New
Jersey Department of Education Accomplishments
THIRD QUARTER ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN
EDUCATION 2003
Commissioner William L. Librera
July 1 to October 1, 2003
Governor McGreevey and Commissioner Librera have grouped the state’s
educational initiatives into five major themes to be addressed:
-Teacher and administrator quality;
-Raising student achievement;
-Diverse and multiple paths for student success;
-Innovative and outstanding practices/programs; and
-Public engagement and communication and public accountability.
Teacher and Administrator Quality
The Department of Education has done the following:
- Initiated a year-long series of professional development opportunities
in July 2003 for teachers of English language learners. Specialized
training began with 50 teachers from 31 selected districts who learned
effective strategies for teaching English and other subjects to students
who speak a language other than English.
Raising Student Achievement
The Department of Education has done the following:
Literacy:
- Co-sponsored with Governor McGreevey the first two-day early literacy
conference in August 2003 entitled "Keeping the Promise: Literacy
for all Children." More than 700 educators, reading and literacy
coaches, principals, and Reading First coordinators attended the
conference to learn about research-based teaching practices focused
on literacy.
Health and safety:
- Initiated, in collaboration with the Violence Institute of New
Jersey (VINJ), at the University of Medicine and Dentistry, the Positive
Student Discipline Reform Demonstration Project. The goal of the
project is to create safety and order in schools without unnecessarily
excluding students. Under the project, three pilot districts will
be selected to implement research-based approaches to school safety,
including student discipline and positive student development, that
address the priority needs of the participating districts. A panel
of representatives from statewide organizations with interests in
education has been convened to provide advice and serve as a resource
for the project.
Diverse and Multiple Paths for Student Achievement
The Department of Education has done the following:
- Released the 2002-03 annual report for the Interdistrict School
Choice program featuring 12 choice districts that enrolled 461 choice
students. In 2003-04, 13 choice districts are expected to enroll
736 students. The program must be reauthorized by the Legislature
by June 2005. Benefits of the program noted in the report include
smaller class size, innovative programs, expansion of classes such
as art and music, adding diversity, and avoiding overcrowding or
underutilization. Manchester Regional High School District was the
15th choice school selected, and it is offering access
to a technology program in 2004-05.
- Held a statewide conference for 800 participants in August 2003
entitled "Generation Next: Understanding the New Model of Vocational-Technical
Education in New Jersey" to address the vocational-technical
needs of students in the 21st century. The conference
featured workshop presenters from across the country on various aspects
of career preparation and workforce training for students and adult
learners.
Innovative and Outstanding Practices and Programs
The Department of Education has done the following:
- Released the "New Jersey Character Education Partnership Initiative:
Report on Year-Two Outcomes." This report provides an overview
of the continued progress of the state initiative and summarizes
the data submitted by second-year participating public schools for
the 2001-02 school year. More than 700,000 students participated
in a variety of character-building activities throughout year two.
The report provides descriptive data on school, district , student,
teacher, and community involvement. Summary data is also provided
on program selection, grade levels involved in the initiative, and
the times in which school districts provided character education.
- Entered into the second year of a four-year Memorandum of Agreement
with Rutgers University to further develop the New Jersey Center
for Character Education (NJCCE). The center has facilitated a three-year
strategic plan for character education improvement in the 10 selected
collaborating Local Education Agency (LEA) partners and met with
10 teacher preparation institutions of higher education to discuss
how character education has been infused through the course work.
- Released the continuation notice of grant opportunity (NGO) for
year two of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers
program. Proposals are dedicated to supplement the education of children
who attend low-performing schools and live in high-poverty areas
so that they may gain the skills and knowledge need to meet New Jersey’s
Core Curriculum Content Standards. The continuation NGO includes
additional supplemental funds available to grantees in the amount
of $9,000 per grantee. Award amounts ranged from $232,000 to $509,000.
- Planned and is hosting a full-day symposium focusing on sustainability
and infusion of character education for after-school programs. This
workshop, to be held November 14, 2003, is open to New Jersey’s
current 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC)
grantees.
- Entered into a contract with the New Jersey School-Age Care Coalition
(NJSACC) to provide nine regional workshops and/or trainings in the
areas of evaluation, sustainability, and program quality and implementation
for the 21st CCLC grantees. NJSACC is the state’s
national affiliate to the National School-Age Care Alliance (NSACA)
whose mission it is to promote and support the development, continuity,
and expansion of quality programs for children and youth during out-of-school
time.
Public Communication, Engagement and Accountability
The Department of Education has
done the following:
- Designed and issued the new No Child Left Behind (NCLB) 2002
Report Card. The report must be issued annually before the opening
of school and show the indicators that schools must meet in order
to avoid classification as a school in need of improvement under
the law. The report shows assessment data disaggregated by various
subgroups, along with attendance figures, adequate yearly progress
status, dropout rates, and highly qualified teacher information
