-Jennie Lamon, Assistant Director Government Relations
State Board of Education
The New Jersey State Board of Education held its regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, at the Riverview Executive Plaza in Trenton.
The brief meeting opened with a special recognition of New Jersey Commissioner of Education Kevin Dehmer, who was recently honored with the 2025 Career and Technical Education Leadership Award. The award was presented by the New Jersey Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools (NJCCVTS) during its annual summer meeting. NJCCVTS highlighted Commissioner Dehmer’s instrumental role in strengthening the state’s career and technical education (CTE) delivery model.
Under Commissioner Dehmer’s leadership, $275 million in state bonds have been allocated to expand vocational-technical schools across New Jersey, resulting in:
- over 4,700 new student seats;
- approximately 1,200 additional vocational school graduates annually;
- and 47 new career programs and 34 program expansions in high-demand and emerging fields such as advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, cybersecurity, global logistics, and unmanned aerial systems
The State Board expressed its appreciation to Commissioner Dehmer for creating new pathways and opportunities for New Jersey students.
Acknowledgment of Summer Professional Learning
State Board Vice President Dr. Ned Johnson took a moment to recognize that many New Jersey educators spend their summer engaged in professional development, highlighting that summer is not simply “time off” for teachers. He and fellow Board Member Dr. Claudine Keenan recently attended the Annual Amistad Summer Institute at Stockton University’s Atlantic City campus.
This year’s theme, “Moving Forward, Preserving Our Past: Revolution and Reform,” sparked powerful conversations. Dr. Johnson, a former history teacher and current historian, reflected personally on the importance of these sessions, particularly in today’s climate where there are efforts to obscure or erase aspects of our nation’s history. He emphasized how timely and necessary the discussions were, and he was grateful for the opportunity to attend.
Dr. Keenan echoed these sentiments, calling the Institute a “terrific event” and extended thanks to Assistant Commissioner: Ambrose F. Duckett, who was also in attendance.
Report of the Permanent Student Representative
Permanent Student Representative Kailynn DuRose, a rising junior at East Brunswick High School, shared a report on the recent Student Leadership Training Conference she attended this summer, highlighting key takeaways and experiences.
State Board Committee & Commissioner Reports
There were no committee reports this month, as standing committees did not meet in July.
There were also no Commissioner reports presented.
Items for Consideration and Action
All items listed below were approved unanimously by the Board:
Appointments
Two candidates were presented for appointment:
- Miss Katrina McCombs as Assistant Commissioner, Division of Early Childhood Services
- Mr. Ralph Hoag as Assistant Commissioner, Division of Administrative Services
Both will report directly to the Commissioner.
Certification of School Districts
- The Board approved the recertification of 38 school districts for a three-year period, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:7A-14a and b.
Appointment to the State Board of Examiners
The Board approved the appointment of Assistant Commissioner: Ambrose F. Duckett to the State Board of Examiners. The State Board of Examiners is composed of volunteer educators from diverse areas of the profession, and is responsible for:
- Revocation and suspension of teaching certificates
- Appeals of adverse decisions made by the Office of Recruitment, Preparation, and Certification
- Evaluation of applicants’ equivalent education or experience
There was no new business introduced at this meeting. State Board of Education President Kathy Goldenberg called for an adjournment, and wished everyone a happy and restful remainder of the summer!
The State Board will meet again on Wednesday, September 10th. Following the meeting, the State Board will receive public testimony. September’s public testimony session is “open topic”, meaning members of the public may testify on any education related issue to the State Board.
If you have any questions about the NJ State Board of Education, or would like additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me at any time: jlamon@njpsa.org. Thank you for your advocacy, and for all that you do!