State Board Meetings, NJDOE Services & Local School Help
Board of Education NJ can mean the statewide New Jersey State Board of Education, the New Jersey Department of Education, a County Office of Education, the State Board of Examiners or one of New Jersey’s many local school boards. Choosing the wrong office can send a calendar, transcript, teacher-license, IEP or legal question into the wrong process.
This guide separates those systems and gives current 2026–27 State Board meeting dates, Board leadership, public-testimony rules, local-district lookup, School Performance Reports, certification pathways, parent complaint routes, legal appeals, school-ethics complaints, special-education disputes, records and regulatory-waiver help.
State Board vs NJDOE vs Commissioner vs local school board
| Office/body | Use it for | Usually not the first place for |
|---|---|---|
| NJ State Board of Education | State administrative code, statewide Board meetings, rulemaking, public testimony and State Board governance. | Local bus routes, student transcripts, enrollment or Parent Portal. |
| NJ Department of Education | State programs, school data, special education, certification resources, directories, assessments and state guidance. | Daily school-level matters that belong to the local district. |
| Commissioner of Education | NJDOE executive leadership and certain legal controversies arising under school law. | Treating every parent complaint as an automatic appeal. |
| County Office of Education | Technical assistance, district oversight, parent/community concerns and county-level support. | Routine classroom concerns that have not been raised locally. |
| Local district / local BOE | Student calendar, enrollment, buses, attendance, local meetings, records, school assignment and parent portal. | Statewide administrative code or State Board testimony. |
| State Board of Examiners | Educator certification authority and certain certification suspension/revocation matters. | Confusing it with the NJ State Board of Education. |
| School Ethics Commission | Certain School Ethics Act and Code of Ethics complaints involving school officials/board members. | Ordinary disagreement with a district decision. |
Fast routing rule: if your question includes your child’s specific school, attendance, bus, registration, local calendar or transcript, start locally. If the issue involves statewide administrative rules or State Board business, use the state route.
What the New Jersey State Board of Education does
The State Board adopts administrative code needed to implement state education law, advises on education policies proposed by the Commissioner, confirms Department of Education staff appointments made by the Commissioner and conducts statewide public meetings.
Statutory Board size
NJDOE describes the State Board as a 13-member body.
Term
Members serve six-year terms without compensation.
County rule
No two members may be appointed from the same county.
Student voice
A nonvoting student representative serves annually.
Current roster discrepancy: the State Board overview says the Board has 13 members, but the current Members page displays only 12 named member profiles. This guide does not invent a thirteenth name or assume the reason. Check the official member page for vacancy or appointment updates.
Current named State Board members
| Member | Role / appointment | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Kathy Goldenberg | President • appointed 2017 | Moorestown, Burlington County |
| Mary G. Bennett | Vice President • appointed 2024 | Irvington, Essex County |
| Arcelio Aponte | Member • appointed 2005 | Piscataway, Middlesex County |
| Mary Beth Berry | Member • appointed 2017 | Clinton, Hunterdon County |
| Ronald K. Butcher, Ph.D. | Member • appointed 1990 | Glassboro, Gloucester County |
| Jack Fornaro | Member • appointed 2011 | Oxford, Warren County |
| Nedd James Johnson, Ed.D. | Member • appointed 2017 | Pittsgrove, Salem County |
| Claudine Keenan, Ed.D. | Member • appointed 2024 | Galloway, Atlantic County |
| Jeanette Peña | Member • appointed 2024 | Union City, Hudson County |
| Joseph Ricca, Jr., Ed.D. | Member • appointed 2017 | Morristown, Morris County |
| Ahmed Shehata | Member • appointed 2024 | Linden, Union County |
| James C. Williams IV | Member • appointed 2026 | Camden, Camden County |
Roster research tip: use the current Members page as the primary roster. Older committee pages can lag member changes and should not be treated as the definitive membership list.
Verify titles and membership immediately before addressing correspondence.
Open current State Board members →2026–27 State Board student representative
Emilia Reynolds
NJDOE identifies Emilia Reynolds, a rising junior at Collingswood High School in Camden County, as the 2026–27 student representative.
Role
The student representative is a nonvoting member, serves for 12 months and presents to the State Board at public meetings.
Selection: the student representative is selected through the New Jersey Association of Student Councils.
State Board President vs Commissioner of Education
Kathy Goldenberg
State Board President. Leads the Board’s governance role and State Board proceedings.
Dr. Lily Laux
Commissioner of Education. NJDOE’s chief executive school officer and secretary to the State Board.
