Chalkbeat

Newark’s 2026-2027 school goals: AP growth, new programs, and serving as a model for other districts

2026-08-25T19:15:56+00:00

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The first day of school for Newark students is two weeks away, and Superintendent Roger León’s goals for the year are aimed at improving student achievement, boosting literacy and writing skills, and growing enrollment in advanced classes.

León shared his goals for the new year with school board members during Saturday’s annual board retreat. He shared plans to continue an early childhood enrichment program that pairs pre-K students with high schoolers, plans to enroll more students in AP Seminar, and a requirement for more public speaking and writing opportunities for students as the district continues to integrate AI into classrooms.

This school year marks the seventh of León’s 10-year strategy, “The Next Decade: 2020-2030,” and so far, the district has seen improvements in graduation rates and enrollment, but reading and math scores continue to lag behind statewide averages.

The plan lays out six priorities, each with specific actions, milestones, and benchmarks. The district checks progress on each priority at five points over the plan’s 10 years, which began with assessing the 2020-21 school year and ends with examining years 2027–30. The priorities are:

Unify and align systems so district resources and departments are following each priority and initiative.
Create a strong framework for curriculum and instruction that helps students learn about different perspectives.
Develop a strength-based and responsive culture by creating a plan for building and maintaining positive school and classroom culture.
Ensure a climate of continuous learning by providing staff the resources and funding to promote professional development and learning opportunities for parents.
Strengthen the district’s ability to offer student support services and evaluate them.
Develop strong partnerships to help the district and schools work more closely with outside organizations.

This year is the district’s fourth checkpoint to confirm that the groundwork laid in earlier years is moving into real progress, according to the strategic plan. On Saturday, León said, year seven is a time to ensure that “everything that we say we are doing, we are actually doing.” He added that the district aims to have nearly all of the strategic plan in place by next year.

The district will focus on several key initiatives this year, including “B4K,” or before kindergarten initiative, which prepares pre-K students for kindergarten, and transition plans for second graders entering third grade, a critical year when research says students should already be reading. The B4K program on Saturdays is continuing to expand this year with volunteer high school students mentoring 3- and 4-year-olds in ballet, soccer, basketball, and STEM skills. León said the initiative fits into a broader research model based on the idea that before third grade, children spend their early years learning to read so that by third grade they can start reading to learn.

León said the district also will push to increase enrollment in AP Seminar, an English course for sophomores. He said 97% of sophomores who take the course pass the state’s English language arts test the following year. The district also will add new college-level courses, such as AP Cybersecurity and AP Business with Personal Finance, as well as a new police and firefighter program offered in partnership with the city.

Writing is already part of every subject, and fourth graders already take a writing assessment, León said at the retreat. This year, the district will introduce public speaking practices to students as early as third grade and build it into the curriculum review across all grades. In grades six through 12, students also will get more writing and speaking opportunities across all subjects along with a new speaking assessment in eighth grade.

Other new programs include the new Jet Black Pilot Program, a partnership with United Airlines pilot Captain Carole Hopson, who aims to train 100 women of color as pilots by 2035. Hopson started the program with the district this summer by working with 14 Newark high school students.

The district is also working with the John C. Cornwall Center for Metropolitan Studies at Rutgers University Newark “to study this 10-year plan” so that larger districts can draw intervention strategies from Newark’s approach and smaller districts can see “how you can actually improve your district.” León said Newark’s wards are comparable to school districts across the state, such as the South Ward and Camden, and the North Ward and Union City. Because of that, he said, Newark’s strategies can be utilized in other school districts, which he called the ultimate goal of the 10-year plan.

The initiatives mark the district’s latest push to turn León’s decade-long plan into classroom results. District leaders have implemented programs like Saturday school and before- and after-school tutoring for elementary and high school students to help them refine their skills in English language arts and math. Those efforts have helped Newark students recover faster than most, but the latest state test scores show ongoing support is needed.

Newark Teachers Union president John Abeigon said they want to continue working with the superintendent, but more work needs to be done to ensure a “uniformity of message.”

This year, the union’s two priorities are to continue teacher-led collaboration through the School Leadership Council, an initiative born out of the union’s collective bargaining agreement with the district in 2024. The superintendent’s goals can lose precision as they move down the chain of command, Abeigon said. He added that the current structure “hinders effective communication” with teachers and said the information that passes through leadership “turns into a game of telephone,” with each layer of leadership interpreting it differently.

The result is, he said, “in 60 different schools, you get 60 different messages.”

Still, Abeigon said, the district needs to keep retraining administrators between León and teachers so they can act as “resource providers.” Rather than giving orders, Abeigon said, they should ask teachers what they need to accomplish district goals.

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark charter school’s new $51 million facility to join wave of South Ward development

2026-08-17T18:33:13+00:00

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A charter school organization’s plans to transform the South Ward’s Clinton Hill corridor are moving forward.

The BRICK network’s new K-8 building for the Gateway Academy was approved by Newark’s Central Planning Board in May. In addition, the network’s wellness center is set to open in 2027 that will offer prenatal care among other services. BRICK is also planning on building 70 units of affordable housing for residents.

The charter network says its $51 million project to replace its old elementary and middle school campus will benefit the entire community, not just its students, and that its work will help create an “ecosystem” of care and housing for families. The new building will have the capacity to grow Gateway’s current student population at a time when Newark Public Schools Superintendent Roger León has fought to slow charter school enrollment growth citywide. Meanwhile, advocates for schools that provide wraparound services for students and their families say the charter network’s growing footprint in the South Ward should serve the entire community.

BRICK’s new building is also part of a broader wave of redevelopment happening in the South Ward.

Gateway Academy’s nearly 470 elementary and middle school students currently attend classes at a rented Clinton Avenue building with no windows, gym, or playground, according to charter school officials.

Students and staff have been in that building ever since the 2024 merger of People’s Preparatory and Achieve Community charter schools established Gateway Academy. People’s Prep left the previous space it rented from the district that same year, following a tense four-year legal battle with Newark Public Schools over contract and rent issues. That departure has allowed León to reclaim the space for district students, one of his top priorities.

The future Gateway is slated for a 2028-29 school year opening and will house 810 kindergarten through eighth grade students on Jelliff Avenue. It will include a full working kitchen, a community room, and a gym that BRICK officials say will be open to South Ward sports leagues and nonprofits.

Shavon Harris, managing director of housing and real estate for BRICK, said the new facility will be “more than a school” and will act as a community hub in several ways, while also improving opportunities for its students.

“We’re not trying to take on more than we can,” Harris said. “We need this for our babies. Our students deserve it. Our staff deserves it.”

Yet state advocates who provide academic and social services to families say all Newark students, not just those in the South Ward, also deserve and need what BRICK is promising to provide.

“I think that these community-based things are needed, are necessary, and as long as the entire public has access to these things then [that’s] fantastic,” said Julie Borst, co-founder and co-director of the New Jersey Institute for Community Schools.

The new Gateway Academy is just one notable project underway in the South Ward, where a $125 million Lionsgate film and TV studio is under construction and scheduled to open in 2027. The district is also expanding its presence in the area: New Media High School, which will focus on content creation and entertainment, will move its students to a building next to the studio in the 2027-28 school year.

