NJ Teacher Shortage Relief Possible With These Bills

NEW JERSEY — In recent months, New Jersey school districts have been facing severe teacher and staff shortages, largely because of the coronavirus pandemic. But a pair of proposed laws may help to get qualified educators back in classrooms across the state.

Here’s what they would do.

RETURNING FROM RETIREMENT

On Monday, the New Jersey Assembly passed A-5576, which will make it easier for retired educators to return to classrooms. A companion bill was passed in the Senate in June. The legislation now heads to the desk of Gov. Phil Murphy.

If it becomes law, retired teachers and staff members could return to work during the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years without having to reenroll in the Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF). They would be able to collect both their pensions and pay from a teaching position for up to two years without affecting their retirement benefits.

Under the bill, a retired teacher or professional staff member providing a special service would be allowed to return to work in a position of “critical need,” as determined by the commissioner of education, without being reenrolled in TPAF if reemployment occurs more than 180 days after retirement. The staff member would be able to return on an annual contract basis, which could be renewed for one additional year. The total period of reemployment could not exceed two years unless approved by the commissioner.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has presented our schools with many challenges, including significant teacher and staff shortages in districts throughout New Jersey,” said the bill’s sponsors, Mila Jasey (District 27) and Pamela Lampitt (District 6).

“We cannot allow these gaps in staffing to stand in the way of our students receiving the high-quality education our state is known for,” Jasey and Lampitt added.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT

Another bill that aims to ease the teacher shortage, S- 4203, was released from the New Jersey Senate by a vote of 39-0 on Monday.

The proposed law would eliminate the state residency requirement for all public school employees for a three year period. Schools would be required to make a “good faith effort” to hire New Jersey residents first.

The residency requirement was initially instituted in 2011.

“Teacher shortages have been a growing issue in New Jersey and around the country for the past several years, an issue which has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said its sponsor, Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz (District 29).

“While we have enacted various measures to try and address it, it is clear more needs to be done to ensure our schools have adequate staff to meet the needs of our students,” Ruiz said. “By removing the residency requirement, we can open the door for professionals from surrounding states to join our teaching workforce.”

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