New Jersey
U.S.
Rank
Score:
72%
Grade:
C
Rank:
#29
A continued and relentless assault on charter school growth by the Murphy Administration has education advocates and charter school leaders fuming. Petitions to start and to expand charter schools – which must endure a heavy handed state education departments cumbersome and establishment focussed Department of Education, are being regularly denied for no reason other than teachers unions and district demands, costing New Jersey two spots in the national rankings and dropping their score from a C to a D for the first time in history.
Law passed: 1995
Most recently amended: 2021
Number of charter schools: 87
Number of charter students: 57,486
Cap on the number of schools allowed:? No
Virtual charters allowed? No
AUTHORIZERS: The commissioner of education (who represents the state department of education) is the sole authorizer. Charter school applicants may submit applications to the local school board and the commissioner. If the local district is under state intervention, applications may be submitted to the state district superintendent for consideration but the only the state education commissioner can approve. Denied applications may be appealed to the appellate division of the state superior court. NJ is the only state in the country whose appeals go to a court.
GROWTH: While New Jersey does not cap the number of charter schools in the state, the state education department operates a defacto cap on new approvals and growth.
OPERATIONS: Instead of granting charters blanket waivers from operational rules to provide maximum freedom, charter school operators must request freedom from specific regulations in their charter applications. That puts the burden on schools to wade through a morass of state rules. Teacher and principal certifications cannot be waived however there are alternative routes available in the state.
EQUITY: 90% of the per-pupil program budget or 90% of the “thorough and efficient funding” amount is supposed to go directly to the charter school for their students, along with state and federal categorical funds. The total funding that charter schools receive is often much less than districts because they do not receive “adjustment aid” from the state. Also, districts can charge charters up to ten percent of per pupil funding to cover administrative fees. New Jersey’s law does not provide any facilities funding.
Score:
Grade:
F
Rank:
#46
There are no choice programs in this state.
Score:
Grade:
C
Rank:
#10
Strong teacher preparation programs and requirements for content knowledge for elementary, middle, and secondary teacher candidates.
TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT: 81%
General Teacher Preparation 88%
Elementary Teacher Preparation 73%
Secondary Teacher Preparation 85%
Special Education Teacher Preparation 68%
Alternate Routes 93%
STAFFING AND SUPPORT: 80%
Hiring 87%
Retaining Effective Teachers 73%
TEACHER EVALUATION: 86%
TEACHER COMPENSATION: 58%
Score:
72%
Grade:
C
Rank:
#29
A continued and relentless assault on charter school growth by the Murphy Administration has education advocates and charter school leaders fuming. Petitions to start and to expand charter schools – which must endure a heavy handed state education departments cumbersome and establishment focussed Department of Education, are being regularly denied for no reason other than teachers unions and district demands, costing New Jersey two spots in the national rankings and dropping their score from a C to a D for the first time in history.
Law passed: 1995
Most recently amended: 2021
Number of charter schools: 87
Number of charter students: 57,486
Cap on the number of schools allowed:? No
Virtual charters allowed? No
AUTHORIZERS: The commissioner of education (who represents the state department of education) is the sole authorizer. Charter school applicants may submit applications to the local school board and the commissioner. If the local district is under state intervention, applications may be submitted to the state district superintendent for consideration but the only the state education commissioner can approve. Denied applications may be appealed to the appellate division of the state superior court. NJ is the only state in the country whose appeals go to a court.
GROWTH: While New Jersey does not cap the number of charter schools in the state, the state education department operates a defacto cap on new approvals and growth.
OPERATIONS: Instead of granting charters blanket waivers from operational rules to provide maximum freedom, charter school operators must request freedom from specific regulations in their charter applications. That puts the burden on schools to wade through a morass of state rules. Teacher and principal certifications cannot be waived however there are alternative routes available in the state.
EQUITY: 90% of the per-pupil program budget or 90% of the “thorough and efficient funding” amount is supposed to go directly to the charter school for their students, along with state and federal categorical funds. The total funding that charter schools receive is often much less than districts because they do not receive “adjustment aid” from the state. Also, districts can charge charters up to ten percent of per pupil funding to cover administrative fees. New Jersey’s law does not provide any facilities funding.
Score:
Grade:
F
Rank:
#46
There are no choice programs in this state.
