Teachers in New Jersey are no longer required to pass a basic reading, writing, and mathematics test to be eligible for jobs in public schools, under a new law that went into effect at the beginning of 2025. 

Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signed the law, Act 1669, in June, which was designed to address teacher shortages in the state, Fox News reported. The New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), a teachers’ union, pushed for the law, calling the eligibility tests a “barrier” to certification in 2023. 

At the same time, students in New Jersey are still struggling to recover to pre-pandemic levels of proficiency, according to December 2024 data released by the state education department. In 2024, 52.2 percent of students were proficient in reading, while 39.6 percent were proficient in math.

The law states that the State Board of Education “shall not require a candidate seeking a certificate of eligibility, a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing, a provisional certificate, or a standard instructional certificate to complete a Commissioner of Education-approved test of basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills including, but not limited to, the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators test, in order to obtain a certificate of eligibility, a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing, a provisional certificate, or a standard instructional certificate.”

State Sen. Jim Beach (D) said when the bill was passed, “We need more teachers. This is the best way to get them.”

More than 40 states and territories across the U.S. use the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators, which includes questions about mathematics, English, and other specific subjects.

Teachers may still have to pass specialized tests within their particular field, according to the report.

“They will also require a minimum GPA and credits regarding their field as well as a bachelor’s degree,” the report continues. 

Several states have lowered their standards for teacher certification over the past several years as a means of grappling with a nationwide educator shortage. For example, California enacted an executive order in 2022 to toss traditional credentials for teachers to recruit parents as substitute teachers. Arizona also enacted an order that year to allow educators to begin teaching before graduating college.

Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on X @thekat_hamilton.