Newark Schools Will Hire Retired Teachers, Make New Pathway For Others

NEWARK, NJ — New Jersey’s largest public school district will hire retired educators as part of a plan to address a teacher shortage, administrators announced Tuesday.

According to the Newark Board of Education, the district is poised to take advantage of new state legislation that allows it to hire retired teachers.

The board explained more about the effort in a news release:

“On Feb. 24, the New Jersey State Department of Treasury’s Division of Pensions and Benefits released a Notice to Certifying Officers regarding the implementation of P.L.2021, c.408 (Chapter 408). Chapter 408 provides local educational agencies (LEA), including school districts, charter schools, renaissance school projects, and Approved Private Schools for Students with Disabilities (APSSD), to temporarily hire teachers and professional staff members providing special services who have retired from the Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) without re-enrollment in the TPAF for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years.”

On April 1, the Newark school board’s application for Chapter 408 was approved. Since then, more than 40 retired educators have said they’re interested in teaching in the district, administrators said.

The district is currently working to pair these educators with principals, administrators added.

All qualified people interested in applying for Chapter 408, the NBOE Retiree Teacher, can access the application at Retiree Teacher (Job ID: 1049).

NEW PATHWAY FOR TEACHERS

The Newark public school district is also trying to create a fresh pathway for new teachers to enter the profession, administrators said.

According to the board of education:

“The district has submitted an application to the state Department of Education requesting to be a part of Chapter 224, which Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law on Sept. 24, 2021 as P.L.2021, c.224 (Chapter 224). The five-year pilot program allows the issuance of a limited certificate of eligibility (CE) and a limited certificate of eligibility with advanced standing (CEAS) in an instructional area for candidates who meet specific requirements.”

“We are extremely excited about the prospect of the limited CE/CEAS pilot program being approved to implement another viable pathway for candidates to become certified teachers in our schools,” the Newark Board of Education said in a joint statement.

Board President Dawn Haynes said she is confident the district’s two new programs will increase its pool of qualified applicants, ultimately helping to fill “critical need teaching positions.”

Superintendent Roger León agreed.

“As we continue to identify creative ways to place certified individuals in our classrooms, we are excited about the ability to hire retired teachers and to provide a pathway for new teachers to get certified,” León said.

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