they will attain tenure rights. Instead, the most recent SGO or administrator goals score will be utilized. If the teacher, principal, vice-principal or assistant principal is eligible for tenure consideration after February 15, that educator must set SGOs or administrator goals for that school year and collect student growth objective data or administrator goals data during the school year. This law goes into effect immediately.
P.L.2025, c.76 Grant Program for Public Schools to Install Filtered Bottle Filling Stations
S-4632/A-5812 requires the Commissioner of Education to establish a School Lead Filters program to provide grants, subject to available appropriations, for the purchase and installation of point-of-use filtered bottle-filling stations and filtered faucets in public schools no later than 180 days after enactment of the bill. Public schools that wish to apply to the program are to apply to the Department of Education for a grant in a form and manner as determined by the commissioner. This act shall take effect immediately. NJPSA supported this legislation.
Budget Bill, P.L. 2025, c. 74, A-5800/S-2026
Before midnight on June 30, Governor Phil Murphy signed into law the Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations Act, his last budget in his eight years as Governor. The $58.78 billion budget includes these education components:
- $12.1 billion in K-12 aid to schools according to the School Funding Reform Act (SFRA)
- Includes “guardrails” on state aid gains and losses, (6% and 3% respectively) to promote funding stability
- $7.5 million in new grant funding to support high impact tutoring
- $3million in incentive grants for schools that choose to go entirely cell-phone free to reduce student distractions
- $1.27 billion to continue the push for universal pre-school
- $6.7billion surplus, an amount 16 times greater than when he arrived in office, and put in place in anticipation of potential federal funding losses
- $7.2 billion to make the full payment on public employees pension systems, the fifth year in a row for full payments
- $4.3 billion in direct property tax relief programs (ANCHOR, Stay NJ, Senior Freeze)
For more information, please reach out to the NJPSA Government Relations Department.
On the Governor’s Desk
The following bills have passed both Houses and have been sent to the Governor for his consideration. As of the date of this publication, these bills have not yet been signed into law by the Governor.
This legislation addresses cases where an educator had a break in service either due to layoff (RIF), regionalization or extended personal leave. It permits such TPAF members to maintain their enrollment and member tier in the TPAF retirement system following a period of discontinuance. Prior to the passage of the bill and until the Governor signs it, the law provides that TPAD ceases if an individual discontinues service for more than two years. A-1675 extends the period of discontinuance to 10 years.
The bill also extends the length of time a TPAF member who left service for certain qualifying reasons including those who left service with 10 or more years of service credit. The bill extends the time period that a member can have a break in service from the current 10 years to 15 years so long as the educator did not withdraw their member contributions from the pension system. Under the bill, a person who returns to service with an employer within the time period of 10 to 15 years will be eligible to enroll in the TPAF fund based upon the eligibility requirements for the member’s tier at the time of the member’s termination of service prior to to the return to service. The bill contains a retroactivity clause that permits individual who met the criteria just described, to be placed in the member’s pension tier at the time of the member’s termination of service without any additional contributions imposed on the member or the employer. If signed by Governor Murphy, the bill will go into effect immediately. NJPSA strongly supported this legislation which corrects a significant inequity in the current pension system. This bill has passed both houses and has been sent to the Governor.
A-5847 Extends deadline for completion of school district’s annual audit for 2024-2025 school year
Under current law, the board of education of every school district is required to complete an annual audit of the school district’s accounts and financial transaction completed no later than five months after the end of the school year. The school district’s accountant is required to file a report of the annual audit with the board of education, and within five days thereafter, the Commissioner of Education. This bill extends each of these deadlines for the 2024-2025 school year. The provisions of P.L.2023, c.305 similarly extended the deadline for the completion of a school district’s annual audit for the 2022-2023 and the 2023-2024 school years. This bill has passed both houses and has been sent to the Governor.
This bill requires all public and nonpublic schools participating in the National School Lunch Program and the federal School Breakfast Program to comply with federal nutrition standards and competitive foods sold in schools adopted by the United States Department of Agriculture for the National School Lunch Program and federal School Breakfast Program, or any other more stringent nutrition standards adopted at the federal level in the future. The bill codifies in State law that all reimbursable meals under the National School Lunch Program and the federal School Breakfast Program are to comply with the current nutrition standards for the National School Lunch Program and federal School Breakfast Program adopted by the United States Department of Agriculture or any other updated nutrition standards adopted at the federal level in the future. This bill has passed both houses and has been sent to the Governor for his consideration..
