NEW JERSEY
STATE RESOURCES

• A bachelor's degree in Education from a regionally accredited college/university with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA

More information at https://www.nj.gov/education/certification/index.shtml 

• Must pass the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators: Reading, Writing, and Math) or score in the top one-third percentile on the SAT, ACT, or GRE for the year the test was taken

• There are no additional Praxis tests required to become a special education teacher in NJ.

More information at https://www.nj.gov/education/certification/testing/req/ 

Step 1: Earn a Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing (CEAS)

• A CEAS is issued to an individual who has completed a teacher preparation program and met requirements for certification, including academic study and applicable test requirements.

Step 2: Employment and Provisional Teacher Process (PTP)

• A candidate cannot apply for the provisional certificate; this certificate is requested by a school district.

• This certificate legalizes employment for a newly hired teacher after the teacher obtains a Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing (CEAS).

Step 3: Become Permanently Certified

• The standard certificate is a permanent certificate issued to a teacher who has met all requirements for state certification. The district/school will request the issuance of a standard teaching certificate upon successful completion of the Provisional Teacher Process (PTP).

• A candidate cannot apply for the standard certificate; this certificate is requested by a school district.

• To receive a standard certificate, the following must occur:

  • District/school verified mentoring completion in NJEdCert.

  • District/school submitted the final summative ratings for each school year in NJEdCert.

  • Educator completed an Oath of Allegiance via NJEdCert.

More information at https://www.nj.gov/education/certification/certsandtitles/ 

Step 1: Establish Eligibility

• The Certificate of Eligibility (CE) is issued to an individual who has not completed a teacher preparation program but meets the basic requirements for certification, including academic study and applicable test requirements. The CE authorizes an individual to seek and accept employment in New Jersey public schools requiring certification. 

Step 2: Employment and Provisional Teacher Process (PTP)

• A candidate cannot apply for the provisional certificate; this certificate is requested by a school district.

• This certificate legalizes employment for a newly hired teacher after the teacher obtains a Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing (CEAS).

Step 3: Become Permanently Certified

• The standard certificate is a permanent certificate issued to a teacher who has met all requirements for state certification. The district/school will request the issuance of a standard teaching certificate upon successful completion of the Provisional Teacher Process (PTP).

• A candidate cannot apply for the standard certificate; this certificate is requested by a school district.

• To receive a standard certificate, the following must occur:

  • District/school verified mentoring completion in NJEdCert.

  • District/school submitted the final summative ratings for each school year in NJEdCert.

  • Educator completed an Oath of Allegiance via NJEdCert.

More information at https://www.nj.gov/education/certification/cte/alternate.shtml 

Approved programs include those on this list. This list is current as of posting but is subject to change. Please check with your state licensing agency to ensure accuracy. 

• New Jersey Council for Exceptional Children https://njcec.org/

• New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning https://njctl.org/

• Center for Future Educators https://futureeducators.tcnj.edu/

New Jersey offers students and families with financial resources for students to pursue their education beyond high school, based on financial need and available scholarships. 

For more information, go to https://www.hesaa.org/Pages/NJGrantsHome.aspx 

Future students should also reach out to colleges and universities for more information about the financial support they offer.

Need-based financial aid grants

• The New Jersey Tuition Aid Grant (TAG)

• Part-time TAG for County College Students

• Community College Opportunity Grant (CCOG)

• The Governor’s Urban Scholarship Program (GUS)

• The Governor’s Industry Vocations Scholarship (GIVS)

Scholarships

• New Jersey Student Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship (NJ STARS and NJ STARS II)

• The Governor’s Urban Scholarship Program (GUS)

• The Governor’s Industry Vocations Scholarship (GIVS)

• World Trade Center Scholarship (WTC)

• The New Jersey Better Education Savings Trust (NJBEST) Scholarship

• Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Scholarship (LEOM)

• Survivor Tuition Benefits (STB)

New Jersey Teacher Loan Redemption Program

This program is designed for teachers in New Jersey who teach in high-need fields in eligible schools. Loan redemption under the program shall amount to 25% of principal and interest of a program participant’s eligible student loan expenses for up to four years. Redemptions shall not exceed $5,000, in return for each consecutive full school-year of approved employment service. The total loan redemption amount for four years of program participation shall not exceed $20,000.

More information at https://www.hesaa.org/Pages/NJTLRP.aspx 

The New Jersey College Promise offers an affordable pathway to a college degree. The Community College Opportunity Grant (CCOG) and the Garden State Guarantee (GSG) programs promise transparent, predictable pricing for up to four years of college in New Jersey. Based on your income, your degree may be tuition-free.

More information at https://www.hesaa.org/Pages/NJCollegePromise.aspx