NJ Education Report

The Wall St. Journal looks at the tense relationship between Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Newark Superintendent Cami Anderson:

Mr. Baraka said Ms. Anderson has been dictatorial and hasn’t listened to the community. “If she was in anyone else’s city, they would have thrown her out a long time ago,” he said. 

Ms. Anderson said Mr. Baraka tried to exaggerate the school system’s problems and not acknowledge accomplishments. She said Mr. Baraka wanted to maintain the “status quo,” and that her policies had helped him in his job as a principal at a Newark high school. 

“When your ideological perspective is anti-charter, anti-choice and very focused on adult interests over kids, it’s pretty difficult to find common ground,” she said of Mr. Baraka.

Camden Public Schools has been soliciting  input from the community about academic priorities as it prepares for the release of new school report cards. According to comments made by 475 residents, here are the top three:

1. Students receive rich instruction from their teachers (56% of respondents);
2. Students are challenged and interested in their school work (53%);
3. Students leave school ready to succeed in the next grade level, college, or career (53%).