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A2092 • 2026

Broadens eligibility of NJ STARS Program by permitting later entry into program.

Broadens eligibility of NJ STARS Program by permitting later entry into program.

Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Carter, Linda S.
Last action
2026-01-13
Official status
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Broadens eligibility of NJ STARS Program by permitting later entry into program.

Broadens eligibility of NJ STARS Program by permitting later entry into program.

What This Bill Does

  • Broadens eligibility of NJ STARS Program by permitting later entry into program.
  • Topic: Higher Education Fiscal note: This bill has been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-13 New Jersey Legislature

    Introduced, Referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee

Official Summary Text

Broadens eligibility of NJ STARS Program by permitting later entry into program.
Topic:
Higher Education
Fiscal note:
This bill has been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
A2092

ASSEMBLY, No. 2092

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman LINDA S. CARTER

District 22 (Somerset and Union)

Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Venezia and Assemblywoman Quijano

SYNOPSIS

���� Broadens eligibility of NJ STARS Program by
permitting later entry into program.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.

��

An Act
concerning eligibility for the New Jersey Student
Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship (NJ STARS) Program and amending P.L.2008,
c.124.�

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

���� 1. �Section 2 of P.L.2008,
c.124 (C.18A:71B-85.1) is amended to read as follows:

���� 2. a. Upon notice from the
authority in a student's senior year of high school of conditional eligibility
for the NJ STARS Program, a student who determines to pursue final eligibility
for the program shall take a college placement test to determine readiness for
college-level coursework.� The test shall be selected by the New Jersey Council
of County Colleges and administered by the county college of the county in
which the student's school district is located at no cost to the student or the
school district.� A county college may enter into an agreement with the school
district to administer the test at the high school or other selected site
within the district.

���� b.��� A county college shall
notify any student who does not achieve the required score on the placement
test that the student requires remediation prior to pursuing county college
coursework for credit under the NJ STARS Program.� The student shall have the responsibility
to address the identified deficiencies through such means as the student
determines, including enrollment in remedial classes at the county college
during the senior year of high school.

���� c.���� Upon graduation from
high school, if a student meets the eligibility criteria for receipt of an NJ
STARS scholarship but is not able to demonstrate the skill levels required to
pursue courses for credit at a county college, the student shall not receive an
NJ STARS scholarship until that ability is demonstrated.�
[
The student
shall have one year from the September 1 next following the date of high school
graduation to demonstrate such ability, and if at the end of the one-year
period the student continues to require remediation, then the student shall
lose eligibility for the NJ STARS Program.� If during or at the end of the
one-year period the student demonstrates the required ability, then the student
shall be eligible for an NJ STARS scholarship for five semesters
]

��
d.
A student�s eligibility for the program, once established, shall not expire
provided that the student meets the criteria established pursuant to section 5
of P.L.2004, c.59 (C.18A:71B-85) at the time of program participation
.

(cf: P.L.2008, c.124, s.2)

���� 2.� This act shall take effect
immediately.��

STATEMENT

���� This bill broadens eligibility
for the New Jersey Student Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship (NJ STARS)
Program by permitting later entry into the program than is currently allowed
for students who do not initially demonstrate the skill levels required to
pursue courses for credit at a county college.�

���� Current law provides that if a
student meets the eligibility criteria for receipt of a NJ STARS scholarship
but is not able to demonstrate the skill levels required to pursue courses for
credit at a county college, the student is to have one year to attain and
demonstrate college readiness, or the student will lose eligibility for the NJ
STARS scholarship.� This bill removes this time limit.� Additionally, State
regulation requires an eligible student to enroll in a full-time course of
study at a New Jersey county college by the fifth semester after high school
graduation.� This bill provides that a student�s eligibility for the program,
once established, is not to expire provided that the student meets the
program�s eligibility criteria at the time of program participation.��