Author: Lana Lee

Murphy Signs Legislation Addressing Student Phone Use in Schools

On January 8th, Governor Murphy signed what his administration calls a bell-to-bell cell phone ban into law, which will take effect during the 2026-27 school year. This law requires “guidelines on student use of internet-enabled devices to be developed by the New Jersey Department of Education,” with each public school’s governing body adopting corresponding policies. This […]

Conference: Providers Explore Solutions as Essential Partners in Making Universal Pre-K Sustainable

New Jersey’s First Community-Based Preschool Private Provider Conference: The Future of Public Preschool: Building a Bold Vision Together convened on October 16, bringing together early childhood leaders, educators, funders, and advocates committed to strengthening community-based public pre-K partnerships across New Jersey. View Photos from Event The conference was created in response to the growing challenges […]

The Impact of Social Media on Adolescents

ACNJ served on New Jersey’s Commission on the Effects of Social Media Usage on Adolescents, which examined how social media impacts young people. The Commission published recommendations aimed at preserving social media’s benefits while reducing potential harms – including banning cellphones at school and delaying social media access until age 16. More in the News: […]

Unpacking the NJ State FY26 Budget on New Jersey’s Kids and Families

Facebook X (Twitter) Linkedin Highlights of FY26 State Budget Spending on Children and Families The State Fiscal Year 2026 Budget was approved by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Murphy before the June 30th deadline, with total appropriations of $58.8 billion and a projected surplus of $6.7 billion. The budget allocates resources, programs, and services […]