S2498 S2505 1R SCS

Sponsored by:

Senator M. TERESA RUIZ

District 29 (Essex and Hudson)

Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Senator ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT

District 31 (Hudson)

Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO

District 20 (Union)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators O'Scanlon, Diegnan, Assemblyman Sauickie, Assemblywoman Speight, Assemblyman Sampson, Assemblywomen Carter and Haider

SYNOPSIS

Requires Commissioner of Education to establish employment web portal and virtual applicant profile system.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As reported by the Assembly Appropriations Committee on December 18, 2025, with amendments.

An Act concerning employment opportunities in public schools and supplementing chapter 6 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

¹1. As used in this act, “public schools” means a school operated by local or regional school district established pursuant to chapter 8 or chapter 13 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, a charter school, a renaissance school project, an educational services commission, or any other local education agency.¹

¹[1.] 2.¹ a. The Commissioner of Education shall establish and maintain¹, within the limit of funds appropriated,¹ an educator ¹[common application and] employment¹ web portal ¹, which shall be fully operational within 12 months of the effective date of this act¹. The web portal shall ¹[allow candidates who have been issued a certificate necessary to seek employment in a public school, including a substitute teacher credential, to submit a single common application to apply for employment at the] aggregate job postings from¹ public schools ¹[of] and approved private schools for students with disabilities across¹ the State ¹to allow educators to search for positions in one place and provide direct links to school-specific application systems for submission¹.

b. The ¹[common application and]¹ web portal established pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall:

(1) maximize the ability of educators to connect with public schools ¹and approved private schools for students with disabilities¹ that have employment openings;

(2) increase the degree of information sharing regarding employment opportunities for educators; and

(3) maintain high standards for data privacy and security.

c. The commissioner may contract with a private vendor to effectuate the purposes of this section.

d. The commissioner may reconstruct an existing Internet website or web portal operated by the Department of Education to meet the requirements established pursuant to subsection a. of this section.

¹[e. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent a school district or public school employer from using its own application process or web portal or from requiring additional materials from applicants who apply for employment using the common application and web portal established pursuant to this section.]¹

¹3. a. The Commissioner of Education shall develop, within the limit of funds appropriated, a virtual applicant profile system that allows job applicants to store and manage commonly required employment information in a secure format for use when applying to a position with a public school or an approved private school for students with disabilities using school-specific application systems. The system shall be fully operational within 12 months of the effective date of this act.

b. Information contained in the virtual applicant profile system may include, but need not be limited to name, date of birth, education, employment history, and teacher certifications and endorsements.

c. The commissioner may contract with a private vendor to effectuate the purposes of this section.

d. The commissioner may reconstruct an existing Internet website or web portal operated by the Department of Education to meet the requirements established pursuant to subsection a. of this section.

e. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent a public school, an approved private school for students with disabilities, or an employee thereof from using its own application process or from requiring additional materials from applicants who apply for employment.¹

¹[2.] 4.¹ This act shall take effect on the first day of the eighth month next following the date of enactment, except that the commissioner may take any anticipatory action necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.