New Jersey Law For Teachers Goes Into Effect
Well, folks, buckle up because we’ve got a classic example of “desperate times call for desperate measures” playing out in the Garden State.
New Jersey, facing a teacher shortage crisis, has decided to take a bold step—or depending on how you see it, a leap off a very steep cliff. As of this year, teachers in New Jersey will no longer be required to pass a basic reading, writing, and math test to teach in public schools. Yes, you heard that right: no more standardized test hurdles for aspiring educators.
Now, let’s be clear—this isn’t about letting anyone walk in off the street with a backpack and a whiteboard marker. Teachers will still need a bachelor’s degree, a minimum GPA, and relevant credits in their subject areas. And yes, they might still need to pass specialized subject tests. But that once-standard barrier, the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators test—a widely used exam in over 40 states—is now officially off the checklist.
We need you to take action! Last year, NJ eliminated the edTPA, a barrier to becoming a certified teacher. Now it’s time to eliminate another barrier: the basic skills test for teachers. Urge Gov. Murphy to sign S1553 right away. #WEareNJEA https://t.co/XH694Vq7Eq
— NJEA (@NJEA) November 8, 2023
Governor Phil Murphy signed Act 1669 into law back in June, and as of January 1st, it’s officially in effect. The reasoning behind this? Well, it’s pretty straightforward: New Jersey needs teachers now.
The state, like so many others, is facing a critical shortage of educators, and supporters of the new law argue that testing requirements were keeping plenty of potentially great teachers out of the classroom. Democratic State Senator Jim Beach summed it up when he said, “We need more teachers. This is the best way to get them.”
But let’s pause for a second—this is not a New Jersey-exclusive issue. Across the country, states are grappling with similar teacher shortages, and many have taken similar steps. California went so far as to bypass traditional teacher credential requirements altogether in 2022, allowing parents to step in as substitute teachers. Meanwhile, Arizona gave educators the green light to start teaching before they even graduated from college. It’s a national trend, and New Jersey is just the latest state to jump on board.
So what’s driving this teacher drought? Well, it’s a cocktail of burnout, low salaries, increased workloads, and post-pandemic aftershocks. Teaching isn’t exactly the most glamorous profession these days, and the barriers to entry—like those standardized tests—were seen by many as unnecessary hurdles keeping passionate, capable candidates out of classrooms.
But—and it’s a big “but”—this law does raise some eyebrows. Critics argue that removing basic literacy and math testing lowers the bar and risks letting underqualified teachers into the system. After all, if teachers are guiding the next generation, shouldn’t they at least demonstrate competency in reading, writing, and arithmetic themselves? It’s a fair point, and one that’s bound to stir up some heated debates in the coming months.