NJ Education Report

“New Jersey schools spent an average of $18,891 to educate each student last year, an increase of $866, or almost 5 percent, from 2012,” says the Star Ledger, according to the State’s annual “Taxpayer’s Guide to Education Spending.”  On average, costs are up 5% from last year. The highest cost per pupil district is Avalon School District at $43,775 per student and the lowest spending district is  Rockaway Borough at $12,587 per student. Also see coverage from The Record, The Press of Atlantic City, and NJ Spotlight.

Hunterdon County Democrat: “A report from a Ball State University researcher shows that New Jersey taxpayers are funding 349 school districts in the state [ed. note: like Avalon] with each having less than 2,000 students. If these school districts were consolidated with neighboring districts, the estimated savings could range from $2.6 to $6.1 million in the six counties with populations below 250,000, according to the report.”

The Lakewood School Board voted down its own budget but new Fiscal Monitor Mike Azzara overruled the vote and ordered passage of the $151 million spending plan. Audience members were “astonished,” says the Asbury Park Press.

“The bill doesn’t slow implementation of PARCC tests, just the stakes attached to them,” said, Assemblywoman Mila Jasey (D-Essex) about her proposed legislation that delays incorporation into teacher evaluations of the  new assessments aligned to the Common Core State Standards. (Star Ledger)  Here’s the “fine print” on the bill from NJ Spotlight and here’s coverage from The Record.

NJEA applauded the new tenure process per NJ’s tenure reform bill, TEACHNJ. From the Press of Atlantic City: “It takes less time, it costs less, and our members are still getting due process,” said Steve Baker, spokesman for the New Jersey Education Association, which represents the majority of teachers in the state.

Press of Atlantic City: “Sixty years after the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Brown vs. Board of Education decision prohibiting segregation in public schools, New Jersey remains one of the most segregated states in the nation.”

The South Jersey Times covers Camden’s student walk-outs protesting (necessary) teacher lay-offs. Here’s audio from John Mooney.

Cami plays nice: “Mayor-elect Baraka and I worked together at Newark public schools and had a productive working relationship which I have every intention of continuing,” Anderson said. “While we may not agree on all issues, we certainly share a common passion for creating equity for our young people.” (Star Ledger)

Rishawn Biddle on Shavar Jeffries’ loss to Ras Baraka in Newark:

Your editor can’t exactly feign shock over Ras Baraka’s victory over Shavar Jeffries in Newark’s mayoral election. After all, Baraka’s career as a city councilman — along with support from his colleagues — gave him the political constituency, and thus, the strong chance of victory that newcomer Jeffries lacked. The fact that Jeffries managed to get 46 percent of the vote in spite of his inexperience in the political arena is an accomplishment in itself; Baraka, who is also principal of one of Newark’s traditional district schools and the son of a legendary poet who lives in the city, should have won by a much-wider margin.