Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz (D) – NJ sits down with Steve Adubato to discuss COVID-related learning loss in schools, teacher shortages, government response, and controversial curriculums. Recorded 12/13/22

Steve Adubato asks Senator Ruiz about the response of the Murphy Administration regarding the current learning loss situation and teacher shortage in New Jersey. Ruiz says, “Unfortunately I think it’s been too slow. The response, while we’re talking about now setting up a policy table, with the best minds in the state to talk about teacher shortages. We know that we’ve performed several pieces of legislation, let’s just get those regulations in place. Let’s eliminate the

teacher residency requirement in the state for some time frame so that we have neighboring people who want to come in and teach to fill those vacancies and those gaps. We know that high dose tutoring when it’s done properly is working. We should have instituted that several years ago. I just think that what’s hugely missing is that sense of urgency that existed at the beginning of the pandemic.”