Khaatim Sherrer El, executive director for Clinton Hill Community Action, a local advocacy group, declined to comment on the future Gateway Academy facility specifically, since it is outside the area his group focuses on. But he said all developers in the South Ward should think broadly about their projects’ impact.

“The South Ward deserves the investment, and all of these developers must answer to today’s residents — for whom are these projects intended?” he said. “This must include conversations about access to opportunity, good-paying jobs, and respect for the rich culture and history that is already here.”

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark Public Schools shuffles leadership districtwide with 9 new principals set to start this fall

2026-07-21T18:50:04+00:00

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Nine new principals, five new directors, and five new assistant superintendents are stepping into their roles this upcoming school year as New Jersey’s largest school district replaces longtime staff members.

Seven of the new principals will lead elementary schools, and two will work at high schools, including New Media High School. The majority are longtime district principals, vice principals, and educators with years of teaching and administrative experience.

Other leadership changes include new directors of health services, adult education, special education, staff development, and student life. The district is also promoting three former principals to assistant superintendents and two assistant superintendents to oversee support services and teaching and learning.

The appointments follow the retirements of school business administrator Valerie Wilson, assistant superintendents Carolyn Granato, Sylvia Esteves, and Rosa Branco, and Director of Nursing Marguerite Leuze.

During the 2024-25 school year, Jose Fuentes, a former assistant superintendent, took on the role of school business administrator alongside Wilson, whose planned retirement that year was delayed. Fuentes will continue in his role as school business administrator this upcoming school year.

This year’s leadership changes continue the district’s broader push to diversify who leads Newark’s schools by creating teacher-to-leader pipelines and more paths from the classroom into school leadership. The move is the latest round of annual leadership turnover for the district. Newark named six first-time principals last year, eight new principals in 2024, and 10 in 2023.

The incoming school leaders will tackle several ongoing challenges, including boosting student performance as state test scores in math and reading remain below state averages, incorporating AI into classrooms, implementing a new statewide phone ban in schools, fixing old school buildings, and grappling with criticism from Republican lawmakers who are calling for more oversight of Newark’s spending.

Here’s an overview of who will lead the district in the 2026-27 school year.

District promotes eight staff members to principals, hires one newcomer

Steven Oliver, former vice principal at Dr. William H. Horton Elementary School, will lead New Media High School, the district’s newest specialized school focused on digital media, filmmaking, and entertainment. The school will welcome its first ninth grade class in September and operate at Bard High School Early College while its permanent home, the former Dayton Street School building, is renovated. Oliver joined the district in 2018 as a teacher lead and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Rutgers University, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Shadin Belal will lead Bard High School Early College this fall. A former vice principal at Malcolm X Shabazz High School, Belal has more than 15 years of experience as an educator and school administrator. She replaces Rafael Inoa, who took over as Bard’s principal last year in his first administrative role. Belal began her career as an English teacher at Orange High School after receiving a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Rutgers University, a master’s degree from Kean University, and a doctoral degree in education in leadership, management, and policy from Seton Hall University’s College of Education and Human Services, according to her school biography.

Amy Woods will lead Branch Brook Elementary School, a prekindergarten through fourth grade school for students with autism. She replaces Cristina Pennetti, the school’s inaugural principal when it opened in 2024. Woods previously worked as a supervisor in the district’s special education office.

Sharmaine McCree, a former district vice principal, was promoted to principal of Chancellor Avenue Elementary School. She began teaching in the district in 2000 and was promoted to teacher coach in 2013, according to her LinkedIn profile. McCree replaces Kashon Lopes, who was promoted to district director.

Nivin Papa, a Newark native and Newark Public Schools alum, will lead East Ward Elementary School. She has over 20 years of teaching experience in the district and was formerly a vice principal at East Ward, according to her school biography.

Marissa Falcon will take the helm of Elliot Street Elementary School this school year. She served as Elliot’s vice principal for the last five years. Before she joined the district, she spent 17 years teaching and in leadership roles at Elizabeth Public Schools. She brings 20 years of experience to her new role.

Rodney Point-Du-Jour, the only newcomer to the district among the new principals, will lead Nelson Mandela Elementary School starting in September. He brings more than 20 years of administrative and teaching experience and replaces the school’s first principal, Ryan Silver, who was promoted to assistant superintendent. Point-Du-Jour was formerly an assistant principal for the East Windsor Regional School District, a vice principal and educator at Franklin Township Public Schools, and an English teacher at Plainfield Public Schools, according to his LinkedIn profile.

April Adams, former vice principal at Wilson Avenue School, will take charge of Quitman Street School this fall. She started her teaching career in Newark, working with students in the Central and West Wards. She has worked as a district substitute teacher, classroom teacher, teacher coach, supervisor, and special assistant for the East Central Ward School Leadership Team. She holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and a master’s degree in educational administration from Saint Peter’s College, according to her school biography.

Khadijah Owen, a former vice principal of Weequahic High School, will lead Speedway Avenue School. Owen was also previously a math lead teacher for the district.

Former principals move into district leadership

Three former principals will lead the district’s School Leadership Teams as assistant superintendents.

Andres Barquin was promoted to assistant superintendent for the North School Leadership Team. Barquin, who had served as principal of Elliot Street School since 2022, started his career as a district elementary school teacher. He studied at Thomas Edison State College, Grand Canyon University, and Caldwell College.

Former Speedway Avenue School Principal Ashley Jiles was promoted to assistant superintendent for the South and West School Leadership Teams. She began her teaching career with the district in 2013 and worked her way up to vice principal at Dr. William H. Horton Elementary School.

Silver, former principal of Nelson Mandela Elementary School, was promoted to assistant superintendent of the East and Central School Leadership Teams. Silver was the first principal at Nelson Mandela when it opened its doors in 2023. Silver is a Newark Public Schools graduate.

Current assistant superintendents Samantha Lott-Velez and Sandra Marques will oversee support services and teaching and learning, a promotion for both after previously overseeing School Leadership Teams.

New directors take the helm after longtime staff retire

The district promoted Courtney Johnson, former principal of Quitman Street School, to director of adult education. Pennetti, former principal of Branch Brook Elementary School, was promoted to director of special education.

Lopes, former principal of Chancellor Avenue, was named director of staff development. The district hired Bertha Blackwell as the new director of health services and Vernon Pullins as the new director of student life.

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark swears in new school board members tasked with tackling the district’s biggest issues

2026-05-07T23:40:05+00:00

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Incumbent Hasani Council and his three running mates took their oaths for the Newark Board of Education on Thursday, marking their commitment to help oversee a district of more than 41,000 students grappling with low state test scores, aging buildings, and growing numbers of vulnerable students.

Council was reinstalled to his role as board president, and Quamid Childs, Mark Comesañas, and Jordy Nivar took on their duties during Newark school board’s reorganization meeting. The board also voted members Vereliz Santana and Helena Vinhas as co-vice presidents.

Council, Childs, and Comesañas will serve three-year terms, while Nivar will serve a one-year term. They are responsible for deciding policies in New Jersey’s largest school district and helping manage the district’s more than $1.6 billion budget. The city’s public school board is also tasked with holding the superintendent accountable.

