Friday, April 25, 2008           Office Of The Governor

MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS TO TRANSFORM

NEW JERSEY HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION UNVEILED

Proposed Course Requirements, Testing System,

and Teacher Supports Announced

     WAYNE -- A suggested framework for preparing every New Jersey student for college and the workplace was unveiled today, the result of a multi-year study on improving high school education in the state. The policy paper, entitled NJ STEPS: Re-Designing Education in New Jersey for the 21st Century, provides recommendations of the New Jersey High School Redesign Steering Committee that focus on five areas, including standards and high school graduation requirements, assessment alignment, teachers and school leaders, learning communities and personalized education, and P-16 alignment.

     The proposal was presented at a joint board meeting of the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education and State Board of Education at William Patterson University that included Governor Jon S. Corzine, along with the two co-chairs of the New Jersey High School Redesign Steering Committee.

     "The Task Force has admirably addressed every aspect of high school education and the potential for its seamless integration into higher education in New Jersey," said Governor Corzine in accepting the report. "We have an obligation and a vested economic interest to equip our high school students with the tools they need to build successful lives. These recommendations are a blueprint for this process."

     Standards and High School Graduation Requirements: A major goal of the Steering Committee is to help align New Jersey high school standards and graduation requirements to college and workforce entry requirements. According to reviews by Achieve Inc., New Jersey's high school standards and graduation requirements in language arts literacy and mathematics did not specifically reflect the knowledge and skills necessary for success in credit-bearing coursework in higher education or entry-level, well-paying jobs. Currently, New Jersey does not require all students to complete a college and work-ready curriculum to graduate from high school, and local graduation requirements also vary widely.

     As a result, the Steering Committee presented their proposed NJ STEPS Graduation Requirements, which include requiring all students to learn Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Biology, Chemistry, and .5 years of Economics, along with current state requirements to earn a high school diploma.

     Assessment Alignment: The Steering Committee also proposed a new approach for testing students on the content they would learn through the proposed NJ STEPS Graduation Requirements. A new Language Arts Proficiency Assessment, along with End of Course exams in math (Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry), and science (Biology and Chemistry) would replace the New Jersey High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA).

     Teachers and School Leaders: The Steering Committee proposed a partnership with key stakeholders to research, identify, and implement appropriate recruitment initiatives for teachers and education leaders. Additional suggestions include evaluating and improving teacher preparation programs in the state, and evaluating and implementing proven models of professional development for New Jersey educators.

     Learning Communities and Personalized Education: The Steering Committee recommends redesigning high schools as "learning communities" that utilize personalized learning approaches to prepare and support students in meeting the new standards and high school graduation requirements. Specific recommendations include providing increased technical assistance to local education leaders, and implementing data-based decision making programs.

     P-16 Alignment: The Steering Committee recommends creating a P-16 Council that would work to ensure a seamless and aligned system of public education from preschool through four years of college. This diverse group should include key leaders from P-16 education, business, industry, trade unions, government, parents, and the overall community.

     State of New Jersey Commissioner of Education Lucille Davy presented the recommendations included in the High School Redesign Steering Committee's policy paper to the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education and State Board of Education. "The Steering Committee has a clear vision for public education in New Jersey, which is to educate all students to prepare them to lead productive, fulfilling lives," said Davy. "The recommendations set forth in this policy paper are the result of extensive research, in-depth consultation with many organizations and individuals throughout the state, and careful consideration of the issues."

     The recommendations of the Steering Committee were derived from two years of public meetings with more than 1,000 educators, members of the public, and education stakeholders, such as the special education and career and technical education communities.

     As the report indicates, given budget constraints at the state and local levels, it is expected that additional resources for these recommendations must be found through strategic reallocations. In addition, the report indicates that these reforms are to integrated with the Department of Education's other school reform initiatives, including the Partnership for 21st Century Skills Initiative and the Secondary Education Initiative.

     The work of the New Jersey High School Redesign Steering Committee was met with support and appreciation from both the state's business and higher education communities. "Education reform and economic development are in a close, synergistic relationship," said New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner David Socolow. "In fact, New Jersey's excellent workforce has long been a key factor in attracting business to our state."

     Also speaking on behalf of the business community was Prudential Chairman and New Jersey High School Redesign Steering Committee co-chair Art Ryan. "Years ago, a strong back and willing heart were enough to allow a person to make a decent living. Today, the ability to use your brain will determine your success," said Ryan. Ryan is also a co-chair of New Jersey United for Higher School Standards, an advocacy group that works to educate parents on the value of strong education standards and assessments.

     New Jersey's higher education community also voiced its support for the recommendations of the policy paper. "We should not waste time debating whether or not to set challenging standards for students," said Susan Cole, President, Montclair State University and co-chair, The New Jersey High School Redesign Steering Committee. "We should spend our time doing what is necessary to prepare students to meet their challenging futures."

