The Star Ledger, NJ Spotlight, Asbury Park Press, the Courier Post, Central Jersey, and the Record have breakdowns of each school district’s state aid for 2013-2014. The highest increases go to Elizabeth ($7,559,176), Camden ($3.6 million), Bridgeton City ($3,159,226), and Atlantic City ($2,256,673).
NJ Spotlight examines the “teeny weeny” voucher program (Sen. Lesniak’s description) that Gov. Christie proposed in his budget address.
Alyson Klein at EdWeek breaks down the impact of sequestrarian on school districts. Also see Star-Ledger coverage.
The state DOE, reports the Star Ledger and NJ Spotlight, is closing three charter schools for poor test scores and leadership: The Institute for Excellence Charter School in Hammonton, Liberty Academy Charter School in Jersey City, and Oceanside Charter School in Atlantic City. Thirteen autonomous public schools will have their charters renewed.
The Press of Atlantic City reports that “The decision to
accept students from other towns is proving to be very profitable for local school
districts in the state Public School Choice Program.”
Perth Amboy update: the School Board has rescinded Superintendent Janine Caffrey’s suspension. However, reports
Central Jersey, “Caffrey appears to have sparked another [dispute] with the 2013-14 school calendar in which teacher in-service days are scheduled for Sept. 3-6 during Rosh Hashana, a Jewish holiday — while school is closed for the Monday after the Super Bowl and St. Patrick’s Day next year.”
More than one hundred Newark Public Schools employees, mostly supervisors and department heads,
received lay-off notices.
A study from
Mathematica gives high marks to KIPP charter schools:
Mathematica used a matched comparison design and a random assignment lottery to produce comprehensive evidence on the effects of KIPP middle schools across the country. In the large majority of these schools, KIPP’s impact on student achievement in math, reading, science, and social studies is consistently positive and educationally substantial. In math and reading, there are positive impacts in each of the first four years after a student enrolls in a KIPP school. In science and social studies, the study measured impacts in the grade that states administered tests in these subjects (typically 8th grade), and found positive impacts three to four years after students enroll at KIPP. The evidence suggests that KIPP is among the highest-performing charter networks in the country.