Fact check: New Jersey just passed a law that teachers don't need to pass Reading, English and Math to get a teaching certificate.

1. Summary of the results

The statement is technically accurate but significantly oversimplified. New Jersey has indeed passed Assembly Bill 1669/P.L.2024, c.26, which eliminates the requirement for teachers to pass the Praxis Core Academic Skills test in reading, writing, and mathematics ^[1]. The law was signed by Governor Phil Murphy in June 2024 and became effective January 1, 2025 ^[2].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original statement omits several crucial pieces of context:

• Teachers must still meet multiple other requirements, including:
• Graduating from an accredited teacher preparation program with a minimum 3.0 GPA ^[3]
• Completing months of student teaching experience ^[3]
• Passing subject-specific Praxis II tests ^[2]
• Obtaining a bachelor's degree ^[4]
• The law does not apply universally - it excludes limited certificates of eligibility (CE) and limited certificates of eligibility with advanced standing (CEAS) ^[1]
• This change is part of a broader national trend of states adjusting certification barriers to address teacher shortages ^[4]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement presents the change in a way that could mislead readers to believe New Jersey has completely eliminated educational standards for teachers, which is false. Several groups have stakes in how this policy change is presented:

• Teacher Unions: The New Jersey Education Association supports the change, viewing the previous testing requirement as an unnecessary barrier to entering the profession ^[2]
• Education Reform Critics might benefit from presenting this as a lowering of standards, while omitting the fact that the eliminated test was considered "duplicative and costly" ^[3]
• State Government: Benefits from presenting this as a solution to teacher shortages, which was the primary motivation behind the law ^[2]

The key point of contention is whether removing this specific test requirement represents a meaningful lowering of standards or the elimination of an unnecessary barrier, given the multiple other requirements that remain in place.