The nine-member school board also reviews and approves policies that address academic recovery efforts, support for students with disabilities and English language learners, fixing old school buildings, overcrowding, youth mental health, and new cellphone bans, among others.

The board is inheriting new challenges this year. The district’s state test scores in math and reading remain below state averages, Republican lawmakers are calling for more oversight of Newark’s spending, and the number of English language learners and students with disabilities continues to grow.

Before giving their inaugural speeches, Council, Childs, Comesañas, and Nivar took turns calling family members, friends, and campaign volunteers up to the podium as they were sworn in by the district’s school business administrator, Valerie Wilson. They read their oath of office statements, noting their requirement to uphold the law and “impartially and justly perform all the duties.”

During the meeting, Superintendent Roger León said the new members “symbolize the greatness of Newark Public Schools.”

Council, first elected in 2020, said on Thursday that he was grateful to the community for choosing him to serve a third term on the school board. He told his board colleagues that there’s already a lot of work to do.

“We do this because we actually believe in this work and making a change for our students’ lives. I didn’t run for school board to accelerate my career. I will continue to do the work every single day,” said Council, now the longest serving board member.

Hasani Council, first elected in 2020, was reinstated as board president during the Newark Board of Education May 7, 2026 reorganization meeting.

This year, only 3% of Newark voters participated in the school board election, with only 36 16- and 17-year-olds casting their ballots in their second year of voting, according to unofficial counts reported last month.

Childs, a Newark parent, vice chairman for the Newark North Ward Democrats, and member of the Essex County Democratic Committee, told Chalkbeat he is concerned about the city’s recurring low turnout in school board elections. As a school board member, he wants to help the district engage parents better and boost transparency into district decisions, Childs said.

“If we can’t get the parents engaged, we can’t get the children engaged,” Childs added.

Nivar also told Chalkbeat he wants to focus on creating more equity in schools, specifically, ensuring that sports teams across the district have the equipment they need. As a baseball coach and youth mentor, Nivar said he sees how much parents struggle to purchase bats and gloves for their children to play, which can be costly.

“So for us to give the coaches the right equipment, the right representation, the right back-up, it’s a win-win situation for the child.” Nivar said.

Comesañas during the meeting said he was honored to serve the city he loved and was eager to start his work on the board. The executive director of My Brother’s Keeper Newark, the policy and advocacy arm of the Newark Opportunity Youth Network, said he will continue to keep students at the center of his decisions.

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

New Jersey Republicans demand federal and state reviews of ‘fiscal failures’ in Newark Public Schools

2026-04-08T10:00:01+00:00

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Six years after New Jersey handed control of Newark Public Schools back to the community, a group of 20 Republican lawmakers is pressing federal and state officials for more oversight of how the district handles money.

The state’s largest school district is under scrutiny after it announced plans last month to enter into a $498 million, 30-year lease agreement to open a new elementary school in the city’s East Ward, Newark’s most densely populated neighborhood, where more than half of schools are overcrowded, according to a Chalkbeat analysis.

But the Republicans — none of whom represent Newark — are raising questions about the proposal, as well as what they allege is Newark’s mismanagement of federal pandemic relief funds.

In an April 2 letter to the state education department, comptroller, and local finance board, Republicans slammed the district for what they claim are “epic fiscal failures and taxpayer waste” and urged officials to reject the district’s proposed lease and ensure the district “stop wasting taxpayer dollars.” District officials have said the proposed lease would help add seats in the East Ward, as the state lacks funding to move forward on new school projects already identified in Newark.

In a separate letter to the U.S. Department of Education on March 31, a state senator and two Assembly members asked Secretary Linda McMahon to conduct an “immediate federal review” into how the district spent $287 million in pandemic relief.

In a statement to Chalkbeat on Tuesday, Ellen Keast, a spokesperson for the U.S Department of Education, said the federal department is taking the legislators’ concerns seriously.

“Misuse of taxpayer funds became widespread under the previous administration, which is why addressing it is a top priority,” Keast said.

Paul Brubaker, Newark Public Schools’ communications director, did not respond to a request for comment.

Michael Yaple, spokesperson for the New Jersey Department of Education, said the department received the letter from lawmakers and is reviewing Newark’s lease proposal. Yaple could not say when the state education department would decide on the proposal.

The Republicans’ calls echo recent efforts across the country to bring back state takeovers of school districts, a practice New Jersey has long used in cases of fiscal mismanagement or academic failures. Critics have said the practice frequently targets districts with large shares of students of color.

But Republicans are now raising the same issues cited when the state originally seized control of the district in 1995: mismanagement, lavish spending, and poor student outcomes.

GOP Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia, who represents parts of Morris, Sussex, and Warren counties west of Newark, recently cosponsored a bill that would appoint state monitors to school districts that receive 70% or more of aid from the state. Typically, more than 80% of Newark’s funding support comes from state aid.

“Newark has pockets of excellence. I don’t doubt that at all, and they should be very proud of some of the gains that they have made,” said Fantasia, who signed both letters and has alleged on Fox News and social media that Newark has mismanaged money. “That does not excuse egregious, ridiculous spending and behavior on nonsense for adults.”

The scrutiny comes as Superintendent Roger León tries to consolidate the gains Newark has made since the state officially ended its 25-year takeover of the district in 2020. At that time, León said he was worried about the school system’s recovery, not from the pandemic, but from the state’s control.

During a Fox News show last week, León was asked to respond to Fantasia’s concerns about Newark’s spending not resulting in better student outcomes. He said he had “absolutely no idea” what Fantasia was talking about. Instead, León touted the district’s 90% graduation rate and its 10.4% chronic absenteeism rate.

Under León, the district has also opened ten new schools and increased its enrollment. That trend has been fueled in part by a surge in English language learners and students with disabilities who require more money to educate.

For the next school year, the district said its costs are rising and closed a $122.9 million budget gap by reallocating funds, drawing from its budgeted fund balance, and cutting 30 teaching positions.

The district in March approved a $1.67 billion budget for next school year and expects to receive a record $1.38 billion in state aid.

“I don’t think we have a money problem in these large districts,” Fantasia said. “It’s how those dollars are allocated, what the deliverables are, and what student outcomes are.”

Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s office referred questions about Newark’s lease proposal and investigation into its finances to the state education department. Her proposed fiscal 2027 budget would add funding for new roles there to help districts facing budget deficits.

Newark, the state’s biggest school district, receives the largest share of state aid, which the School Funding Reform Act distributes to districts based on student population, property valuations, and the income of residents, according to Danielle Farrie, research director for the Education Law Center.

Proposed school lease provokes New Jersey Republicans’ anger

At the center of the Republican complaints is the lease proposal for the new site of the Riverfront Elementary School in Newark’s East Ward. Students in the neighborhood learn in school buildings that are on average a century old. But the Schools Development Authority –– the state agency that builds new schools for Newark and 30 other high-poverty districts –– has rebuilt only two new school buildings since 2006, and nine total for the district overall.

Hawkins Street School is located in the East Ward of Newark, New Jersey and was originally built in 1887.

The Republican letter to the state notes that the Riverfront School deal is more than the roughly $284 million cost of Perth Amboy High School, the most expensive school built by the SDA in New Jersey. The district already holds a lease worth over $300 million for the Newark School of Architecture and Interior Design, also in the East Ward.