Score:
Grade:
C
Rank:
#10
Strong teacher preparation programs and requirements for content knowledge for elementary, middle, and secondary teacher candidates.
TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT: 81%
General Teacher Preparation 88%
Elementary Teacher Preparation 73%
Secondary Teacher Preparation 85%
Special Education Teacher Preparation 68%
Alternate Routes 93%
STAFFING AND SUPPORT: 80%
Hiring 87%
Retaining Effective Teachers 73%
TEACHER EVALUATION: 86%
TEACHER COMPENSATION: 58%
Score:
Grade:
D
Rank:
#48
In an effort to expand school districts’ capacity for digital learning, New Jersey DOE partnered with NJ School Board Association and Sustainable Jersey to launch the Digital Schools Program, which will replace the Future Ready Schools-NJ initiative that successfully certified 259 schools in 76 districts in the state as “Future Ready.”
The state has Technology Standards for students by grade level. The New Jersey DOE website has resources on educational technology planning, digital tools, and information on state organizations for educators to join.
New Jersey has five school districts that are members of the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools, providing over 45,000 students digital learning exposure. The League of Innovative Schools is a network of school leaders in 114 districts in 34 states that aim to enhance and scale digital learning opportunities for students across the nation.
The COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on the inequities in New Jersey: more than 200,000 students were left without internet access, and approx. 100,000 students still did not have a device a month after schools were closed.
Bandwidth: “99.9% of students in New Jersey can access the Internet at speeds of 100 kbps per student, and many students are connected at higher speeds. But there is still work to be done. 1,278 students still need more bandwidth for digital learning.”
New Jersey does not have any policies or programs that promote personalized learning.
Governor Murphy announced school closures on March 16th. The districts immediately began to transfer to remote learning, with 90% of schools already having emergency protocols in place. New Jersey was one of the first states to provide guidance to school districts on closing school buildings but continuing instruction.
The state first instructed districts that they may offer remote learning, but were not required to do so. Although they initially offered very little guidance for schools and teachers in developing plans, they later developed a website with resources.
They also launched an initiative in April for lessons taught by NJ teachers that aired live on public television. In July, New Jersey became the first state to offer upcoming high school juniors and seniors the option to defer graduation for a year in order to take additional classes or participate in extracurricular activities they missed.
New Jersey learned and improved communications and resources as the pandemic progressed, ultimately resulting in students there able to continue learning.
Going into the fall, Governor Murphy stated he would be issuing an executive order to require districts to offer both on ground and online instruction, unless they could demonstrate there was a reason to go remote only.
Fast Facts
4th Grade Math Proficiency:
8th Grade Math Proficiency:
12th Grade Math Proficiency:
4th Grade Reading Proficiency:
8th Grade Reading Proficiency:
12th Grade Reading Proficiency:
Graduation Rate:
Average SAT Score:
Average ACT Score:
Public School Enrollment:
Percent Enrolled in Charter Schools:
Average Student Funding:
Score:
Grade:
D
Rank:
#48
In an effort to expand school districts’ capacity for digital learning, New Jersey DOE partnered with NJ School Board Association and Sustainable Jersey to launch the Digital Schools Program, which will replace the Future Ready Schools-NJ initiative that successfully certified 259 schools in 76 districts in the state as “Future Ready.”
The state has Technology Standards for students by grade level. The New Jersey DOE website has resources on educational technology planning, digital tools, and information on state organizations for educators to join.
New Jersey has five school districts that are members of the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools, providing over 45,000 students digital learning exposure. The League of Innovative Schools is a network of school leaders in 114 districts in 34 states that aim to enhance and scale digital learning opportunities for students across the nation.
The COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on the inequities in New Jersey: more than 200,000 students were left without internet access, and approx. 100,000 students still did not have a device a month after schools were closed.
Bandwidth: “99.9% of students in New Jersey can access the Internet at speeds of 100 kbps per student, and many students are connected at higher speeds. But there is still work to be done. 1,278 students still need more bandwidth for digital learning.”
New Jersey does not have any policies or programs that promote personalized learning.
Governor Murphy announced school closures on March 16th. The districts immediately began to transfer to remote learning, with 90% of schools already having emergency protocols in place. New Jersey was one of the first states to provide guidance to school districts on closing school buildings but continuing instruction.
