Stakeholders at various levels of New Jersey's K-12 system are bidding farewell to the edTPA, the Pearson assessment which, since 2017, determined the licensing fate of new teachers seeking entry into the profession. Following the lead of many states, including neighboring New York, the New Jersey legislature voted last spring to eliminate its requirement for new teachers to take and pass the edTPA amid mounting pressure from education advocacy groups and Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs). Universities and colleges represented by the New Jersey Association of Colleges for Teacher Education submitted statements for both Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing (CEAS) and Certificate of Eligibility (CE) programs operated by their IHE members.

As the end of the school year creeps closer, it’s easy to lose sight of professional-development opportunities.

Conferences and webinars are simple ways to brush up on best practices, discover new methods to connect with students, network with other professionals and much more. Even better? Many professional-development events are free to attend!

As a gift to our educator community, we’ve put in the work and rounded up 24 spring conferences and webinars, from March to May. The majority of these opportunities are virtual and free, making professional development accessible for all.

Diversity in STEM has been a decades-long challenge for the United States workforce. As underrepresented communities gain access to more opportunities, however, diversity within STEM careers has grown - especially within the past decade.

Currently, women make up 35 percent of the STEM workforce. While there is still a lot of work to do to achieve true gender equality in the sector, the gap has shrunk significantly. For example, only 8 percent of STEM workers in 1970 were women, showing a big jump over the course of 50 years.

Having spent more than 30-weeks with their assigned new teachers, showing them the tricks of the trade and observing their lessons and interactions with students, mentors of our new teachers have concluded their new teaching colleagues had an awesome first year. They make it clear that it is possible for a new teacher to make an immediate impact right from the start of their teaching career or to establish themselves quickly as an impact teacher once they learn the teaching ropes from effective mentors like themselves.

Nothing beats free, and having a library card gives you free access to thousands of educational resources. A library card also opens up unique and diverse events that expand your horizons. During Black History Month, libraries are essential in making sure Black stories are heard.

Throughout New Jersey, libraries are showcasing Black authors, artists, storytellers and more - in person and virtually. Many of these events feature local New Jerseyans who have created history or are in the middle of creating history.