The links between Mayor Ras Baraka and the proposed Riverfront School’s developer, 56 Freeman Street LLC, have also increased scrutiny of the district.

District officials have defended the lease deal by pointing out delays in projects run by the SDA, which estimates it needs $7 billion to fund construction projects in the 31 high poverty districts alone. Republican lawmakers counter that by saying the nine new schools built for Newark since 2006 are “nearly one every other year.”

The Republican letter also cites a 2024 state audit that required the public school system to return $33,650 in state aid that officials spent on an outdoor party for central office staff and their families. The district has not told Chalkbeat if it returned the money. The state’s education department investigation determined that the spending violated laws on how school boards can spend taxpayer dollars since the event lacked educational or professional development value.

Nearly 70% of students in grades 3-9 fell short of literacy standards on state tests in 2025, and roughly 80% did not meet math standards. The district has improved scores by about two percentage points every year since 2022, and because of the improvements, the state designated Newark as a high-performing district this school year. But Republican lawmakers argue Newark’s spending is still out of sync with its academic results.

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark is banking on New Jersey’s future in film with new high school

2026-03-12T22:00:00+00:00

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New Jersey, the home of the world’s first film studio, is reasserting its status as the country’s first Hollywood.

And Newark educators, students, and industry professionals are getting ready to meet the moment.

In November, Newark Public Schools officials announced plans to open New Media High School, which will be geared toward film and TV careers and digital creator roles. Students with stars in their eyes no longer have to move to Los Angeles to make their dreams come true.

“They don’t even have to travel into New York across the Hudson River,” said Desireè Hadley, director of the Newark Office of Film and TV.

The New Media High School website promises a September 2026 opening and a school that will prepare a new generation of “content creators, filmmakers, and digital entrepreneurs to shape the evolving landscape of entertainment and new media.” A mission statement defines part of that preparation as “industry experiences” that will be key to building student portfolios.

Superintendent Roger León declined to comment through a spokesman.

But in public statements, León has said the school is already recruiting new teachers and eighth grade students interested in attending New Media High School and becoming part of the school’s first ninth grade class can apply through Newark Enrolls.

A career pipeline is ready and waiting: Investment in film and TV production is surging in New Jersey, having hit a record high of $833 million in 2024, and a major movie studio is moving into Newark, bringing the promise of hundreds of jobs.

These days, Hadley marvels at the massive “now enrolling” New Media High School billboard in downtown Newark.

“I’m Newark born and raised, and I wish that these opportunities were around when I was in high school,” she told Chalkbeat. “It would have been amazing to be able to attend a New Media High School or to even have exposure to what a production set is like.”

Film production grows in Newark and New Jersey

The growth of New Jersey production, fostered by the 2018 restoration of state film tax credits, stands in contrast to flagging production in Los Angeles. In the next two years, Lionsgate, Paramount Skydance and streaming giant Netflix will open Garden State studios. This bustling vision channels the 1910s, when studios like Fox, Universal, and Goldwyn Pictures called Fort Lee home before the industry moved to Hollywood.

Lionsgate Studios Newark is scheduled for a spring 2027 debut at Great Point Studios in the city’s South Ward. Mayor Ras Baraka, then-Gov. Phil Murphy, and city officials marked the groundbreaking in December. The $125 million, 270,000-square-foot studio will occupy the 12-acre site of the former Seth Boyden housing complex.

New Media High School, set to move into the former Dayton Street School, will be its neighbor.

The Dayton Street school, which closed in 2012, has another industry connection: It was a filming location for Adam Sandler’s “Happy Gilmore 2,” Netflix’s biggest U.S. movie opening, which spent a record $152.5 million in New Jersey.

Young people in Newark are already getting their start in the industry.

Aspiring cinematographer Nia Foote, 18, interned as a Newark locations production assistant on the set of Kevin Kline and Laura Linney’s new MGM+ series “American Classic” and was a PA on “72 Hours,” Kevin Hart’s upcoming Netflix movie.

“I was considering going out west to California,” Foote said. But Hollywood’s production decline and New Jersey’s surge persuaded her to study film and TV production at New York University instead.

Zoe Williams, 20, is eyeing a career in set design.

“I thought I would have to be going to New York for the jobs, but they’ve all been in New Jersey — in specifically Newark, a lot of them,” she said.

Williams has been an intern or PA on a number of productions, including Timothée Chalamet’s “A Complete Unknown” and the upcoming “Paper Tiger” with Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, and Miles Teller.

Zoe Williams worked as a production assistant on a movie set in May 2025.

Newark is taking measures to add even more locals to film sets. Last year, the state Economic Development Authority awarded a $750,000 NJ Film Works grant to Invest Newark, the city’s economic development corporation, to fund workforce training for people 18 and older.

“Some of the students will be matriculating on to an apprenticeship program, which is great because that means they’re putting in the hours to get their union cards, and that translates as a career,” said Jon Crowley, executive director of the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission. As part of that program, Rutgers Newark’s Community Media Center will host grip training at Express Newark, where Newark Film School will also run PA training, Hadley said.

“We will have all these huge movie stars come into our community, but the city of Newark is making sure it covers the ground of just helping our residents, educating our residents on the industry,” she said.

Newark and Essex County have played important roles in the history of film. Newark’s Rev. Hannibal Goodwin patented transparent flexible nitrocellulose roll film in 1898 and Thomas Edison opened the very first film studio, Black Maria, in West Orange in 1893.

“We’re just taking back our birthright,” said Diane Raver, executive director of the New Jersey Film Academy, which runs certificate programs at 13 colleges, including Essex County College.

And future New Media students could find work at other Jersey studios.

Netflix is accepting applications to work at its soon-to-be $1 billion studio at the former Fort Monmouth, and Paramount Skydance signed on for a minimum of 10 years at Bayonne’s 1888 Studios. Recently announced: the $250 million Filmology Labs, headed to Paterson.

“Now we see a direct pipeline to the studios who are moving in,” said Keith Strudler, dean of the College of Communication and Media at Montclair State University. “We’ve looked at the kinds of roles that they’re going to be hiring for, and really, we teach all of those skill sets.”

New Media High School could be ‘a filmmaker’s dream come true’

Director Nicole L. Thompson, a Malcolm X Shabazz High School alum and founder of the Newark Film School, said New Media High School will be “a filmmaker’s dream come true.”

Thompson, 33, began studying filmmaking at 13, in a pre-college summer program at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She continued with video production at Shabazz and went on to study at The College of New Jersey, the University of Southern California, and Harvard.

“A lot of people wake up one day and want to become a filmmaker but they don’t know how,” said Thompson, whose 2022 Lifetime TV directorial debut, New Jersey true crime movie “Suitcase Killer: The Melanie McGuire Story,” recently spent two weeks in Netflix’s top 10.

Newark Film School founder Nicole L. Thompson, at right, with student Destiny Diamond at a documentary class at St. Stephan's Church.

At New Media High School, curriculum plans include classes in narrative filmmaking, short documentaries and short-form videos for social media and commercials, along with editing, cinematography, postproduction, podcasting and streaming. Capstone projects will cover feature-length films, animation, 3D effects, pitching and marketing.

