On Jan. 14, Gov. Phil Murphy delivered his annual State of the State address at the State House in Trenton. In the speech, he highlighted a number of his administration’s accomplishments as well as a series of policy priorities for his final year in office. The following summarizes the portions of his speech that impact local school boards and public education.

Full School Funding Reform Act Funding

During the speech, he celebrated his administration becoming the first in history to fully fund New Jersey’s school funding formula.

“If you want to measure the growth of a society, look to how it cares for its kids,” he said.

Calling New Jersey’s public education system its “crown jewel” and the best in America, he said his administration has directed more money to school districts than ever before – “especially those that have been historically underfunded.”

He added, “And at the same time, we are saving taxpayers money. Because every dollar the state spends on public education is a dollar our families and seniors get to save in property taxes.”

Push for Universal Pre-K and Free, Full-Day Kindergarten

He also highlighted a goal he set when he first ran for governor: putting New Jersey on the path to providing free, universal pre-kindergarten, which he vowed to keep pushing.

But he also said he’d be working with legislators to enact a new proposal requiring school districts to provide full-day kindergarten.

“To be sure: the vast majority of our state’s school districts already offer full-day kindergarten,” he said. “But there are still some districts falling short. And as a result, families and children in these communities are being left behind.”

Putting the state’s schools on a path to offer free, universal preschool and full-day kindergarten is not just an educational investment – it’s an economic investment as well, he said.

“Because we will save every parent money by offering them a free, safe and enriching environment to leave their child during the workday, whether it be full-day kindergarten or universal pre-K,” he said.

Cell Phones Take Center Stage

The governor also zeroed in on cell phones in schools.

“Today, our children are inundated with screens,” he said. “And if you ask just about any educator, they will tell you that mobile devices are a distraction in the classroom.”

Not only are they fueling a rise in cyberbullying, but they are making it “incredibly difficult for students to learn,” he said.

“Honestly, is it any surprise that the rise in smartphone usage has coincided with a growing youth mental health crisis?” he asked.

Vowing not to sit back and watch kids suffer, he announced his support for a new proposal that will direct school districts across New Jersey to adopt policies that ban cell phones from K-12 classrooms.

“Every parent knows the damage that these devices can cause,” he said. “Enough is enough. It is time for action.”

Earlier in the day, the Senate held a voting session and unanimously approved S-3695. That legislation, spearheaded by Sen. Paul Moriarty (D-4), would direct the New Jersey Department of Education to develop a cell phone and social media usage policy and require each board of education to adopt such a policy. The New Jersey School Boards Association has expressed support for the bill’s intent, while advocating for maximum flexibility for boards to establish policies tailored to local community preferences. The bill now joins its counterpart in the Assembly, A-4882, which is sponsored by Assemblywoman Rosy Bagolie (D-27). More details on the bill can be found in a recent edition of School Board Notes here.

Expansion of Voting Rights

The governor also reiterated his support for a bill (S-3240/A-4369) to expand voting rights in local school board elections to 16- and 17-year-olds.

“Cities like Newark are already doing this,” he said. “And it’s time to do it statewide.”

He called the proposal, which is sponsored by Sen. Raj Mukherji (D-32) and Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-28), “an investment in the long-term health of our democracy.” He added, “Because empowering our youth to participate in local elections will encourage them to become lifelong voters.”

Neither version of the legislation has advanced in either house of the Legislature since being introduced in the spring of 2024.

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For a full transcript of the speech, please visit the governor’s website here.