Bill > S2020

Introduced Session

This bill establishes in the Department of Education a four-year "New Jersey Grow Your Own Teacher Pilot Program." The purpose of the program is to address teacher shortages in selected school districts, charter schools, or renaissance school projects and to diversify the teacher workforce in those schools by recruiting, developing, and supporting minority students in becoming teachers in the school districts from which they graduated. The department would provide annual grants to the three selected Grow Your Own Partnerships throughout the four-year pilot program that, at a minimum, would cover the tuition and fee and room and board costs for any students participating in the program who are attending an institution of higher education. To receive support under the pilot program, a school district, charter school, or renaissance school project or a group of school districts, charter schools, or renaissance schools would form a Grow Your Own Partnership with an institution of higher education in the State. The bill provides that a Grow Your Own Partnership may also include a supporting nonprofit organization. Under a Grow Your Own Partnership, a student seeking to become a teacher, who attends a partner institution of higher education and who graduated high school from a school district, charter school, or renaissance school project that is part of the partnership, would enter into an agreement with that partnership, to teach in a participating district or school for a period of at least three years upon graduation from the partner institution of higher education. Under the bill, a Grow Your Own Partnership seeking support from the State under the pilot program would apply to the Commissioner of Education in accordance with application procedures and requirements prescribed by the commissioner. The bill establishes certain minimum details and information that would be included on an application submitted by partnership. The bill requires the commissioner to prioritize partnerships that include one or more SDA districts. The commissioner would also give equal consideration to partnerships located in the north, central and southern geographical regions of the State. The bill requires the Department of Education to organize a New Jersey Grow Your Own Consortium, consisting of the Grow Your Own Partnerships selected for participation in the pilot program. The department would organize and convene meetings of the consortium, which shall occur on a quarterly basis during the four-year pilot program. The purpose of the meetings would be to provide opportunities for the partnerships to share their experiences administering the programs supported under the bill and to share best practices and potential ideas for furthering the programs. Lastly, the bill requires the department, on an annual basis throughout the duration of the pilot program, to submit to the Governor and to the Legislature, a report evaluating the effectiveness and progress of the pilot program to date.

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Vince Polistina (R)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document