“It almost replicates the model of Arts High School,” said Hadley, director of the Newark Office of Film and TV. “The school is going to train young people who are interested right out of middle school.”

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center and Great Point Studios will also partner with local schools to develop a film and TV production curriculum, said John Schreiber, CEO of NJPAC. He’s a stakeholder in a community benefits agreement between Lionsgate Newark, Great Point, and the arts center. (NJPAC is a redeveloper of the Seth Boyden housing site.)

“We started very early talking about what a new studio like this could mean to the community at large, and then more specifically to young people,” Schreiber told Chalkbeat. He noted that the studio agreed to hire 70% of its onsite employees from the local area, likening the “transformational” potential of the film hub to how Steiner Studios changed Brooklyn Navy Yard.

“We will work with Newark Public Schools and with Great Point Lionsgate to create an apprenticeship and an internship program for high school students, the goal of which is eventually that they learn enough so that they can get a union card and go to work on a set,” Schreiber said. “One needn’t go to college in order to get that card … Those jobs can pay over $80,000 a year and more for a young person.”

Schreiber aspired to be an actor when he was younger. After realizing he’d be “broke for 10 years,” he became a PA.

“There are 50 different jobs that somebody can have in our business that support the work of a performing artist,” he said.

“It’s not just about acting and directing,” said Nick Day, president of the Screen Alliance of New Jersey, an industry group, and co-CEO of Newark’s Edge Auto Rental, which supplies trucks and cars for productions. “There’s electricians, carpenters, rental truck companies … lumber companies, stages, postproduction … Whatever your passion might be, the film industry could be a way to take advantage of your passion.”

That doesn’t just mean people starting their first careers. East Orange’s Jessica Sledge, 38, works in education and is a student in one of the first New Jersey Film Academy classes at Essex County College. She was studying industrial design in New York when a field trip to a professor’s set design workshop made an impression.

“I’ve always been a fan of watching all the behind-the-scenes stuff,” she said. With the intro film class at ECC, it “clicked,” she said. “I was like ‘OK, so this could be my way into doing something like that.’”

Jon Crowley, director of the state film commission, got his start as a PA for the Academy Awards. After an editor fell ill, Crowley, a film school graduate with an editing reel, subbed in and was promoted to editor. It all started with his high school TV production class.

“To actually be working with your friends on projects that we were scripting, we were directing, we were acting in and then we were editing was really exciting because it felt like you had some skin in the game,” he said.

Crowley said the commission would be excited to work with future New Media High School students.

“It’s phenomenal that kids at the high school age are going to be able to experience all these different areas of expertise and skill sets and find out what really gets them fired up, for sure,” he said.

New Jersey blizzard exposed Newark Teachers Union concerns about getting to school safely

2026-02-24T23:11:29+00:00

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Newark Teachers Union president John Abeigon is calling on state lawmakers to loosen restrictions on virtual learning after a blizzard buried the city in snow and raised concerns about getting to school safely.

Newark schools were closed Monday due to the winter storm, but teachers and staff who live in Newark and other parts of the state had been worried about getting to school on Tuesday after some parts of the city got up to 27 inches of snow, Abeigon told Chalkbeat on Tuesday.

By Monday afternoon, Superintendent Roger León decided to move Wednesday’s scheduled staff development day to Tuesday and make it virtual, a decision educators were grateful for as they had an extra day to prepare for the school week, Abeigon added.

But other school districts in New Jersey didn’t have that choice as the current law makes it harder for districts to call for remote learning days during severe weather, even when travel conditions are unsafe, Abeigon said.

“These are not like the days of the ‘Little House on the Prairie’ where teachers lived in town,” Abeigon added. “The vast majority of teachers in Newark don’t live in the city. And that’s the same for any large and mid-size district in the state.”

While schools in New York have the option to move to remote learning during major winter storms, New Jersey’s law doesn’t allow that same flexibility. New York City schools had a snow day on Monday and returned to in-person instruction on Tuesday.

Under state law, districts cannot count remote learning toward their required 180 school days per year unless schools close for three consecutive days. During January’s winter storm, Newark Public Schools also shut down buildings for one day during a week when teachers had a prescheduled staff development day. Abeigon urged legislators to revisit the state law to prevent districts from canceling school altogether in the future.

“We want to find a legislator who would create that legislation so we could support it,” Abeigon added.

Silvia Pereira, one of the vice presidents for the Newark Teachers Union and executive vice president for pre-K to 12 for the American Federation of Teachers New Jersey, said she was thankful to have a virtual professional development day on Tuesday, but had that not been the case, she would’ve found it difficult to get to Newark from her home in Union.

Pereira, a Newark Public Schools teacher, also said the state should come up with a task force that could look at how to address snow days in New Jersey, as the state also contends with strategies to address chronic absenteeism and literacy.

“I think it’s important to look at other factors that could be impacting student learning, and how we can really address them when we have major snowstorms that could prompt school closures for more than one day,” Pereira added.

The area’s massive snowfall also prompted Newark city leaders to enact emergency parking measures that allowed residents to park cars in certain school parking lots until 11 p.m. on Monday. Newark Public Schools’ facilities teams were also seen cleaning up snow around schools.

Mayor Ras Baraka on Tuesday urged residents to report unplowed streets, hazardous snow conditions, or other snow-related issues by calling 973-733-4311.

Newark Public Schools students are expected to return to classrooms on Wednesday.

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark students will no longer be allowed to use cellphones in schools under new state law

2026-01-08T23:23:05+00:00

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Newark schools will go phone-free beginning this September under a new state law requiring districts to limit students from using cellphones during instructional hours.

On Thursday, in a room full of educators, students, and lawmakers at Ramsey High School, Gov. Phil Murphy signed the law requiring all New Jersey school districts to adopt new restrictions on the use of cellphones and other internet-enabled devices in K-12 schools. The state Education Department will also publish updated guidance on cellphones later this month.

The new law does not ban cellphones in schools outright but instead calls on districts to implement policies at the start of the 2026-27 school year.

The new policies should, at a minimum, provide “age-appropriate and grade-level guidelines” for restricting cellphone and social media use during classroom instruction. The policies must also allow for exceptions on a case-by-case basis.

The new law comes after the state, in December, awarded a grant to Newark and 85 other school districts that committed to phone-free schools and implementation of a “bell-to-bell” policy.

Murphy has repeatedly called for banning phones during school, and this year, the state Commission on the Effects of Social Media Usage on Adolescents issued a report that recommended a “bell-to-bell” ban on cellphones. The commission also found that cellphones and social media can affect youth self-esteem and cause anxiety and depression.

“We’re going to rid our classrooms of needless distractions and encourage our children to be more attentive and engaged during the school day,” Murphy said.

New Jersey’s phone-free schools push is part of a growing trend nationwide to ban cellphone use from the first bell to dismissal. California and New York implemented similar initiatives to limit phones in school and provide funding to districts to enforce policies.

The excessive use of smartphones and social media can impact sleep, have negative effects on youth mental health, and hinder academic performance, according to recent studies. Some school districts are also seeing a boost in test scores after implementing cellphone bans.

The new law marks one of Murphy’s final acts as governor before Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill is sworn into office on Jan. 20 in Newark. During her gubernatorial campaign, Sherrill said she supported a statewide ban on cellphones in schools and pushed for more awareness about the dangers of social media and their effects on youth mental health.

