Publications

Health insurance literacy is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted approach to address. Our goal throughout this project was to better understand health insurance literacy, its impact on people across the country, identify available resources, and propose steps to improve understanding of health insurance. This report will be valuable to policymakers aiming to grasp […]

The United States, with its growing elderly population, is experiencing a significant demographic shift. This trend is evident in New Jersey, which faces rapid population aging and increasing healthcare expenditures. This in turn highlights the critical need to ensure high-quality long-term care, with nursing homes playing a central role. New Jersey relies on nursing homes […]

Traffic safety is a critical concern in New Jersey where annual traffic crashes typically exceed 200,000, according to the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), with many of them resulting in non-fatal injuries that have lifelong impacts on victims. Currently, this data is not easily accessible. Researchers, advocates, and the public have an interest in […]

From 2016 through 2022, all teacher education candidates in New Jersey were required by statute to complete a specific performance assessment, the Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA), in order to gain certification. edTPA is a complex performance assessment that requires candidates to share lesson plans, a video from the classroom they teach, and the assessments […]

New Jersey has an innovative Assisted Living Program (ALP) designed exclusively for seniors living in subsidized public housing. ALPs help older adults remain in their communities when they experience cognitive and physical decline over time, by providing hands-on assistance with personal care, medications, nursing, and social services, with the objective of preventing or delaying placement […]

R/ECON’s economic forecast for New Jersey as of mid-2025 continues to show a slowing trajectory. Annual GDP growth is projected at just 0.5% for 2025, significantly lower than in prior forecasts and markedly below the national rate of 1.5%. Growth will slow slightly to 0.4% in 2026 before rebounding to 1.2% in 2027, though still […]

The American Rescue Plan Act’s Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (ARPA-SLFRF) represent a historic $350 billion investment to support state and local governments in responding to the economic and public health challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Local governments were given flexibility in how these funds could be spent. This study examines how local […]

COVID-19 brought to light the disparities among the nursing workforce that have been simmering in our health care system and highlighted the need for nurses to access emotional well-being programs with the intention of reducing emotional distress and burnout. In recognition of National Nurses Week, researchers have published a new report examining the findings from […]

As the New Jersey State Policy Lab (NJSPL) reaches its fourth anniversary, it is my honor to serve as the Executive Director, working with an incredible team of dedicated professionals to better understand and investigate policy issues impacting the state. The NJSPL was created as the result of a grant from the Office of the Secretary […]

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically disrupted K–12 education. School staff across the country were faced with the unprecedented task of delivering high-quality instruction amidst a global health crisis. In New Jersey, approximately 15% of K–12 public schools managed to improve proficiency rates in math and/or English language arts (ELA) on the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment […]

New Jersey’s state higher education plan, “Where Opportunity Meets Innovation – A Student-Centered Vision for New Jersey Higher Education” (the Plan), was introduced in 2019. It envisions an ecosystem where every resident can attain high-quality credentials regardless of their circumstances. This report aims to assess how New Jersey has progressed toward the goals of this […]

In partnership with the New Jersey State Policy Lab and the New Jersey Reentry Corporation, the Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration launched an innovative initiative to transform mental health and addiction treatment services for people involved in the justice system in New Jersey. Using the Appreciative Inquiry methodology and the SOAR framework (Strengths, […]