NJ Education Report

New Jersey released district-by-district state aid numbers after Gov. Christie gave his budget address.

NJ Spotlight: “Early childhood education is getting a further boost from the state’s Democrat-led Senate, as a new package of bills announced yesterday would offer all-day kindergarten for all and provide tax credits for childcare expenses. Also see the Press of Atlantic City,

The Asbury Park Press surveys PARCC refusal rates, which Julia Sass Rubin calls “impressive.” At Asbury Park High School not a single student reached proficiency in Algebra 2.

Some high school juniors opted out of PARCC last Spring but forgot that N.J. state law requires an exit exam for graduation. “PARCC has nothing to do with this,” [Ed. Comm. David] Hespe said. “What’s having to do with this is that students thought opting out of PARCC was a great idea, and now they have to figure out what other tests to take.”

Verona Public Schools is using PARCC results data to drive instruction.

The Star-Ledger reports on an anti-charter school protest by members of the Paterson Education Association: “We’re not going to allow private corporations to come in here and open schools that are not public,” said the president of Paterson’s teacher union.

Forty adult students who never graduated from high school received diplomas this week in Camden because of a partnership between Camden Public Schools and Camelot Education, a private company which runs alternative programs across the nation. “‘I feel like the hard work paid off. I chose to put in the work and make school my first priority,’ said [Shaun] Edmonds, 18, who hopes to attend college to study law and justice.”

My Central Jersey says that N.J.’s urban districts have made “remarkable improvements” with graduation rates.

“LAKEWOOD – The courtesy busing crisis has been resolved, but for the moment, anyway, no one will say how. “Busing will be in effect till the end of the year. No worries,” Mayor Menashe Miller assured hundreds of public school parents who packed Town Hall again Thursday night.”