Here’s what we know about New Jersey’s phone-free schools law:

Who and what does the law apply to?

Under the new law, the state’s Commissioner of Education must update guidelines on restricting students’ use of cell phones and other internet-enabled devices, including smart watches, during regular school hours, on a school bus, or during school-sanctioned events. Students will also be barred from using social media platforms during instructional hours.

The guidelines will be published in mid-January after consultation with stakeholders, according to the state.

School boards will be required to adopt policies that align with state guidelines, while maintaining flexibility to provide reasonable accommodations as appropriate. The law will apply to K-12 public schools, including charter schools.

Murphy on Thursday said the new law will improve learning environments across the state.

“Students are more focused, they’re less anxious, and they’re socializing and laughing with each other, not through a screen, but in the hallways and classrooms,” said Murphy, referring to Ramsey High School, where phones are prohibited during school hours.

How will schools collect phones?

School districts can purchase phone storage systems such as lockers, locked pouches, or check-in cabinets to store cellphones at the start of the school day. The state’s new guidelines will include options that school districts may use to store students’ devices.

In December, Newark Public Schools was awarded $176,625 to purchase a storage system as part of the state’s Phone-Free Schools Grant Program, a $3 million appropriation in the fiscal year 2026 budget. Two Newark charter schools were also awarded grant funds: Maria L. Varisco-Rogers for $1,490, and Great Oaks Legacy for $9,022.

The goal, state leaders have previously said, is to minimize distractions during the school day and ensure students are engaged throughout instructional hours.

Are there exceptions to the law?

New school policies must address the use of cellphones during an emergency and include guidelines for students who need their phones for language translation or those responsible for caring for a family member.

Exceptions must also be made for students with disabilities and for those whose health plans require their devices to manage a medical condition. Parents will have to provide documentation from a health care provider.

Across the country, parents have raised concerns about cellphone bans, and there is evidence in other surveys that parents want their children to have a phone in school in case of an emergency. Newark Public Schools’ current cellphone policy says that in the event of an emergency, administrators will direct students on when they may safely turn on a cellphone.

How will it be enforced?

Local school boards will adopt their own policies in line with updated guidance from the state’s Education Department, which will serve as a “roadmap for creating safer, more focused learning environments,” per the state.

The state has not said how it will monitor school districts’ enforcement of the new law, but will let districts develop their own enforcement plans.

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark Superintendent Roger León highlights equity efforts during Council of Great City Schools conference

2025-10-24T20:21:55+00:00

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Newark Public Schools’ approach to equity training “is quite simple,” Superintendent Roger León told a room full of superintendents and staff from the nation’s largest public school districts on Friday.

The strategy, León said during a presentation at the Council of Great City Schools conference in Philadelphia, involves forming leadership teams of principals, parents, students, and teachers that help identify challenges across schools and assess equity efforts.

Those teams serve as a way to “funnel” information from schools and help him “have a pulse of what is occurring in the organization.”

“Talk to me, tell me everything that’s wrong,” Leon said he had told a group of principals.

Newark’s approach also includes deploying equity resources to staff and soliciting expert help, León said during the session on equity training.

The district’s participation in the annual conference was significant as León spoke alongside representatives from public schools in Baltimore and Aurora, Colorado.

The conference convened superintendents and hundreds of employees from 81 of the country’s urban school districts. Superintendents and representatives from school districts in Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, New York, and Denver also spoke at sessions during the conference.

Matthew Brewster, Newark’s director of instructional staff development, who also spoke during the equity presentation, said the majority of the district’s professional development on equity comes from consultants.

“Because if you’re going to be a learner, you have to be a learner, right? You have to bring in someone else to help you do the work. Equity work that you’re not uncomfortable doing, you’re not doing right,” Brewster said.

Their comments come as the district continues to face criticism over complaints of racism at the Newark School of Global Studies. In 2022, Black students and teachers described ongoing harassment to the school board member, prompting the district to hire an outside consultant to assess the cultural dynamics of the school. The comments also drew heavy criticism from parents and advocates about the way the school and district leaders handled the situation.

León was also criticized for withholding a scathing report – whose details so far have only been reported in draft form by Chalkbeat — that detailed the problems with racism at the high school and recommended the district improve the effects of anti-Blackness.

In September, Newark school advocates demanded the release of the report and pleaded for a curriculum that challenges racial biases and promotes inclusivity.

Brewster, during Friday’s conference session, also said that the Office of Staff Development has shared a list of books, articles, and research studies with district leaders during professional development sessions. Some of those books include “The Equity & Social Justice 50” by Baruti Kafele, “Becoming the Educator They Need” by Robert Jackson, and “Principal Leadership for Racial Equity” by Raskin, Krull, and Felix.

After the issues at Global Studies came to light, two former teachers sued the district, alleging they suffered “severe emotional problems” as a result of the incidents they experienced, they said. The lawsuit is ongoing.

The controversy also led one of Newark’s longest-serving school board members to step down as part of a settlement with the district after her daughter – a former Global Studies student who said she faced racial harassment at the school – threatened to sue the district.

Newark, New Jersey’s largest school system, is home to 41,000 students, with more than 90% of students identifying as Black or Latino. This school year, Hispanic students represent the largest student group in the district. Since 2019, the number of Black students has declined as Hispanic enrollment has steadily increased.

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark Public Schools regained control. Uniting the school community remains a challenge.

2025-09-19T15:35:41+00:00

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Leer en español.

When Newark took its schools back after 25 years of state oversight, the moment marked the beginning of a new era for New Jersey’s largest school system.

For parents, educators, students, and city leaders, the official return to local control in 2020 represented a victory fueled by advocacy and the belief that the community should shape its own schools.

In the five years since, Newark’s schools — once called “abysmal” by state leaders — have shown signs of progress. Graduation rates are up, chronic absenteeism has dropped, enrollment has grown, and test scores have steadily improved. Programs and departments once lost under state oversight were revived, and new schools have opened under Superintendent Roger León, who was appointed in 2018 as the first to lead the district after the return to local control.

Marques Lewis, who led the Newark school board when it was known as the School Advisory Board under state control, says he’s “not totally satisfied” with the current state of Newark schools but feels “better today about the future of the district than I did during state control.”

“Where do I think we are today?” he added. “I think today we still got a lot of work to do.”

While the district has made strides, parents, students, teachers, and advocates say they want more input in decisions about the city’s schools, and have questioned whether local control has delivered on its promise of a more responsive leadership and a better education for Newark students.

“It’s all good to want to restore schools and make it accessible for the families, but we all know that without the families and the community as the driving force … that no school district can thrive, and that’s what they’re struggling with,” said Yolanda Johnson, a former Parent Teacher Association president for the district and advocate for the return to local control.

In an email to Chalkbeat this week, Paul Brubaker, a spokesperson for the district, said officials “meet with and talk to community members every day, we report on matters of public concern all the time, and we are audited by state and federal agencies frequently.”

“We remain committed to ensuring that the public understands what Newark Public Schools is doing,” Brubaker wrote.

Low student test scores, mismanagement led to state control

By the time the state took over Newark in 1995, the district had endured more than a decade of declining graduation rates, disappointing test scores, lagging attendance, and mismanagement.

