New Jersey Chess

Chess has been included in one (1) legislative bill in the State of New Jersey. The legislation was passed and signed into law on December, 1992.

BILL #S452 --CHESS IN THE SCHOOLS

This act concerning instruction in chess supplemented Chapter 35 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes:

BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. The Legislature finds and declares that:

a. chess increases strategic thinking skills, stimulates intellectual creativity, and improved problem-solving ability while raising self-esteem;

b. when youngsters play chess they must call upon higher-order thinking skills, analyze actions and consequences, and visualize future possibilities;

c. in countries where chess is offered widely in schools, students exhibit excellence in the ability to recognized complex patterns and consequently excel in math and science; and

d. instruction in chess during the second grade will enable pupils to learn skills which will serve them throughout their lives.

2. Each board of education may offer instruction in chess during the second grade for pupils in gifted and talented and special education programs. The Department of Education may establish guidelines to be used by boards of education which offer chess instruction in those programs.

3. This act shall take effect immediately.