The Commissioner supervises public education administration, recommends regulatory proposals, administers statewide testing, apportions state aid and decides certain legal controversies arising under state school law.
Do not send a legal appeal to the State Board President simply because the dispute involves a local board. Many school-law controversies are decided through the Commissioner and Office of Controversies and Disputes.
New Jersey State Board of Education meeting dates
NJDOE has now published the State Board’s 2026–27 meeting calendar. This replaces the older 2025–26 schedule previously featured on this page.
| Month | Meeting date | Special note |
|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | July 1 | Past |
| August 2026 | August 5 | Past |
| September 2026 | September 9 | Official date change; open-topic testimony month. |
| October 2026 | October 7 | Check meeting/testimony notice. |
| November 2026 | November 4 | Check current agenda. |
| December 2026 | December 2 | December 9 is alternate weather date. |
| January 2027 | January 6 | January 13 alternate; open-topic testimony month. |
| February 2027 | February 3 | February 10 alternate weather date. |
| March 2027 | March 3 | March 10 alternate weather date. |
| April 2027 | April 7 | Check current testimony notice. |
| May 2027 | May 5 | Open-topic testimony month. |
| June 2027 | June 2 | Check meeting notice. |
September exception: the State Board homepage still describes meetings generally as first Wednesday meetings, but the annual 2026–27 schedule specifically moves the September meeting to September 9, 2026. The annual schedule and meeting notice should control.
Five checks before attending
Confirm the annual schedule
Do not calculate the first Wednesday yourself.
Open the meeting notice
Check location, simulcast, accessibility and other meeting-specific instructions.
Read the agenda
Confirm that the rule, presentation or issue you care about is actually scheduled.
Check public testimony separately
Public testimony is not automatically offered every month.
Read minutes afterward
Use official minutes and final agency documents when determining what action occurred.
Accessibility: meeting guidance asks people needing reasonable accommodation to contact the State Board Office at 609-376-9071. Sign-language interpretation requires advance notice.
Check the annual schedule, then the current-year agenda page.
Open 2026–27 meeting schedule → Open 2026 agendas & notices →How to speak at a New Jersey State Board meeting
Public testimony is held for scheduled administrative-code rulemakings and other State Board topics. It is not held every month. The Board also schedules open-topic testimony in January, May and September.
Open-topic months
January, May and September.
Registration cutoff
Noon on the Thursday before the meeting when registration is open.
Speaking time
Five minutes per registered speaker.
Copies
Speakers are asked to bring four copies of testimony.
Testimony is not a legal filing. Speaking at a State Board meeting does not substitute for a Petition of Appeal, ethics complaint, special-education complaint, due-process request, OPRA filing or certification appeal.
Expired comment period: the State Board homepage still surfaces proposed Preschool Teaching and Learning Standards and certain NJSLS correction materials with a July 31, 2026 comment deadline. That specific deadline has passed as of this update.
Check the current testimony notice because topics and registration status change by meeting.
Open State Board Public Testimony → Email written comments →Get State Board agendas and rulemaking notices by email
The State Board operates an electronic agenda subscriber list. Subscribers can receive emails about monthly State Board agendas, Department rulemakings and related notices.
Email the State Board Office
Use the official State Board Office email address.
Use “Subscribe” as the subject
Include your full name and email address in the message body.
Watch for State Board notices
This reduces reliance on old search-result snippets when agendas or rulemaking change.
New Jersey Administrative Code Title 6A
The State Board adopts administrative rules in Title 6A that implement New Jersey education statutes. This is one of the clearest distinctions between the State Board and a local Board of Education.
| Chapter | Subject |
|---|---|
| 6A:1 | State Board bylaws |
| 6A:2 | Commissioner |
| 6A:3 | Controversies and Disputes |
| 6A:4 | Appeals |
| 6A:5 | Regulatory Equivalency and Waiver |
| 6A:6 | State Board rulemaking process |
| 6A:8 | Standards and Assessment |
| 6A:9B | State Board of Examiners and Certification |
| 6A:14 | Special Education |
Rulemaking comments: proposed rules are also published in the New Jersey Register. State Board guidance says written-comment periods are generally 30 to 60 days after publication.
Read the current Title 6A text rather than relying on a summary or old PDF.
Open current NJ education regulations →Where to find a New Jersey school calendar
| You need | Correct source |
|---|---|
| NJ State Board meeting | State Board 2026–27 meeting schedule. |
| First day of school | Your local district academic calendar. |
| Winter / spring break | Local district calendar. |
| Early dismissal | District or individual school schedule. |
| Snow / emergency closure | Local district’s live alert system. |
| Local Board meeting | Local Board meeting calendar and public notices. |
Search mistake: “NJ Board of Education calendar” can mean a State Board meeting calendar or a child’s school calendar. They are not interchangeable.
