Grants For STEM Teachers Boosted Under New Jersey Bill

NEW JERSEY — The goal of expanding STEM education in the state is a no-brainer.

But for that to happen, having enough certified educators available to teach the challenging science, technology, engineering and math programs, both in public and nonpublic schools, is an integral part of the equation.

To that end, Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation in November amending the New Jersey Department of Education grant program for STEM teachers established by him in 2019.

Signed amid a nationwide teacher shortage, the law will "incentivize public school STEM teachers to participate in the program and ensure that nonpublic school students have access to STEM education," Murphy's office said in a news release.

And that's an important piece of the puzzle in boosting students' proficiency in these critical areas, said the bill sponsor, state Sen. Vin Gopal, D-Monmouth County, chairman of the Senate Education Committee.

“Given the difficult big picture environmental, technological and biological questions facing our world, the need for high-quality and diversified STEM classes, curriculum and instruction for our young people is more vital than ever,” said Gopal.

"By moving to further enhance the STEM educator grant program, we can attract more committed, well-qualified teachers to join the ranks, and feed the minds of hungry students who wish to pursue meaningful and worthwhile careers across the STEM spectrum,” he said.

The new legislation expands the number of educators who are eligible to provide STEM instruction at nonpublic schools in addition to their public school duties.

The law also broadens the hours at which public school teachers can teach at nonpublic schools, in addition to increasing teacher compensation for participating in the program, the governor's office says.

Gopal said the new law addresses the teacher shortage in the STEM areas amid a greater teacher shortage.

"It's a way very qualified people, maybe those starting a second career," can get a pathway into teaching in public and nonpublic schools, he said in an interview Wednesday.

He said new guidelines bring in people who "have had great careers" often in private companies in the STEM area to bring that wealth of knowledge to students.

Retired public school teachers can also become certified in STEM to teach part-time there or in nonpublic schools, he added.

Murphy stressed the importance of supporting STEM education:

"As we continue to support our students through the most formidable challenges of the 21st century, it is imperative that we continue to ensure that all students have access to a world-class STEM education,” said Murphy at the Nov. 2 signing.

“Since the beginning of my administration, I have remained unwavering in my commitment not just to New Jersey children, but to the teachers responsible for our students’ instruction, safety, and wellbeing.

"The expansion of the program I signed into law three years ago will provide current and prospective public school educators with greater flexibility and compensation to provide STEM education to nonpublic school students,” he said in a news statement.

Primary sponsors for the legislation in addition to Gopal are Sen. Shirley K. Turner (D-Mercer) and Assemblypersons Gary S. Schaer (D-Passaic) and Sterley S. Stanley (D-Middlesex).

“The improved STEM Educator Grant Program is a crucial step in ensuring educational equity for every student in New Jersey, regardless of what school they attend,” said Schaer.

“Generous state-funded grants will create needed opportunities for our highly qualified public school teachers in nonpublic schools that cannot provide advanced STEM programming," he said.

According to the statement on the bill (S2563), it "makes certain amendments to the STEM educator grant program. The program provides grants for teachers in public school districts to teach additional classes in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or computer science at nonpublic schools."

The statement continues:

"This bill also allows public school districts employing eligible teachers to object to participation in the program for certain allowable reasons.

"Currently, applications to participate in the program are submitted by nonpublic schools with acknowledgement of the arrangement from the public school district employing the teacher.

"Under this bill, nonpublic schools would submit the application unilaterally, and school districts would have the opportunity to object to the application after submission if the school district can demonstrate that the arrangement would conflict with public school duties and no resolution could be found or that students would otherwise be adversely affected by the arrangement."

The bill also addresses certain work schedule issues for teachers and wage issues - which requires its own math proficiency:

"The bill also broadens the times when a teacher may teach at the nonpublic school to any hours during which the teacher has no conflicting public school duties.

"This bill also defines the manner in which a teacher’s instructional hourly wage must be determined. Under the bill, the instructional hourly wage of an eligible teacher would be equal to the teacher’s salary for the previous school year, adjusted for inflation, divided by the product of 36 and the average number of weekly hours taught by the teacher in the prior school year," the bill says.

“Educators throughout New Jersey share a common goal of wanting to provide students with greater learning opportunities in school and greater chances for success after graduation,” said Dr. Angelica Allen-McMillan, Acting Commissioner of Education. “This legislation helps us move toward that goal by building upon incentives designed to introduce high-quality STEM coursework to more New Jersey students.”

And Katie Katz, executive director of Teach NJ, addressed the issue of educational opportunity:

"This innovative program has expanded access to a STEM education for many communities and these changes will further enhance the ability of teachers to participate and for schools to utilize the educational opportunity it provides their students," she said.