School buildings were crumbling and leaking, students were not proficient in reading, writing, and math, and school board members were taking lavish trips to Honolulu and dining at fine restaurants on the taxpayers’ dime, according to state officials at the time. The state’s takeover case was bolstered by a damning report authored by Sally Ann Fields, senior state deputy attorney general at the time, that said the district had been “at best flagrantly delinquent and at worst deceptive in discharging its obligations to the children enrolled.”

Although parents and advocates had previously raised concerns about the way schools were run, some saw the state takeover as destructive. Newark was the third school district to be taken over by the state, following Jersey City and Paterson, which also enroll a large share of Black and Latino students. Advocates who criticized the state’s takeover saw it as a political and racially motivated intervention. That idea is backed up by research that shows school districts with predominantly Black students are more likely to be taken over.

Over the next 22 years in Newark, state-appointed superintendents shut down schools, laid off hundreds of employees, and oversaw the expansion of charter schools.

Education reform advocates and philanthropic donors rallied behind the idea that charter schools, which are privately run but publicly funded schools, could deliver the academic turnaround city students desperately needed.

In 2010, a $100 million donation from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg fueled the expansion of charter schools, which boomed across the city, causing a decline in public school enrollment, a decrease in district funding, and budget cuts at traditional public schools.

Under state control, test scores and student achievement slowly increased but Newark’s school community remained skeptical about the efforts.

Lewis, the former Board president under state control, said the board at that time “didn’t really have the power to make decisions” since state-appointed superintendents could veto board actions.

“I think the state crippled us in really being able to educate our children correctly and give them the resources that they need,” Lewis said.

And many parents agreed. “I feel like, under state control, it destroyed our community in Newark,” said Johnson, who added that school closures ordered by state-appointed superintendents were especially damaging. “It destroyed families, separated families, divided families.”

After state takeover, NPS worked to rebuild schools

When the district officially reverted to local control in 2020, after a two-year transition during which the state said it had made “substantial and sustainable progress” to improve schools, León promised to reclaim public school spaces lost under the state’s takeover and slow the spread of charter schools.

León, a Newark Public Schools alum who worked his way up the district ladder, created an ambitious 10-year strategy known as “The Next Decade: 2020-2030,“ aimed at reopening shuttered schools and programs and improving chronic absenteeism, school infrastructure, attendance, and curricula. He also pledged to expand the teacher workforce.

By this year — year six of the strategic plan — “we will have laid the groundwork for progress for all of our priorities, and we will see the image, direction, and formation of a unified school system in the City of Newark,” León’s plan vows.

But those efforts were set back by the COVID-19 pandemic, which shut down schools and caused widespread learning disruptions. Student performance dropped, mental health issues grew, teachers burned out, and the need to support the district’s most vulnerable students became more urgent.

“I’m worried about how this system recovers,” he said at the time, “not from COVID-19 — but from the state-operated school district.”

In 2022, when New Jersey students took state standardized tests for the first time since the pandemic, León called the results “horrible,” noting that just 13% of students in grades 3–9 passed math and about 27% passed English language arts.

But an infusion of federal COVID relief funds was used to overhaul the district’s after-school programming and expand tutoring and academic recovery efforts and helped put León’s plan to boost student achievement back on track.

The efforts — combined with a 2023 overhaul of its reading and writing curriculum— helped grow scores by about two percentage points every year between 2022 and 2024, but state tests showed ongoing student challenges in reading and writing. Nearly 70% of students in grades 3-9 fell short of meeting literacy rates on their state tests in 2024 and around 82% did not meet math standards.

Still, the gains were enough for the district to earn a high-performing designation from the state this year.

Since the return to local control, the district has also opened 10 new schools, including reopening a school for students with disabilities in the city’s North Ward. While districts across the country saw a post-pandemic decline in enrollment, Newark’s enrollment increased, even surpassing charter school growth in 2023. It served roughly 44,000 pre-K through 12th grade students in the 2024-25 school year, up from 37,000 in 2020, when state oversight ended.

Over the last five years, the district has also improved other key metrics. During the 2023-24 school year, the most recent year with available state data, the district raised its graduation rate to 86.3% and reduced chronic absenteeism to 11.5%, up from 75.7% and down from 32%, respectively, in the 2017-18 school year.

The Newark Teachers Union’s formerly “hostile” relationship with the district under state control has also thawed under local control. Union President John Abeigon said state-appointed superintendents “were very dismissive of teachers and their input.” But the union has worked amicably with León to resolve disputes and both parties negotiated a new teachers contract that includes salary raises and opportunities for educators to have more say in curriculum decisions.

Those wins are just a fraction of what district teachers sought, Abeigon said, but “there is more communication and a mutual respect” between leadership and educators now.

Brubaker, the district spokesperson, attributed the gains over the last five years to León’s 10-year strategic plan.

“Successful implementation of the strategic plan has been made possible by the district staff, stakeholders, students, and their families, who believe the total transformation of the Newark Public Schools is possible,” he said in the statement to Chalkbeat.

Newark’s school community wants a seat at the table

Even as the district celebrates the progress under five years of local control, community members say work remains to be done. Students, teachers, and parents have repeatedly voiced concerns about the district’s lack of transparency in decision-making and problem-solving in schools.

Attempts to extend León’s contract have been quietly moved forward with little space for public input, and parents, students, and advocates have slammed León and district officials for withholding a scathing report detailing instances of racism at the Newark School of Global Studies and recommendations to improve the effects of anti-Blackness in the school system.

Former board members have also raised concerns about teacher retention and staff morale, an issue highlighted when two former teachers filed lawsuits alleging harassment in the workplace and racial hostility in schools, and a former employee sued the district for allegedly allowing a hostile work environment.

Abeigon, the teachers union president, says it’s up to the district to resolve the problems.

“If and when we make mistakes, we have to own it. We can no longer blame the state,” Abeigon added.

At the start of the 2021-22 school year, the district started the school year with 120 instructional vacancies and recruited retired teachers amid a staff shortage. Last school year, León also said the district was working to fill “hard-to-staff positions” such as special education aides, bilingual and STEM teachers.

But Lewis, the former board president, said he is concerned about the lack of African American leadership and teacher makeup in Newark schools in the wake of issues at Global Studies. He also raised questions about the way the school board operates.

“I’m praying that the district will continue to move forward, and like I said, there’s room, there’s always room to improve,” Lewis added.

Johnson, the former PTA president who advocated for the return to local control, says the district must do more to engage parents and make them feel heard. When parents of former Global Studies students tried to find a solution to the problems at the school, Johnson was confused as to why they were not included in the process, she said.

“How do you expect [parents] to participate, or be enthusiastic about a school district where they feel like their voices aren’t being heard?” Johnson said.

Johnson said the district could also be doing more to provide services and support for its most vulnerable students. Last school year, the district enrolled more than 11,000 multilingual students and roughly 7,000 special education students, according to state enrollment data.

The U.S. Department of Justice in 2021 found “wide-ranging failures” in the district’s program for English language learners, and some families of students with disabilities have said they’ve struggled to get the services their children are owed. Although Newark has met compliance requirements to exit state monitoring over services to English learners and students with disabilities, parents of those students have called on the district for more support.

