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Read. Follow. Verify.New Jersey Establishes Elementary Home Reading Grant Program Funded by $500,000 in Federal Funds
Last action · January 13, 2026: Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education CommitteeSponsor: Gerry Scharfenberger
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What This Bill Would Do
The New Jersey Department of Education is directed to establish a competitive grant program supporting school districts in partnering with nonprofit organizations to mail books and provide multilingual communications to elementary students. The bill appropriates $500,000 from unexpended federal pandemic relief funds to match school district costs at 100 percent. The measure takes effect on the first day of the seventh month following enactment.
School districts receive 100 percent State matching funds for home reading initiatives that mail permanent books and provide multilingual digital outreach to elementary students, with priority given to programs operating longer than four years across northern, central, and southern regions.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
school districts
School districts may submit competitive grant applications to partner with nonprofits and receive 100 percent State matching funds for elementary home reading programs.
nonprofit organizations
Nonprofits partner with school districts to administer home reading programs, mail books, and provide family outreach.
elementary school students
Elementary students receive mailed reading-level books to permanently keep and benefit from reading proficiency initiatives.
Department of Education
The department administers the grant program, reviews applications, distributes funds, and submits a two-year evaluation report to the Governor and Legislature.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are school districts selected for grant awards?
What are the minimum requirements for the home reading programs?
Where does the funding for the grant program come from?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
1 action- Jan 13, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Use of Pandemic Relief Funds for Education Grants
The bill redirects unexpended federal coronavirus pandemic relief funds to finance a state-level elementary reading grant program.
Connected Entities
Sources
njleg.state.nj.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance55How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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