NJ Education Report

Tom Moran at the Star-Ledger predicts that Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop won’t win the governorship because he “presents himself as a reformer, but he acts like a traditional political boss.” One example: “He abandoned his school-reform team in the last election, withdrawing support late in the game. That pleased the teachers’ union, a key player in the governor’s race. But his former allies, all of whom got crushed, remain bitter over the betrayal.”

The N.J. D.O.E. is gearing up for the release of PARCC scores. From NJ Spotlight:

The administration yesterday sent school districts a slew of resources – ranging from a video for parents to webinars for principals and teachers — to help them analyze the results for themselves and explain them to the public.

“We are looking forward to sharing PARCC results in the coming weeks and remain committed to ensuring that New Jersey educators are prepared to use assessment data as one tool to measure and ensure academic progress, inform instruction, and improve student learning,” said Bari Erlichson, the assistant education commissioner heading the effort, in a memo to districts.

Also see the Asbury Park Press and the Star-Ledger,

A new policy brief from Education Law Center says the state is miscalculating “adjustment aid,” which is supposed to “hold harmless” districts from “new” (2008) allocations through the School Funding Reform Act. The brief ignores that fact that pre-recession SFRA is unfundable anyway, just like the current pension system, From NJ Education Aid: “SFRA is never going to be fully funded and if New Jersey wants fairness it has to be realistic and pragmatic regarding the Abbotts, especially Hoboken.”

Jersey City regained local control and some saw that decision as a harbinger for Newark. However, “in a statement, Department of Education Deputy Press Secretary David Saenz said the decision regarding Jersey City was indicative of the state’s commitment to returning districts to local control across the state, but that it had ‘no bearing on Newark.'”

Star-Ledger: “A federal judge has ruled that the parents of a boy with autism have a right to sue the Harrison Township School District for allegedly discriminating against their son and preventing him from attending school in a neighboring district.”

“New York-based Uncommon Schools is hoping to build a new charter school at the former home of the Star-Ledger newspaper.”

Twenty N.J. charter schools are up for renewal this year and, reports NJ Spotlight, “the Christie administration announced to schools this summer that it was making significant changes in the process.” Here’s the new state protocol.

Local districts are starting to pass policies regarding transgender students. See the Asbury Park Press and the Record.

Most of the candidates running for Paterson School Board are “sharply critical” of Superintendent Donnie Evans,, reports the Record. And the Trenton Times reviews Trenton’s process for selecting a new chief as former superintendent Francisco Duran takes the helm at Fairfax County Schools.