New Jersey A 5292: Requires DHS to employ Transportation Planning Coordinator to manage and oversee transportation services provided to DHS clients.

Bill Text

A5292 

ASSEMBLY, No. 5292 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

INTRODUCED JUNE 18, 2026

Sponsored by:

.Assemblyman� ALEX SAUICKIE

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires guidelines on use of instructional 
technology to be developed by DOE and policy to be adopted by governing body of 
public school. 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� As introduced.

�� 

An Act concerning use of instructional technology in 
public schools and supplementing chapter 6 of Title 18A of the New Jersey 
Statutes.

���� Be It 
Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of 
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� This act shall be known 
as may be cited as the �Developmentally Appropriate Use of Technology in 
Schools Act.�

���� 2.��� The Legislature finds 
and declares that:

���� a.� Technology and digital 
learning tools can support instruction, increase access to educational 
resources, and help students develop the skills necessary for participation in 
a digital society.

���� b.� A growing body of research 
indicates that excessive, passive, or developmentally inappropriate screen use 
may negatively impact student attention, academic engagement, mental health, 
social interaction, physical well-being, and cognitive development, 
particularly among younger students.

���� c.� Instructional technology 
is most effective when intentionally integrated into instruction and used to 
supplement, not replace, teacher-led instruction, discussion, hands-on 
learning, collaborative learning, literacy instruction, and other 
evidence-based instructional practices.

���� d.� Families and educators 
benefit from transparency regarding how instructional technology, digital 
platforms, artificial intelligence tools, and online applications are used 
during the school day.

���� e.� Public schools should 
retain flexibility to develop technology policies responsive to the needs of 
their students, educators, and communities while promoting balanced and 
developmentally appropriate instructional practices.

���� 3.��� As used in this act:

���� �Board of education� means a 
board of education as defined in N.J.S.18A:18A-2, the board of trustees of a 
charter school, the board of trustees of a renaissance school project, and the 
governing body of an approved private school for students with disabilities.

���� �Developmentally appropriate� 
means aligned with the cognitive, social, emotional, behavioral, and academic 
needs of students based on age, grade level, and individual learning needs.

���� �Instructional technology� 
means any school-issued or school-approved digital device, software program, 
online platform, application, artificial intelligence tool, or technology-based 
educational resource used during the instructional day.

���� �Passive screen use� means 
screen exposure that does not involve active student engagement, teacher 
interaction, discussion, creation, collaboration, or instructional 
participation.

���� �Public school� means and 
includes a school under college grade, which is operated by the governing body 
of a school district, charter school, renaissance school project, and an 
approved private school for students with disabilities.

���� 4.��� a.� To assist boards of 
education in developing policies concerning the use of instructional technology 
during regular school hours, the Commissioner of Education shall develop 
guidelines applicable to students enrolled in grades kindergarten through 12.� 
The guidelines shall be issued no later than 90 days after the effective date 
of this act.

���� b.� The guidelines shall, at a 
minimum:

���� (1) provide age-appropriate 
and grade-level differentiated guidelines concerning the use of developmentally 
appropriate instructional technology in ways that preserve educator 
professional judgment and academic responsibility, academic integrity, and student 
privacy;

���� (2) prioritize teacher-led 
instruction and identify practices whereby instructional technology 
supplements, rather than replaces, direct instruction, discussion, collaborative 
learning, independent reading, writing instruction, hands-on learning, play-based 
learning where appropriate, outdoor learning experiences, and other 
evidence-based instructional practices;

���� (3) require instructional 
technology to be integrated into instruction for clearly defined educational 
purposes and implemented in a manner that supports instructional quality, 
student learning outcomes, and meaningful student engagement, rather than for 
convenience, entertainment, or passive engagement;

���� (4) include processes and 
considerations for evaluating instructional technology for instructional 
accuracy, developmental appropriateness, usability, effectiveness, and 
alignment with educational goals;

���� (5) address the potential 
impact of instructional technology and screen use on student attention, cognitive 
load, mental health, social interaction, physical we