New Jersey School Directory: find a school or local Board
Identify municipality or school
Do not assume a nearby district serves the student’s residence.
Search the NJ School Directory
Find the official school, district or charter entry.
Open that district’s own website
Use it for local enrollment, calendars, transportation, meetings and student services.
Recheck current-year documents
Old calendars, Board rosters and school-year PDFs can remain indexed.
District public school
Most family operations are handled through the local district.
Charter school
A New Jersey charter school is a public school operating as its own local education agency under a charter granted by the Commissioner.
Nonpublic school
NJDOE registration does not mean NJDOE accredits that nonpublic school.
When a County Office of Education may help
New Jersey’s county offices provide support, oversight and routine communication between local districts and NJDOE central offices.
Parent concerns
County offices provide technical assistance and respond to parental and community concerns.
Special education
County offices include County Special Education Specialists and conduct program reviews.
District oversight
County staff review budgets, contracts and other district compliance responsibilities.
Transportation
County offices review and approve district transportation contracts.
Facilities
County staff inspect school buildings for health and safety compliance.
Substitute certificates
Issuing substitute certificates is among the functions NJDOE lists for county offices.
2024–25 NJ School Performance Reports are already live
The 2024–25 New Jersey School Performance Reports were publicly released on May 21, 2026. They are no longer merely “planned for spring 2026.”
School report
Review multiple indicators for a specific school.
District report
Use district-level context rather than judging the district from one school.
Assessment data
NJDOE separately publishes statewide assessment reports including NJSLA, NJGPA, DLM and ACCESS data.
Do not treat a performance report as a one-number school ranking. Use multiple measures and pair state data with current local program, enrollment and school-community information.
Where a New Jersey school complaint should start
Teacher / case manager / school employee
Start with the person closest to a student-specific classroom or service problem.
Principal or school administration
Use administration when the problem requires school-level investigation or action.
District administration
Escalate unresolved concerns to the superintendent or appropriate district department.
County Office
County staff may provide technical assistance or help identify the correct state-level process.
Use the correct formal process if needed
School law, ethics, special education, certification, public records and meeting-law disputes use different systems.
Privacy: do not publish a child’s IEP, diagnosis, discipline record, custody information, student ID, medical history or other confidential records during public Board comments.
Which New Jersey complaint or appeal process applies?
| Issue | Likely route | Important point |
|---|---|---|
| Violation of state school law / State Board rule | Commissioner / Controversies & Disputes | Standard Petition of Appeal generally has a 90-day filing deadline unless a shorter law applies. |
| School Ethics Act / Board-member Code of Ethics | School Ethics Commission | Use the Commission’s complaint procedure; this is not ordinary public testimony. |
| IEP, evaluation, placement, FAPE or special-ed discipline | NJDOE Office of Special Education | Mediation, due process or complaint investigation may apply. |
| State Board of Examiners certification decision | Certification / Commissioner appeal route | Different procedures apply depending on issuance, suspension or revocation. |
| OPRA public-record access | Agency records custodian / GRC | Send the request to the agency that actually holds the record. |
| Open Public Meetings Act / Sunshine Law | Superior Court | NJDOE’s Controversies & Disputes FAQ says these claims are not handled through that office. |
Deadlines matter. Informal attempts to resolve a dispute do not necessarily stop a filing deadline. Formal legal disputes should be checked against the current rule and official instructions.
Petition of Appeal: the general 90-day rule
A controversy or dispute under state school law arises when one party alleges a violation of Title 18A or State Board rules and seeks a legal ruling from the Commissioner.
Identify the final action
Know exactly which district, Board or Department action is being challenged.
Calculate the filing period
Do not assume informal discussions automatically pause the 90-day rule.
Prepare petition, verification and proof of service
The current NJDOE FAQ identifies these as standard Petition of Appeal components.
Respondent answers
In most cases, a respondent must answer allegations within the applicable procedural period.
Contested case may proceed to OAL
An Administrative Law Judge may hear evidence and issue an initial decision before the Commissioner’s final decision.
Separate 30-day appeals exist: NJDOE has a separate Commissioner appeals procedure for certain School Ethics Commission violation determinations and State Board of Examiners suspension/revocation decisions. Those appeals generally must be received within 30 days of the filing date of the decision. Do not apply the 90-day rule blindly to every education appeal.
