2025 Certification Application Cycle
Sustainable Jersey for Schools operates on a once a year application cycle, with three submission dates. See the chart below for details on the structure and timing of the application cycle. To maximize the potential for feedback and ultimately achieve certification, it is highly recommended to submit an application with documentation for at least two rounds of review. Applicants who wait until the final deadline to submit an initial application will have to wait until the next year's certification cycle to address any issues identified during the review process.
Request a help session with our staff to make progress on your certification application. Someone from our staff will reach out to finalize a time for a Zoom meeting or phone call.
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Timeline
| First Round | Second Round | Third Round |
|---|
| Submission Deadline | January 13 | March 24 | June 12 |
| Return Date | Late February | Early May | Late August |
Timeline Details
| Timeline & Submission/Resubmission Requirements |
|---|
Sept. 1
| New Program Year Starts
- Schools seeking certification in 2025 start working on applications.
- Schools with certification expiring in August 2025 begin working on re-certification
- School and District green teams work on completing actions and uploading documentation to their applications.
|
Jan. 13
| First Online Application Submission Deadline
- District/school applicant prepares an initial application by uploading available action documentation. Actions marked as “Completed” will be reviewed.
- Additional documentation may be uploaded during the second and final submission review cycles.
Tip: Submit initial applications in January and March and use reviewers' feedback to help achieve certification. |
Late February
| First-Round Review Comments Provided
- Each reviewed action will be marked as “Approved” or “Must Revise” with comments provided.
- Applicants have the opportunity to complete required activities and/or documentation to receive credit for actions marked as “Must Revise.”
|
March 24
| Second Online Application Deadline
- Districts and Schools that submitted applications in January have a second opportunity to provide documentation and update actions that were marked “Must Revise” or to complete new actions. Initial applications may also be submitted at this time.
- Actions should be marked as “Completed” then submitted for review.
|
Early May
| Second-Round Review Comments Provided - Each reviewed action will be marked as "Approved" or "Must Revise" with comments provided
- Applicants have a final opportunity to complete required activities and/or documentation to receive credit for actions marked as "Must Revise"
|
June 12
| Final Application Deadline - This is the final opportunity for districts and schools to submit documentation for "Must Revise" or new actions
- All actions submitted should contain documentation to fully meet action requirements.
- NOTE: For applications submitted for the first time in June, the next opportunity to update the application based on reviewer feedback would be January 2026, for 2026 certification.
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Late August
| Final Certification Notifications to Schools
- All schools that have met the certification requirements will be considered certified at the bronze or silver level based on the accumulated points total and considered for the Sustainable Jersey for Schools annual awards.
- Certified schools and annual award winners will be recognized at the Sustainable Jersey for Schools Awards to be held at the NJSBA Workshop in October.
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