NJ Commissions and Agencies
New Jersey commissions and agencies offer a variety of curricular supports, reports and resources that enable educators to take a deeper dive into the state-wide efforts to create a more equitable New Jersey.
- Amistad Commission ensures that the Department of Education and public schools of New Jersey identify materials and texts which integrate the history and contributions of African-Americans and the descendants of the African Diaspora. In addition, the Commission creates and coordinates workshops, seminars, institutes, memorials and events which raise public awareness about the importance of the history of African-Americans to the growth and development of American society in a global context.
- Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Commission develops and coordinates statewide programs, recognizing the continuing contributions of AAPI individuals in New Jersey and draws upon the membership's knowledge and expertise in creating activities designed to better educate all citizens of New Jersey on AAPI issues and culture.
- Latino and Hispanic Heritage Commission surveys, designs, encourages and promotes the implementation of Latino and Hispanic cultural and educational programs in New Jersey; and coordinates events that provide awareness and memorialization of the culture, history, heritage and language of people of Latino and Hispanic descent.
- Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Commission brings together a diverse group of people to celebrate the work and legacy of Dr. King’s. It also allows New Jerseyans an opportunity to recommit themselves to fulfilling Dr. King’s dreams in the 21st century.
- New Jersey-Israel Commission was established in 1989 to implement the goals of the Sister State Agreement - to promote the development of trade, culture and educational exchanges; encourage the development of capital investment and joint business ventures; and foster a spirit of cooperation between the citizens of the State of Israel and the State of New Jersey.
- New Jersey Arab American Heritage Commission recognizes, studies and shares information on Arab heritage, culture and history; coordinates events observing the heritage, culture and history of Americans of Arab ancestry; provides expertise to and collaborates with the Department of Education to continue to develop content and curriculum guides on the heritage and culture and history of Americans of Arab ancestry in the State’s Core Curriculum Content Standards in Social Studies.
- New Jersey Commission on American Indian Affairs develops programs and projects that further understanding of New Jersey's Native American history and culture; serves as a Statewide reference and resource center to increase public knowledge of New Jersey's Native American heritage; and acts as a liaison among Native American communities, the State and federal governments, and educational, social and cultural institutions.
- New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education designs, encourages and promotes the implementation of Holocaust and genocide education and awareness; provides programs in New Jersey; and coordinates designated events that will provide appropriate memorialization of the Holocaust on a regular basis throughout the state.
- New Jersey Commission on Italian and Americans of Italian Heritage Cultural and Educational Programs surveys, designs, encourages and promotes the implementation of Italian and Americans of Italian heritage cultural and educational programs in this State, with responsibility for the coordination of events that will provide appropriate awareness and memorialization of the culture, history, heritage and language of Italians and Americans of Italian heritage.
- New Jersey Council for the Humanities promotes the value of the humanities by funding public programs that make history relevant and encourage diverse audiences to reflect on the shared human experience (values, cultures, beliefs).
- New Jersey Hellenic American Heritage Commission studies, recognizes and shares information on Hellenic heritage, culture and history as it relates to Americans of Hellenic ancestry and their contributions to the State of New Jersey.
- New Jersey Historical Commission is dedicated to the advancement of public knowledge and preservation of New Jersey history. The Commission offers General Operating Support Grants, Project Grants, and County History Partnership Grants to support a variety of programs and activities related to New Jersey history as well as free archival evaluation services through the Caucus Archival Projects Evaluation Service.
- New Jersey State Council on the Arts supports, encourages, and fosters public interest in the arts; enlarges public and private resources devoted to the arts; promotes freedom of expression in the arts; and facilitates the inclusion of art in every public building in New Jersey.
- New Jersey Department of Children and Families provides resources for workers, individuals and families interested in eradicating racism on its Race Equity webpage.
- New Jersey Department of Education’s provides data-informed research based professional development and technical assistance to secondary schools and county colleges operating or planning to operate career and technical education (CTE) programs on the Career Equity Resource Center webpage.
- New Jersey Department of Law & Safety features the Division on Civil Rights, a state agency charged with enforcing New Jersey’s civil rights laws, including the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD)and the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA). The mission of the Division on Civil Rights is to protect the people of New Jersey from discrimination and bias-based harassment in employment, housing and public accommodations.
- New Jersey Interagency Task Force to Combat Youth Bias published the An Anti-Bias Vision for the Next Generation (October 2020) report which focuses on the future of New Jersey’s young people and outlines how we can work towards a more equitable and just state.
- New Jersey Department of Treasury includes the Office of Diversity and Inclusion which leads New Jersey’s efforts to promote diverse leadership in government that is reflective of the state’s population and to increase the utilization of minority and women-owned businesses in the state contracting process.
- New Jersey Transgender Equality Task Force published the reportAddressing Discrimination Against Transgender New Jerseyans (November 2019).
The resources provided on this webpage are for informational purposes only. All resources must meet the New Jersey Department of Education’s (NJDOE) accessibility guidelines. Currently, the NJDOE aims to conform to Level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1). However, the NJDOE does not guarantee that linked external sites conform to Level AA of the WCAG 2.1. Neither NJDOE nor its officers, employees or agents specifically endorse, recommend or favor these resources or the organizations that created them. Please note that the NJDOE has not reviewed or approved the materials related to the programs.