Rising to the Challenge: The State of Education in New Jersey David C. Hespe Acting Commissioner New Jersey Department of Education Presentation to: NJBIA Education & Workforce Development Committee December 5, 2014 New Jersey Department of Education

Percent of US Workforce b y Educational Attainment Level New Jersey Department of Education Changing Skill Demands Increasing Need for More Education Nationally Source: National Governors Association

The “New Minimum” Educational Attainment in New Jersey New Jersey Department of Education Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 American Community Survey

The Mismatch in New Jersey's Talent Pipeline** Current educational attainment & projected industry requirements New Jersey Department of Education

New Jersey’s NAEP Comparisons Leading the Nation th Grade Reading22 8 th Grade Reading11 4 th Grade Math34 8 th Grade Math22 New Jersey Department of Education

Our Challenges… The achievement gap between disadvantaged students and their peers is improving but is still too large. The number of students from all socio-economic backgrounds that leave our schools unprepared for college or career is unacceptable, and this is a drain on their ambition and their potential.

New Jersey Department of Education Achievement Gap: NJASK Math Economically Disadvantaged v. Non-Economically Disadvantaged

New Jersey Department of Education Achievement Gap: NJASK Language Arts White, African American, and Hispanic Students

New Jersey Department of Education College Readiness Sample of 2013 NJ County College Graduation Rates: Essex 8% Bergen 17% Gloucester 22% Camden 14% These rates are within 150% of normal time it takes to get a 2 or 4 year degree Clearly, too many students are unprepared for college level work

New Jersey Department of Education Sample of 2013 NJ State College Graduation Rates: Kean46% NJIT58% Ramapo73% Rowan70% Rutgers Camden56% Rutgers New Brunswick80% Montclair State64% College Readiness

New Jersey Department of Education First-Year Remediation Rates NJ County Colleges, 2011 Atlantic Cape68% Bergen68% Burlington66% Camden74% Cumberland63% Essex82% Gloucester63% Hudson92% Mercer60% Middlesex79% Morris72% Ocean62% Passaic81% Raritan69% Salem57% Sussex60% Union58% Warren73% Rutgers – 22% NJ Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, 2012

NAEP Outcomes: 12 th Grade Reading New Jersey Department of Education 41

Meeting the SAT College & Career Readiness Benchmark NJ Statewide Outcomes 2013 New Jersey Department of Education Source: The College Board

English Language Arts (ELA) Proficient and Above, By Grade Grade Level Difference NJASK Aggregate HSPA Aggregate New Jersey Department of Education

Goals Students should leave our high schools having mastered the knowledge and skills they need to be successful when they get to college and or their careers They should not need remediation Those who go to college should graduate, not just ‘attend’ We must close achievement gaps Zip-code should not determine likelihood of success Every student should be held to high standards

New Jersey Department of Education Vision: Raising Academic Achievement Implementation Alignment of curriculum & instruction Measure Progress Through PARCC Assessments (2015) Use of Data To Improve Instruction, Support Schools Goals Common Core (2010)

4 Decades of Standards & Assessments Evolutionary not Revolutionary 1980s - Basic Skill focus. High School Proficiency Test and Early Warning Test in 8 th grade 1990s - Core Curriculum Content Standards. Tests in 4 th, 8 th and 11 th grades (HSPA) 2000s - NJASK testing in grades 3-8; HSPA in 11 th with Biology/Algebra end-of-course tests 2010s - Common Core Standards in Math and Language Arts. PARCC Testing in grades 3-8 with PARCC end-of-course assessments in high school New Jersey Department of Education

Actionable Information PARCC Assessments are designed to… Provide educators with information to improve the classroom: For professional development For collaboration among professionals Provide data-hungry parents with : Information to improve understanding Whether their child is on track for college/career New Jersey Department of Education

Getting Comfortable with PARCC Not a graduation requirement until 2019 at earliest Flexibility: Allow districts to choose from menu of graduation pathways Flexibility: Teacher evaluations changed to 10% for 2015 New Jersey Department of Education

The Final Word: Engage  95% of superintendents report business involvement in schools *  But engagement is often inconsistent or isolated New Jersey Department of Education Advocate In legislature and community: improved standards, assessments, accountability Partner CTE programs, internships, program development Innovate STEAM, technology, choice, early childhood initiatives * Source: ‘Lasting Impact: A Business Leader’s Playbook for Supporting America’s Schools,’ Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2013

New Jersey Department of Education