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NJ Spotlight--Governor Punts on PARCC as Fate of Controversial School Test Still Unclear
Murphy maintains his opposition to the ‘high-stakes’ exam but defers to state education commissioner on whether and when it will be replaced
Gov. Phil Murphy yesterday addressed for the first time the ongoing standoff over the future of PARCC testing. And, while reiterating his opposition to the exam, he offered little resistance to what increasingly looks like could be a protracted debate.
Speaking at a Carteret school where he promoted preschool expansion, Murphy indicated he was open to a full discussion on PARCC, but stressed that he remains steadfast against the testing as it stands.
John Mooney | September 19, 2018
Star Ledger--Biggest scam you’ve never heard about: How N.J. schools may be losing lots of money
Some school officials and coaches call it one of the biggest scams in high school sports, with districts getting duped out of untold amounts of dollars that could help fund their programs.
Matthew Stanmyre | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com| September 19, 2018 6:45 AM
Star Ledger--Here are the N.J. school districts getting money to expand pre-K under Murphy plan
Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday revealed the more than two dozen New Jersey school districts chosen to receive the first round of millions of dollars in new funding in his push to expand public pre-school across the state.
Murphy said the state is spreading $20.6 million in Preschool Education Expansion Aid across 31 districts that will expand pre-K programs to more than 2,000 3- and 4-year-old students.
Brent Johnson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com| Posted September 18, 2018 at 05:30 PM |
Star Ledger--Murphy defends hiring of ex-official jailed for taking bribes
Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday defended his administration's decision to hire a former Passaic City councilman who served prison time for taking bribes.
Brent Johnson|Updated Sep 18, 2:47 PM; Posted Sep 18, 11:25 AM
Associated Press (via Philadelphia Inquirer)--Murphy still wants to phase out PARCC despite pushback
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy says his mind is unchanged about phasing out a controversial standardized test despite legislative concerns over dropping the exams.
Murphy spoke Tuesday in Carteret at an unrelated announcement on preschool expansion.
His comments come a day after Education Commissioner Lamont Repollet testified before a joint Assembly and Senate committee on the administration's proposal to curtail the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers exams. They're commonly known as PARCC tests.
"The white-knuckle, high-stakes test leaves me cold," Murphy said. He added that he's seen no evidence to convince him otherwise.
http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/nation/20180918_ap_c4c5e164549c4ad3b63ef0233f9fa638.html
MIKE CATALINI, The Associated Press| Updated: September 18, 2018 — 3:54 PM EDT
Asbury Park Press--Make time for school recess: Editorial
New Jersey’s mandatory recess law was supposed to have kicked in with the new school year. Elementary school children across the state should already be guaranteed at least 20 minutes of play during each school day, outdoors whenever “feasible” — with feasibility apparently left open to interpretation.
https://www.app.com/story/opinion/readers/2018/09/17/school-recess-nj-mandate/1336605002/
Asbury Park Press Published 1:21 p.m. ET Sept. 17, 2018
Associated Press (viaWashington Post)--Bill Gates calls for more global education assessments data
SEATTLE — Bill Gates is rallying behind school quality in developing nations with a push for more assessment data, a new initiative that links the Microsoft co-founder’s signature U.S. education priorities with his more prominent global philanthropy work.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as the world’s largest philanthropy issued its latest “Goalkeepers” report on Tuesday, urging for more comparable student assessment data worldwide and help getting girls through their schooling.
“The world, in education, focused a lot on access, which is super important, and in most countries made huge progress on gender-equal access, but now there needs to be a focus on quality,” Gates said in a press call on September 11.
Sally Ho | AP| September 18 at 12:14 PM
Education Week--Opioid Epidemic Raising Special Education Concerns
Tens of thousands of babies are born each year to mothers who abused opioids when they were pregnant.
Now, a new study offers a snapshot of the educational impact of that early trauma—and a hint of what schools are already facing and may have to grapple with for years to come.
Christina A. Samuels| September 17, 2018