When to use the New Jersey School Ethics Commission
The School Ethics Commission reviews complaints alleging violations of the School Ethics Act. The Code of Ethics for School Board Members applies specifically to Board members, while prohibited-act provisions also apply to qualifying school officials such as administrators.
Ethics complaint
Use the Commission’s formal complaint route for allegations covered by the School Ethics Act or Board-member Code of Ethics.
Signed complaint
School Ethics Act complaint procedures require a formal complaint meeting the Commission’s requirements.
Decisions
NJDOE publishes School Ethics Commission decisions and public advisory opinions.
Board-member complaint principle: New Jersey’s Code of Ethics says Board authority rests with the Board as a body and says complaints should be referred to the chief administrative officer before Board action after failure of an administrative solution.
New Jersey special education dispute options
For an individual student’s evaluation, classification, placement, IEP, related services, FAPE or qualifying discipline issue, begin with the local school/district team. NJDOE offers formal dispute-resolution processes when disagreements remain unresolved.
Mediation
A structured process intended to help families and districts resolve disagreements.
Due process
May address identification, evaluation, reevaluation, placement, FAPE and certain discipline disputes.
Complaint investigation
Used to allege violation of federal or state special-education law by an educational agency.
Electronic filing routes differ
Do not email exhibits blindly. NJDOE’s current dispute-resolution page gives specific rules about which documents may be attached electronically and which must be mailed or faxed.
CE, CEAS, Provisional and Standard certificates
New Jersey educator certification belongs to NJDOE’s certification operation and the State Board of Examiners—not the Office of the State Board of Education.
| Certificate | What it means | Important action |
|---|---|---|
| CEAS | Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing; generally associated with the traditional preparation route. | Meet certification requirements and seek qualifying employment. |
| CE | Certificate of Eligibility; generally used with New Jersey’s alternate-route pathway. | Meet CE requirements and secure qualifying employment. |
| Provisional | Certificate used while a qualifying newly hired educator completes the Provisional Teacher Process. | The candidate does not apply for it directly; the employing school district requests it. |
| Standard | Permanent certificate after required preparation, mentoring/evaluation and experience requirements are satisfied. | Complete the applicable certification pathway. |
Provisional Teacher Process: current NJDOE guidance says the employing district enrolls an eligible new teacher in the PTP. A provisional certificate may be valid for up to two years, and mentoring/evaluation requirements apply.
Limited CE/CEAS: New Jersey’s limited certificate pilot is scheduled to expire September 1, 2027. Limited certificates unused to obtain a provisional certificate are subject to the pilot’s expiration rules, so candidates using that pathway should follow the current NJDOE guidance rather than a general certification summary.
Transcript, GED, student records or OPRA?
| You need | Start here | Important warning |
|---|---|---|
| High-school transcript | Graduating high school, district or charter school. | NJDOE does not maintain individual high-school transcripts. |
| GED / HiSET / TASC | Adult Education / High School Equivalency Unit. | Not the State Board Office. |
| Closed private high-school record | Organization/entity that operated the school. | NJDOE may not hold it. |
| Closed private career-school record | NJ Department of Labor & Workforce Development resources. | NJDOE says it does not maintain closed PCS records. |
| NJDOE government record | NJDOE OPRA custodian. | Make sure NJDOE actually holds the record. |
| Local-district government record | Local district records custodian. | Do not automatically send it to NJDOE. |
OPRA changed in 2024. New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act was amended effective September 3, 2024. Use current OPRA forms and guidance rather than an old records-request template.
Do not upload sensitive documents here or to another unofficial directory. Student IDs, Social Security numbers, transcripts, IEPs, birth certificates, medical records and custody documents should go only through an appropriate official process.
Regulatory equivalency and waiver requests
N.J.A.C. 6A:5 allows certain educational entities to seek regulatory flexibility. It is not a general personal waiver system for parents, students or employees.
Eligible entities
Examples include school districts, charter schools, county vocational districts, special-services districts and other listed educational entities/programs.
Individuals
Individual persons cannot apply.
Rules that cannot be waived
Waivers cannot override state/federal law, educator-certification rules or special-education rules.
Where to submit: most eligible applicants submit to the Executive County Superintendent. Educator preparation programs submit to the Office of the State Board of Education.
What the State Board Office handles
State Board Office supports
Administrative-code review
Public testimony coordination
State Board meetings
Equivalency and waiver process
Board orientation
State Board committees/projects
It does not oversee
NJEdCert / educator-license applications
GED / HiSET / TASC results
High-school transcripts
Closed private-career-school records
Common Board of Education NJ mistakes
❌ You need your child’s school calendar
Fix: use the local district calendar, not the State Board meeting calendar.
