Nine New Jersey Schools Selected; Improved Achievement Gaps Highlighted

CHERRY HILL - Governor Jon S. Corzine and U.S Education Secretary Arne Duncan today visited the Rosa International Middle School to honor students, teachers and administrators for being named a 2009 NCLB Blue Ribbon School. It is one of nine New Jersey schools to receive the designation among 314 schools nationwide.

"Rosa International exemplifies how commitment to excellence, hard work and a sense of community enhance the learning environment and spur achievement by our students," said Governor Corzine.  "With a renewed partnership in Washington, this administration remains committed to improving educational opportunities for our students to ensure a bright future for all children throughout this state."

The NCLB-Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes public and private elementary, middle, and high schools that are academically superior in their state or that make dramatic gains in student achievement and help close achievement gaps among minority and disadvantaged students.

Governor Corzine and Education Commissioner Lucille Davy recently announced that New Jersey's public schools have made notable progress in closing the achievement gap between African American, Latino and low-income students and their classmates.   A July 2009 report from the National Center for Education Statistic shows that New Jersey is one of only three states to narrow the achievement gap between black and white students in fourth grade reading and one of only 15 states to narrow the gap in fourth grade math between 1992 and 2007.   

The study, State Test Score Trends Through 2007-08, also showed the percentage of students proficient in math and reading has increased throughout the state.  According to results issued earlier this month from the 2009 NAEP (National Assessment for Educational Progress), New Jersey's fourth and eighth graders are among the nation's leaders in math. Eighth grade test scores improved significantly since 2007 while the state's fourth graders continue to score higher on the NAEP math test than students in all but two other states (when considering statistically significant results). The average math score of fourth graders in New Jersey was 247, while the average score for public school students across the nation was 239. There is only one state (MA) with statistically significant higher NAEP math scores for the 8^th grade.

New Jersey students have a history of strong performances on the NAEP tests.  In 2007, New Jersey eighth graders were the best writers in the nation for their grade level, and fourth graders trailed only Massachusetts in reading scores, the most recent results for this subject.

"New Jersey's Blue Ribbon schools, coupled with our continued progress on math and language arts assessments, are evidence that Governor Corzine's continued investments in education and his commitment to preparing every child for the 21^st century are yielding tangible results," said Education Commissioner Lucille Davy.

In addition to Rosa International Middle School in Cherry Hill, the eight other schools to receive the prestigious NCLB Blue Ribbon Award are: Cranbury School, Cranbury; Essex County Vocational/Technical-Bloomfield Tech, Bloomfield; Hillview Elementary School, Pompton Plains; Julia A. Traphagen Elementary School, Waldwick; Maple Place Middle School, Oceanport; Ridge High School, Basking Ridge; Science Park High School, Newark and Solomon Schechter Day School of Raritan Valley, East Brunswick.

NCLB Blue Ribbon Schools are selected based on one of two criteria: 1) Schools whose students, regardless of background, achieve in the top 10 percent of their state on state tests or in the case of private schools in the top 10 percent of the nation on nationally-normed tests; and 2) Schools with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that demonstrate dramatic improvement of student performance to high levels on state tests or nationally-normed tests.

New Jersey's Blue Ribbon Schools will be honored on November 3, 2009 at an awards ceremony in Washington, DC.

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