Recognizing that as many as one third of New Jersey's teachers may retire in the next ten years, the NJ Department of Education established a Teacher Recruitment Initiative in 2000.

The goal of the initiative is to improve both the quantity and quality of the teaching force throughout the schools in New Jersey.  The scope of the program includes partnerships with colleges and universities in New Jersey and out-of-state by building on traditional placement office programs, collaborating with other key higher education administration and faculty, and promoting careers in teaching to middle and high school students.