📅 You copied the 2025–26 Board schedule
Fix: use the 2026–27 schedule; September 2026 is September 9.
👥 You expect 13 names
Fix: NJDOE describes a 13-member Board but currently displays 12 named member profiles. Do not invent the missing member.
📊 Your article says 2024–25 reports are coming soon
Fix: NJDOE released them May 21, 2026.
🎓 You emailed State Board Office about NJEdCert
Fix: contact NJDOE Certification.
📄 You asked NJDOE for a transcript
Fix: contact the school, district or charter school from which the student graduated.
🎙️ You testified instead of filing an appeal
Fix: public testimony does not replace a Petition of Appeal or other formal filing.
⚖️ You use the 90-day deadline for every case
Fix: certain Commissioner appeals use a 30-day process; determine the correct proceeding first.
🧩 You sent an IEP complaint to a State Board member
Fix: start with the local district and use NJDOE Special Education dispute procedures if necessary.
👔 Complaint is about a Board member’s ethics
Fix: review the School Ethics Commission process rather than ordinary State Board testimony.
📂 You filed NJDOE OPRA for a district-held record
Fix: send the request to the public agency that actually maintains the record.
🏫 You do not know which district serves the school
Fix: start with the New Jersey School Directory.
Board of Education NJ FAQs
Is the New Jersey State Board of Education the same as my local Board?
No. The State Board handles statewide rulemaking and State Board governance. Local districts handle school calendars, enrollment, transportation, local meetings, student records and many day-to-day parent services.
Who is President of the New Jersey State Board of Education?
As checked August 15, 2026, NJDOE lists Kathy Goldenberg as President and Mary G. Bennett as Vice President.
How many members are on the NJ State Board of Education?
NJDOE describes the State Board as having 13 members, but its current Members page displays 12 named profiles. Check the official page for vacancy or appointment updates rather than assuming the identity of a thirteenth member.
When is the September 2026 NJ State Board meeting?
The official 2026–27 schedule lists September 9, 2026. NJDOE specifically identifies this as a changed date.
How do I speak at an NJ State Board public testimony session?
Use the Public Testimony page. When registration is available, register online or through the State Board Office by noon on the Thursday before the meeting. Speakers receive five minutes and are asked to bring four copies of testimony.
Where do I find my child’s New Jersey school calendar?
Use the child’s local school district website. The State Board meeting schedule is not a statewide student attendance calendar.
Where can I see the latest NJ School Performance Reports?
NJDOE publicly released the 2024–25 School Performance Reports on May 21, 2026. Use the official School Performance Reports website for current school and district data.
How long do I have to appeal a local Board action to the Commissioner?
For a standard Petition of Appeal under the Controversies and Disputes process, the general deadline is 90 days after notice of the final action unless another law provides a shorter period. Other appeal types may have different deadlines.
Does the State Board Office process New Jersey teacher certificates?
No. NJDOE Certification and the Office of Recruitment, Preparation, and Certification handle educator certification and NJEdCert questions. The State Board Office does not have access to NJEdCert.
Does NJDOE have my high-school transcript?
NJDOE says it does not maintain individual high-school transcripts. Contact the high school, school district or charter school from which the student graduated. Closed private-school and career-school records may require different routes.
Final New Jersey education verification checklist
Correct authority?
State Board, NJDOE, Commissioner, County Office, local Board, State Board of Examiners or School Ethics Commission?
Deadline?
Check testimony, appeal, complaint and comment-period deadlines before spending time on the wrong process.
Official portal?
Verify the official agency before submitting student records, legal pleadings, certification credentials or identity documents.
Verification scope: this August 15, 2026 rebuild reviewed the live BoardofEducations.org article plus the NJ State Board overview, current Members page, student representative, 2026–27 meeting schedule, 2026 agendas and minutes, Public Testimony, agenda subscriber instructions, current Administrative Code, equivalency/waiver guidance, Office of the Commissioner, County Offices of Education, School Performance Reports, Certification, State Board of Examiners resources, Controversies and Disputes, Commissioner appeals, School Ethics Commission, Special Education dispute resolution, NJDOE OPRA and State Board Office contact guidance.
Independent-site notice: BoardofEducations.org is an informational guide and is not the New Jersey State Board of Education, NJDOE, a County Office, the School Ethics Commission or a local district. Official regulations, current meeting notices, district decisions and agency filing instructions take priority.