The state first instructed districts that they may offer remote learning, but were not required to do so. Although they initially offered very little guidance for schools and teachers in developing plans, they later developed a website with resources.
They also launched an initiative in April for lessons taught by NJ teachers that aired live on public television. In July, New Jersey became the first state to offer upcoming high school juniors and seniors the option to defer graduation for a year in order to take additional classes or participate in extracurricular activities they missed.
New Jersey learned and improved communications and resources as the pandemic progressed, ultimately resulting in students there able to continue learning.
Going into the fall, Governor Murphy stated he would be issuing an executive order to require districts to offer both on ground and online instruction, unless they could demonstrate there was a reason to go remote only.
4th Grade Math Proficiency:
8th Grade Math Proficiency:
12th Grade Math Proficiency:
4th Grade Reading Proficiency:
8th Grade Reading Proficiency:
12th Grade Reading Proficiency:
Graduation Rate:
Average SAT Score:
Average ACT Score:
Public School Enrollment:
Percent Enrolled in Charter Schools:
Average Student Funding:
Phil Murphy (D)
First term began in 2018 (two-term limit)
While Governor Phil Murphy does not endorse most of what qualifies as parent power, he does not acquiesce to the humans in the way some New Jersey leaders have in the past. New Jersey charter schools have actually grown very slightly under the Murphy administration, and his leadership on reopening schools this fall is worthy of Praise as he demanded that schools offer options to students.
Like the governor’s mansion, the state legislature is also controlled by the Democratic Party. Expanding education opportunities for families with this state legislature will be a challenge. There have been great strides made in urban areas like Camden and there’s a state commitment to technology enhance learning but overall this is just a status quo mindset.
New Jersey’s constitution does not contain a Blaine Amendment. Several state cases over the years have underscored the constitutionality of public funds supporting private decisions. The state’s famous Abbott case on education equity also allows pre-school funds to flow to private schools by the parents’ choices.
There is a case pending before the NJ Supreme Court, In re Renewal Application of TEAM Academy Charter School, that seeks to overturn an expansion of charter schools in Newark in 2016 by the state education commissioner.
School and district report cards are highlighted on New Jersey’s DOE homepage. Report cards have a useful function that allows users to choose between a detailed school report and a summary report. Data is comprehensive and complete, including information on demographics, academic achievement, college and career readiness, postsecondary, school climate, staff, and per-pupil expenditures. One downside is it requires digging through multiple tabs to find what you’re searching for.
Educational options are easily found under the Programs tab of the DOE homepage, further increasing transparency by giving parents access to information they need to make decisions.
School board elections are during the general election cycle, which gives parents more power in their decision making because of higher voter turnout.
Phil Murphy (D)
First term began in 2018 (two-term limit)
While Governor Phil Murphy does not endorse most of what qualifies as parent power, he does not acquiesce to the humans in the way some New Jersey leaders have in the past. New Jersey charter schools have actually grown very slightly under the Murphy administration, and his leadership on reopening schools this fall is worthy of Praise as he demanded that schools offer options to students.
Like the governor’s mansion, the state legislature is also controlled by the Democratic Party. Expanding education opportunities for families with this state legislature will be a challenge. There have been great strides made in urban areas like Camden and there’s a state commitment to technology enhance learning but overall this is just a status quo mindset.
New Jersey’s constitution does not contain a Blaine Amendment. Several state cases over the years have underscored the constitutionality of public funds supporting private decisions. The state’s famous Abbott case on education equity also allows pre-school funds to flow to private schools by the parents’ choices.
There is a case pending before the NJ Supreme Court, In re Renewal Application of TEAM Academy Charter School, that seeks to overturn an expansion of charter schools in Newark in 2016 by the state education commissioner.
School and district report cards are highlighted on New Jersey’s DOE homepage. Report cards have a useful function that allows users to choose between a detailed school report and a summary report. Data is comprehensive and complete, including information on demographics, academic achievement, college and career readiness, postsecondary, school climate, staff, and per-pupil expenditures. One downside is it requires digging through multiple tabs to find what you’re searching for.
Educational options are easily found under the Programs tab of the DOE homepage, further increasing transparency by giving parents access to information they need to make decisions.
School board elections are during the general election cycle, which gives parents more power in their decision making because of higher voter turnout.