This bill establishes a program within the New Jersey Department of Education (DOE) aimed at supporting school districts in creating "grow-your-own" teacher programs specifically for hiring teachers of students with disabilities. The program encourages districts to make a good faith effort to hire current employees who are not certified as teaching staff and provide them with training and mentoring opportunities to become certified teachers. The DOE will offer financial and other support to selected school districts that apply for participation in the program.

To qualify for this support, school districts must submit a detailed application outlining their grow-your-own program, including the need for additional teachers, plans for recruiting current employees, and commitments to fund certification costs for participating employees. The application must also describe the training and mentoring opportunities available, the flexibility provided to employees pursuing certification, and plans for ongoing support once they begin teaching. The DOE will prioritize districts with the greatest shortages of teachers for students with disabilities and ensure a diverse representation of school districts across different regions and community types in the state.