     Members of the High School Redesign Steering Committee include the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE), New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association (NJPSA), New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA), New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), the Business Coalition for Educational Excellence (BCEE) at the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, New Jersey Commission on Higher Education, New Jersey United for Higher School Standards (NJU), New Jersey Presidents' Council, and Montclair State University. The co-chairs of the Steering Committee are New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, Prudential Chairman Art Ryan, and Montclair State University President Dr. Susan Cole. For more information visit www.njhighschoolsummit.org.

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4-25 Star Ledger - Plan for NJ high schoolers calls for more math, science

by John Mooney April 25, 2008

[jmooney@starledger.com]

Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-LedgerNewark Arts High School math teacher Lawrence Ramsey (left) and Princeton High School Science Supervisor Cherry Sprague preparing an experiment.

A high-powered report, two years in the making and being released today, calls for dramatic changes to what New Jersey's public high schools must teach students.

In their report, Gov. Jon Corzine and a coalition of public and business leaders are proposing different course requirements and testing, with a sharp focus on math and science.

The details will come at a special joint meeting of the state's Board of Education and Council on Higher Education. A draft of the plan, obtained last week by The Star-Ledger, indicates students would need to take classes in chemistry, algebra, geometry and even a half-year of economics in order to graduate. In most cases, there would be new state tests to match.

In addition, there are recommendations for districts to reform their high schools and be more attentive to student needs. There also is a push to align kindergarten-through-12th-grade programs with demands of higher education, aiming to reduce the high remedial rates for incoming students at colleges.

"The challenges ahead for students of the 21st century are great," read the executive summary of the draft. "Only by seamlessly aligning a system that focuses on preparing them for lifelong learning will we ensure that they succeed. Our state's future depends on how capably we partner to make this happen."

Should they be adopted by the state school board and, if necessary, the Legislature, the proposals ultimately would affect each of the 400,000 students attending the state's approximately 350 public high schools in a given year.

Like similar efforts taking place in at least two dozen other states, the report is the end-product of two years of forums and meetings led by the broad-based coalition. In addition to Corzine, it includes leaders from Prudential Financial, Montclair State University, the New Jersey Education Association and the state School Boards Association.

Not all of the proposals are new. State officials already announced broad plans to remake course requirements and launch end-of-course tests that go along with them. A new biology test will be administered for the first time next month to those taking the class now.

Still, the latest proposal -- titled "NJ STEPS" -- is expected to outline the specific course work to be demanded, and how it would be phased in over the next eight years.

For instance, next year's ninth-graders would be the first required to pass the state's new biology test, according the draft. A controversial requirement that all students pass a state test in Algebra II wouldn't affect students until the Class of 2016 begins high school.

The state's broad graduation requirements of four years of language arts and three years each of math and science would not change.

"It won't be adding courses, but it does define what they will need to be," said Jane Oates, a member of the project's steering committee and director of the state's Commission on Higher Education.

"It's what colleges want. We want the high school diploma to mean something: that these kids are work-ready or college-ready."

Still, the discussion generated by today's presentation at William Paterson University in Wayne is sure to be lengthy, and the report itself acknowledges the many hurdles.

For instance, fewer than half of New Jersey's high schools now require either chemistry or Algebra II, and the report recognizes the difficulties in finding the necessary math and science teachers at a time when both are in short supply.

And to create all those chemistry labs or meet the other demands, the draft made no recommendations for additional state funding, instead suggesting "reallocation" of resources.

It said specific programs for those falling short of the requirements will need to be developed, with attention to reforming middle schools as well. Students in hundreds of high schools -- especially in urban districts -- have a difficult enough time passing the state's current requirements.

"The core belief that all students can learn is critical to the success of this plan," the draft's introduction read. "For some students, however, even the early phases of the NJ STEPS implementation will be difficult. The extra supports required by these students ... must be front and center of any efforts to raise expectations."

There is sure to be debate over some of the specific requirements and even the broader approach of demanding all students meet the same requirements.

Among the most critical have been those from the state's vocational and technical schools, whose leaders have protested the proposal that all students must pass a test in Algebra II, which they said is unnecessary for those following trade paths.

"Yes, they need strong arithmetic skills, but we don't think it is realistic to assume you can imbed quadratic equations into a trade program," said Judy Savage, director of the vocational schools association.

"You can't just load it all on," she said of other requirements in arts and language that students also would face. "Everyone has evidence that their area is most important, but it becomes difficult to think you can have every kid do everything."

Others involved in the development of the project would not discuss its details until today's event, but they said it is a project that could have a lasting impact.

"We've known for ages about the high schools that work, so why not take some of that and say it's the way to go for New Jersey?" said Ronald Butcher, president of the state Board of Education. "There may be some questions about the details, but that should work itself out."