Passed Both Houses and Sent to Governor
This legislation requires the State Board of Education to adopt New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Social Studies on Latino and Hispanic history. Additionally, the bill requires boards of education to include instruction on the history and contributions of Latinos and Hispanics in an appropriate place in the curriculum of students in grades K-12 as part of the social studies curriculum. The Commissioner of Education, in conjunction with the Commission on Latino and Hispanic Heritage, will provide sample learning activities and resources to districts. The timing of this requirement is to take place concurrently with each update to the NJ Student Learning Standards which occurs every five years. The Social Studies standards review is to occur in 2025. The bill is to take effect upon signing, but it will first apply to the first full school year following the date of enactment. The Social Studies standards review process will occur concurrently.
Passed Both Houses and Sent to Governor
This bill requires the State Board of Education to adopt New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Social Studies pertaining to the history of labor and labor movements in the United States and New Jersey. Per the bill, the instruction shall include, at a minimum, information on:
(1) the history of organized labor;
(2) notable strikes throughout history;
(3) unionization drives; and
(4) the collective bargaining process and existing legal protections in the workplace.
NJPSA was able to work with the sponsors and other education stakeholder groups to change the implementation of this bill from “immediately” to coincide with the next update to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. This bill has passed both houses and has been sent to the Governor.
A-5779/S-3776 Establishes Chronic Absenteeism Task Force
Assembly Education Chair Reynolds Jackson and Senator Turner sponsored this legislation that creates a 19 member Task Force comprised of the Commissioner of Education, four public members appointed by the Legislature and specific members appointed by the Governor including a NJPSA representative. The role of the Task Force is to review data on chronic absenteeism pre-pandemic and current data, analyze the causes of chronic absenteeism, examine the role of mental health on this issue, research best practices, and develop recommendations to address this issue. The Task Force Report will be due six months from the date of enactment of the bill. NJPSA supported this legislation. This bill has passed both houses and has been sent to the Governor.
Passed Both Houses and Sent to Governor
NJPSA supported this legislation after critical amendments were adopted during the legislative process. As amended, the “New Jersey Universal Preschool and Kindergarten Act,” effectively codifies into statute, the state’s existing preschool expansion aid program, while also ensuring all elementary school districts offer free, full-day kindergarten to all five-year-old students by the 2029-2030 school year.
The bill establishes a three year pilot program for interested districts to apply for preschool expansion grants. Under the bill, a school district first receiving preschool education aid in one of the next three school years and participating in a pilot program established by the commissioner would be allowed to exceed its local tax levy cap by an increase amounting to the local share of preschool education costs. If a district is already providing full-day preschool for three- and four-year-olds, the bill would allow that district to use state-provided preschool education aid for additional purposes designated by the commissioner including summer programs, professional development for preschool staff, preschool facilities improvements and transportation services for preschool. The bill would require districts receiving preschool education aid to obtain commissioner approval prior to implementing any significant redistribution of state-funded preschool seats among district-operated programs, licensed childcare providers, and Head Start programs.
The bill details application requirements for NJDOE preschool expansion grants, which would be made eligible to districts that meet certain criteria, including already providing full-day kindergarten. The bill also sets several requirements for districts receiving preschool education aid, including demonstrating due diligence to reach out and consider “mixed delivery” preschool programs (i.e. partnering with licensed childcare providers and Head Starts) and participating in a system of self-assessment.
The bill establishes a Universal Preschool Implementation Steering Committee – with mandatory subcommittees to solicit input from local practitioners – within NJDOE and would require NJDOE to develop a Mixed Delivery Model Preschool Handbook. NJPSA was successful in seeking this amendment to ensure that early childhood professionals are at the table during implementation.
The bill would also set a kindergarten enrollment birthday deadline of October 1 of that school year and would require districts to provide free full-day kindergarten (or enter into a send-receive relationship for full-day kindergarten) by the beginning of the 2029-2030 school year. A district may modify the kindergarten start date.
Passed Both Houses and Sent to Governor
NJPSA also supported this preschool companion legislation with the goal of providing stability and certainty to support the mixed delivery system of preschool education in our state. This legislation grants a board of education the authority to pass a resolution to award a preschool education services contract without the requirement of public advertising and bidding. Additionally, the bill extends the maximum contract length for preschool education services to three years.
