New Jersey has long prided itself on its public education system, often ranking among the best in the nation. Yet, beneath this reputation lies a troubling reality: our students’ math and English test scores are slipping, and the post-pandemic recovery remains sluggish. The New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), the state’s most powerful teachers’ union, cannot sidestep its role in this decline. It’s time for the NJEA to take accountability and prioritize student outcomes over institutional self-preservation.
Recent data paints a stark picture. The 2024 New Jersey Student Learning Assessments (NJSLA) show modest gains in math and English proficiency since the pandemic’s lowest point in 2021-22, but scores still lag behind pre-2019 levels. Only 55% of 11th graders were deemed “graduation-ready” in math last year, while science proficiency hovers at a dismal 25% across grades three to nine. Reports from the Education Recovery Scorecard rank New Jersey 43rd in the nation for math score improvement between 2019 and 2024, with some districts—like Newark, Paterson, and Trenton—lagging a full grade level behind in math. These numbers are not just statistics; they are a warning siren for the future of our children.
The NJEA, representing over 200,000 educators, wields immense influence over education policy and practice in New Jersey. Yet, its recent actions suggest a disconnect from the urgency of this crisis. Take, for instance, the union’s successful push to eliminate the Praxis Core Test—a basic skills assessment in reading, writing, and math—for teacher certification, enacted in January 2025. The NJEA hailed this as removing an “unnecessary barrier” to the profession, arguing that standardized tests don’t measure teaching ability. But if prospective teachers can’t demonstrate foundational skills, how can we trust them to impart those skills to students already struggling to catch up?
This move comes at a time when teacher quality is more critical than ever. The pandemic exacerbated existing gaps, with low-income students, non-native speakers, and students with disabilities showing particularly dismal proficiency rates.
High-impact tutoring and new literacy programs, as touted by the state Department of Education, are steps in the right direction—but they mean little without a teaching workforce equipped to deliver results. By lowering entry standards, the NJEA risks flooding classrooms with educators unprepared for the challenge, further jeopardizing student progress.
Accountability, however, isn’t just about teacher qualifications. The NJEA’s influence extends to curriculum priorities and professional development, areas where it has often favored ideological agendas over academic rigor. Posts on X from concerned parents and citizens highlight a growing frustration: while test scores plummet, some educators seem more focused on progressive initiatives than on reversing the “COVID slide.” This perception isn’t baseless—graduation rates may be steady, but proficiency in core subjects tells a different story. The union must refocus its advocacy on what matters most: ensuring students leave school with the skills to succeed.
To be fair, the NJEA isn’t solely to blame. Chronic teacher shortages, exacerbated by the pandemic and a lack of new recruits, have strained the system.
Let’s face it all of this started spiraling out of control because of Phil Murphy and the NJEA. They worked hand in hand to shut down schools during the pandemic when most other states that are now doing better, did not.
Governor Phil Murphy’s administration has launched initiatives like Teach.Inspire.New Jersey to address this, and a $50 million federal grant for literacy programs signals commitment from the top.
But the NJEA’s resistance to accountability measures—like tying teacher evaluations to student performance—undermines these efforts. Instead of shielding its members from scrutiny, the union should champion policies that reward excellence and address underperformance.
New Jersey’s students deserve better than a system coasting on past laurels. The NJEA must lead by example: support rigorous teacher preparation, demand professional development focused on math and English mastery, and embrace data-driven accountability. Our children’s future hangs in the balance, and excuses won’t raise test scores. It’s time for the NJEA to step up—or step aside.
OPINION/EDITORIAL
Brandon Jackson, Paramus