Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 18A:71C-78

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Higher education: means that education which is provided by any or all of the public institutions of higher education as herein defined and any or all equivalent private institutions. See New Jersey Statutes 18A:1-1
  • Public school: means a school, under college grade, which derives its support entirely or in part from public funds. See New Jersey Statutes 18A:1-1
  • State: extends to and includes any State, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
5. a. There is established in the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority a tuition reimbursement program for teachers of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) in the State. The program shall provide reimbursement for a portion of the eligible tuition expenses incurred by the participant in completing a master’s degree or Ph.D. program in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics or in completing 30 credits in a coherent sequence of courses in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. The annual amount of State funds appropriated to the tuition reimbursement program shall not exceed $500,000. The authority shall notify the Legislature when the funds have been fully expended or committed.

b. A program participant shall enter into a contract with the authority for a specified four-year period of service in which the participant agrees to teach STEM classes in a public school in the State following the participant’s completion of a master’s degree or Ph.D. program in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics or the completion of 30 credits in a coherent sequence of courses in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. The agreement shall specify the program participant’s dates of required service and the total amount of reimbursement of eligible tuition expenses to be received by the participant in return for service.

c. The tuition reimbursement for a program participant shall equal 25 percent of the participant’s eligible tuition expenses, up to $5,000, in return for each full school year of teaching STEM classes under the program. The total tuition reimbursement amount for a program participant, for four full school years of service, shall not exceed $20,000 of the participant’s eligible tuition expenses. A teacher shall be required to complete four full school years of service in order to be eligible to receive tuition reimbursement under the program.

d. The authority shall advertise the availability of the program and engage in outreach activities with potential participants.

L.2019, c.401, s.5.