Passed Both Houses and Sent to Governor
NJPSA’s Special Education Committee played a critical role in the amendments adopted in this legislation. NJPSA supported the bill which requires public schools to provide a written statement to parents detailing the special education student’s current levels of academic and functional performance, a list of names of any required IEP team members seeking excusal from participation in the annual IEP review meeting, and an invitation for parental input and feedback at the annual review meeting. This statement must be provided at least two business days prior to the annual team meeting. The statement shall be delivered to the parent via regular mail and email if the district has the parent’s email information. Additionally, the bill creates, within the NJDOE, the Individualized Education Program Improvement Working Group. Its purpose is to provide recommendations regarding methods to improve the development and implementation of IEPS and to ensure parental involvement in the process. NJPSA will have two principals, two directors of special education and potentially a child study team representative on the Working Group. The effective date of the legislation, if signed by Governor Murphy will be the first full school year following the date he signs the bill.
Passed Both Houses and sent to Governor
The bill defines the role of a school counselor as someone who recognizes and responds to the need for mental health services that promote social and emotional wellness and development for all students and is tasked with designing and delivering a comprehensive program for school counseling that promotes the achievement of students. NJPSA worked with the school counselors to modify the legislation during the legislative process. NJPSA supports this version of the legislation. Final bill requirements include:
- School counselors to complete professional development in relevant areas, such as the promotion of mental health awareness and trauma-informed counseling.
- School counseling certification programs at institutions of higher education to incorporate the American School Counselor Association’s national model for comprehensive school counseling programs or a state-approved model and
- The Commissioner of Education to appoint a state school counselor liaison to work with school districts to facilitate best practices and serve as a resource expert for school counselors.
Passed Both Houses and Sent to Governor
This bill amends the definition of “compensation” for purposes of pension calculation for the Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF). If signed by the Governor, this legislation will include additional pay for performing extracurricular duties beyond the regular school day or school year. Extracurricular duties include, but are not limited to, preparation and involvement in public performances, contests, athletic competitions, demonstrations, displays and club activities. Currently, the additional pay or stipend are not included in calculations for pension purposes.
S-3769/A-4897 makes changes to student identification cards
Passed Both Houses and Sent to Governor
This legislation requires public schools and higher education institutions that issue student identification cards to print the telephone number for mental health and suicide crisis resources as determined by the Commissioner of Human Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education. As amended, the bill specifies that its provisions would apply to new and replacement cards issued in the first full school year following the bill’s enactment.
Passed One House, Pending Further Consideration
Passed by the Senate
6/30/2025 Passed by the Senate (38-1)
Senate Education Chair Vin Gopal(D-10) has put his focus on updating and addressing chronic issues within the School Funding Reform Act (SFRA) over the past year. Although this legislation has not been considered by an Assembly committee, the Senate Education Committee has held several meetings to discuss school funding reforms. This legislation, as currently amended, would increase transparency in the calculation of state aid, provide public comment opportunities statewide, expand the provisions of the Education Adequacy Report adopted every three years as part of the SFRA, provide for increases in the Extraordinary Special Education financing pot of funds, and establish a Special Education Funding Review Task Force.
Passed by the Senate (39-0)
This legislation requires school bus personnel to report a 911 call to the Office of Special Education in the NJDOE. Additionally, school bus contractors must keep a record of such calls. The bill also includes training requirements related to school bus safety and the appropriate interaction of bus personnel with students with disabilities biannually. This bill expands current training requirements to include any other individual who works, and is otherwise responsible for the safety of students, on a school bus transporting students with disabilities. The bill also contains equipment requirements for school buses transporting one or more students with disabilities with specialized transportation requirements as follows:
- a video camera on the interior of the school bus to monitor student safety while the students are being transported;
- a global positioning system that provides information about the location and speed of each school bus in real time; and
- two-way communications equipment, which may include a cellular telephone.
To fund these extra transportation costs, the legislation permits districts to apply to the Motor Vehicle Commission for grants to purchase and install the required equipment. No Assembly action has been taken on this legislation.
Passed by the Assembly
06/30/2025 Passed in Assembly 76-2-, Pending Senate Budget and Appropriations review
This legislation directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish and operate a Farm to School Local Food Procurement Grant Program to reimburse school districts who implement or undertake new, expanded, or modified local food procurement policies, practices, standards, system and activities. The goal is to expand the types or amounts of food available to student during the school year and summer months. The bill further details the application process, acceptable use of funds, and other operational issues. The bill provides for a $4.5 million appropriation from the General Fund for the programs operations.