Post-New Jersey Election: What Does the Future of Education Look Like?

On November 4, 2025, New Jersey elected its second-ever female governor, with almost 3.6 million ballots cast, making a turnout of almost 54% in the state. Such a turnout for gubernatorial elections has not been achieved since at least 1998. Now, when the governor-elect takes office on January 20, 2026, her education policies will determine the future of education in New Jersey for the next four years, if not generations to come.

So what exactly should the people, and, most importantly, students of New Jersey expect to encounter in the coming years?

Reduction of State Intervention in Curricula

Throughout Sherrill’s campaign for governor, a specific policy that remained the same throughout speeches, interviews, and debates is a belief on reducing state intervention in the implementation of academic standards. In essence, Sherrill is an advocate for the state setting broad educational standards, and allowing for districts to cooperate with parents and professionals to determine the necessary lessons and materials for each standard. At the heart of this policy is allowing for local leaders to have more autonomy in deciding local matters, with Sherrill arguing that these individuals know their students best.

As a result of this, however, local boards of education will be passed the burden of developing curricula, instead. This simultaneously increases the duties of local boards and gives student representatives to school boards the opportunity to engage more actively in curricula development within their district. New Jersey is one of the only states that requires student representatives on boards of education. These students will have a larger role in providing crucial feedback in curricular conversations. Sherrill’s focus on fitting student needs through flexible and adaptive programs, as opposed to statewide mandates, gives student leaders the opportunity to provide input based on peer feedback. Now, more than ever, it is crucial for student board members to remain informed about educational policy and the various concerns of students, to create lasting changes in curricular operations throughout New Jersey. 

Alterations to the Funding of K-12 Education

Originally written in 2008, the current state funding formula, in Sherrill’s eyes, must be modernized to reflect current needs. When surveyed by USA TODAY Network New Jersey, Sherrill cited concerns over rapid fluctuations in funding offered to school districts in New Jersey, preventing schools from planning for the future. Such shifts and cuts can become detrimental to schools’ operations and students’ education quality. To mediate this issue, Sherrill has suggested altering the funding formula to ensure equity across districts and recovering withheld aid from the federal government, which previously withheld over $160 million from the New Jersey government.

Expansion of Magnet School and Public Choice Systems

In response to questions raised about the ongoing segregation lawsuit against the state, Sherrill simultaneously offered her cooperation in implementing court-ordered remedies and her beliefs on a solution to the issue of de-facto segregation in the New Jersey school system. She stood firm on the possibility of establishing new regional magnet schools that would enroll diverse urban and suburban populations. Alongside expanding New Jersey’s Interdistrict Public School Choice Program, she believes the issue of segregation could be mitigated. For students in the public school system, this could entail increased autonomy in deciding which public school a student may attend, thereby increasing their quality of education. 

Mitigation of Statewide Teacher Shortages

Throughout the state, schools face teacher shortages in critical subjects, such as science and math. This trend of teacher exits has been rising since the COVID-19 pandemic, with no highly successful solution implemented. As a result, while campaigning, Sherrill has been consistent in addressing her approaches to rectifying the issue. Part of this solution is the continuation of Governor Murphy’s program of fully funding the pension system, but also includes monetary stipends to student-teachers who may not be able to sustain themselves without a semester’s pay. Fundamentally, Sherrill’s plan for remedying the teacher shortage protects teachers both in the process of obtaining a teaching certification and after retiring from the profession, making the career more enticing for future generations.

Reducing Cell-Phone Use in Classrooms

Unlike defeated candidate Jack Ciaterrelli, Mikie Sherrill was adamant regarding her support for a statewide ban on cellphones in classrooms. Currently stalled in the state legislature, A4882 (S3695) continues to have the support of the governor’s office in New Jersey. Alongside limiting cellphone usage in classrooms, Sherrill is looking to establish a social media research center, which would function similarly to the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center at Rutgers University. Researchers would be responsible for determining age-appropriate screen time levels, content categories, etc. Their findings could hold future implications during the remainder of governor-elect Mikie Sherrill’s term.