This bill establishes a Commission on Career and Technical Education in New Jersey, tasked with studying and evaluating the availability of high-quality secondary career and technical education programs across counties. The commission will consist of 11 members, including the Commissioner of Education and the Director of the Office of Career and Technical Education, along with nine members appointed by the Governor from various educational and industry backgrounds. The commission is responsible for assessing the costs, benefits, and challenges of expanding these programs and is required to issue a final report with findings and recommendations within one year of its organization.

Additionally, the bill grants county vocational school districts the right of first refusal to purchase or lease closed public school facilities at or below fair market value. It mandates that principals of public schools with grades 6-12 promote awareness of career and technical education opportunities through specific actions, such as announcements and website postings. The Department of Education is directed to provide information on best practices in career and technical education on its website. Furthermore, the Commissioner of Education is instructed to prioritize charter school and choice district applications that propose non-duplicative career and technical education programs. The act will take effect immediately and apply to the 2026-2027 school year.