New Jersey Education and Teaching Overview

The State Data Education Profiles published by the National Center for Education Statistics reports that there were 1,388,850 students and 112,301 teachers in New Jersey schools during the 2006-2007 school year. This is a remarkably low 12.4:1 student to teacher ratio, which is significantly below the national average of 15.5:1. New Jersey students tend to score significantly higher than average on math, reading and writing assessments when compared to their peers nationwide, which is undoubtedly related to this healthy student to teacher ratio.


New Jersey Teacher Requirements

Educators teaching in New Jersey are among the highest paid teachers in the country and teaching positions in some of the larger school districts within the cities of Jersey City, Elizabeth, Newark and Paterson are among the most highly coveted, which can make them the most challenging to obtain. Teachers who are willing to work in rural districts will find less competition and more expansive entry level job opportunities, which are a great way to become established as a teacher in New Jersey.

Educators teaching in New Jersey will find that recent educational reforms and improvements at the state level have improved teachers’ experiences and provide additional support for professional growth and development. The New Jersey Professional Standards for teachers has clearly laid out what is expected of teachers and laid the ground work for improving teachers and teaching techniques.

Mentorship programs, low student to teacher ratios, increased compensation for professional development and educational advancement, and some of the highest salaries in the country make teaching in New Jersey a very appealing career choice for prospective teachers.

New Jersey Teacher Requirements

The needs for future teaching in New Jersey are similar to many other states. Shortages exist in the United States for teachers trained in mathematics, sciences at all levels, and in various areas of special education. New Jersey is also in need of highly-trained individuals who can speak more than one language fluently to keep up with their various diversity needs in the classrooms.

Our country as a whole will be needing teachers trained in all of these specialty areas for quite some time to come. Incentive programs are out there to entice individuals trained in these fields away from other employment opportunities, but the public is still partially unaware that the teaching industry is going through beneficial changes that will make it a highly desirable field to enter in the future.

Teaching in New Jersey in the future may have benefits that most are not considering today as they go about choosing careers to embark on. Schools will always be a part of our communities, so that teaching jobs hold an employment security that other industries simply cannot match. With current presidential interest leaning towards public education improvements, new plans may produce a teaching experience that is totally enjoyable.

Online Colleges Offering Education and Teaching Degrees

Accreditation  

University of Phoenix is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association. .

Programs Offered  
  • Master of Arts in Teaching
  • Master of Arts in Teaching with Teaching Credential
Accreditation  

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of The North Central Association,www.ncahlc.org; 312-263-0456.

Accreditation  

The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Accreditation  

Western Governors University is the only university to have received simultaneous accreditation by four regional accrediting commissions. Currently, WGU’s "home" accrediting commission is the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the same organization that accredits such leading institutions as the University of Washington, University of Oregon, University of Utah, Brigham Young University, and other public and private colleges. WGU is also nationally accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). WGU is the first online university to receive NCATE accreditation for its degree programs that lead to teacher licensure from the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). WGU’s Health Informatics program is now accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). WGU’s Nursing programs are CCNE accredited.

Campus Colleges Offering Education and Teaching Degrees

Accreditation  

University of Phoenix is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association. .

Programs Offered  
  • Master of Arts in Teaching
  • Master of Arts in Teaching with Teaching Credential
Accreditation  

Kaplan University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Accreditation  

McCann School of Business & Technology is accredited to award occupational associate degrees and certification diplomas by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, a nationally recognized accrediting agency by the United States Department of Education,.