To make radical and lasting improvements for students, district leaders “need to give everyone a chance to express their concerns” without fear of retaliation, Lewis said.

“I’m just looking for the day when we can all sit at the same table and say, listen, our main goal is to educate every child in this city and give them the opportunity for a great future,” Lewis said.

A translation of this story was provided by New Jersey Hispano, in partnership with Montclair State University’s Center for Cooperative Media and is supported financially by the NJ Civic Information Consortium. The story was originally written in English by Chalkbeat Newark and is republished under a special content-sharing agreement through NJ News Commons’ Spanish Translation News Service.

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark residents call for more transparency in superintendent contract discussions

2025-08-23T00:19:07+00:00

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More transparency and community input.

That’s what Newark residents demanded from the Board of Education at a meeting Thursday as the board has quietly pursued a new five-year contract for Superintendent Roger León.

The drastic move by the board could set him up to be among the longest-serving superintendents in the state.

León’s current five-year contract has three years remaining, but last month, Board Attorney Brenda Liss requested the Essex County superintendent of schools, a proxy for the New Jersey Department of Education, approve a proposed new contract for him that would run from July 1 to June 30, 2030.

The request and subsequent approval from County Superintendent Joseph Zarra were obtained by Chalkbeat through a public records request.

Zarra’s approval notes an additional three months to the proposed contract with an expiration of Sept. 30, 2030. Further details of the proposed five-year contract could not be made available as it is a draft document, which is exempt from public records requests, per state law.

The proposed new contract for the superintendent has not been publicly announced or discussed by the Newark school board.

State law requires school boards to give the public at least 30 days notice prior to voting on a superintendent’s contract, in addition to a public hearing before the vote, with at least 10 days notice of the hearing.

Though Liss’ correspondence with Zarra stated the board would consider León’s contract at its meeting on Thursday, the contract was not listed on the agenda for that meeting nor was it publicly discussed by the board.

Several community members, including former district students, urged the board to gather public input before taking further steps on the contract for León, who has been at the helm for seven years.

“While the decision has not yet been made, it is crucial that this process remains fully transparent and that the community has a genuine opportunity to engage before action is taken,” said Yasmina Ouedraogo, a Newark Public Schools graduate, during the public comment portion of the meeting. “Extending the superintendent’s contract right now is not necessary.”

Word of the board’s steps to start the process of extending León’s tenure to 2030 came earlier this month through news reports by NJ.com and Chalkbeat.

Before it could vote on a new budget for the superintendent, the board would need approval from the county superintendent, according to state code, which it obtained through the correspondence between Liss and Zarra in July.

“For a school district that manages a budget larger than our city’s, we need transparency about spending,” said Mark Pinkney, a Newark Public School alum and city resident, who also spoke during public comment. “We don’t yet know if district improvements are happening. We deserve a transparent community-driven process.”

The City of Newark’s budget last year was about $968 million, about $600 million less than the school district’s $1.57 billion budget for the upcoming year. About $1.3 billion of the district’s budget comes from state aid.

Decisions to extend León’s contract since he was hired for the position in 2018 — when the district began its transition to local control after 25 years under a state monitor — have consistently been made with little to no public input.

In 2019, a year into his initial three-year contract, the school board voted to tack on another two years to that contract, extending it to 2025. There was no notice of a public hearing ahead of that decision on the district calendar of the board’s website and the meeting was sparsely attended, though a district official at the time said they had alerted the public using other methods.

A few years later, León’s contract was automatically renewed without any public discussion or notification due to a renewal clause in his contract. That clause allowed for an automatic five-year renewal in May 2022, more than a year in advance of when the contract was set to expire on June 30, 2023. Board members would have had to alert León by May 15, 2022, per the clause, if they planned not to renew the contract.

After news surfaced in January 2023 of the quiet renewal that had taken place months earlier, school community members expressed disappointment in the board and urged for more transparency.

“Each time, the community was left in the dark,” Ouedraogo said during her three-minute public comment on Thursday.

“What’s happening right now in Newark mirrors troubling patterns we’ve seen on the national stage, where leaders like President Donald Trump and his administration have been accused of bending rules and undermining public trust to maintain power,” Ouedraogo added. “In both cases, the people’s voice is pushed aside for political maneuvering.”

Board members with conflicts of interest stayed out of executive discussion

At Thursday’s meeting, the board went into an executive session for about 40 minutes to discuss matters that fall under attorney-client privilege, they said.

Board members Kanileah Anderson and Louis Maisonave Jr. stayed out of the executive session. The two are among three board members who have relatives working for the school district, connections that are a conflict of interest that could prevent them from weighing in on the superintendent’s contract.

Board President Hasani Council, who also has relatives working for the district, was absent from Thursday’s meeting.

León’s last eight years at the helm of New Jersey’s largest school district has been entangled in controversies — allegations of anti-Black racism and religious bias at the Newark School of Global Studies; worksite issues and construction delays at a new trade high school; and alarmingly low literacy rates that put the district under state review for two years.

The district was also ordered last year to return almost $34,000 to the state for misusing public funds for a “Staff Fun Day.” The event cost the district about $44,000 and spurred an investigation by the state Education Department. The department found that taxpayer money was inappropriately spent for the outdoor party, which included a DJ and four inflatable carnival booths.

Citing that misuse of funds and spending for travel to conferences, some Republican lawmakers have called to put the district under a fiscal monitor.

Dante Howell, a Newark resident who also spoke at the meeting on Thursday, said that he wants the board to ensure that “visions are aligned” for the “good of the community” before a decision is made to extend León’s tenure.

“Before approving contract extensions, I encourage the board to hold community meetings at schools and gather input from staff and parents,” said Carlos Merino, a community member who also spoke during public comment. “Leadership decisions should be based on measurable results, not just presentations.”

Catherine Carrera is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Newark. Contact Catherine at ccarrera@chalkbeat.org.

Modest increase in state test scores help Newark Public Schools earn high-performing status

2025-08-15T19:50:17+00:00

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Two years after being placed under interim review due to low standardized test scores, Newark Public Schools is meeting state standards, according to a New Jersey Board of Education certification this month.

Under the state’s evaluation system for public school districts, administered every three years, districts are deemed certified, or “high performing,” if they meet benchmarks in five areas: instruction and program, fiscal management, governance, operations, and personnel.

School districts are assessed using a 100-point scale to determine how well they’re meeting standards. Those who score below 80% in any category are placed under an interim review in which a state proxy evaluates the district every six months.

The state board of education certified Newark as being in compliance with state standards in the instruction and program area, a category that assesses state test scores, graduation rates, chronic absenteeism, and a district’s curriculum. The district was placed on the biannual interim review in 2023 after scoring below 80% in the instruction and program area. The district scored a 79 out of 100 in 2023, then dropped slightly to 77 out of 100 in 2024. Any score below 80% in any of the five areas requires an improvement plan with state oversight.

Under Newark’s improvement plan submitted last year, the district met its goal to raise state test scores in English language arts by at least 4 percentage points over 2023. But it fell short of its targets to raise math scores by at least 8 percentage points and science scores by at least 3 percentage points, based on state school performance reports. The district also met its goals to raise graduation rates between 1 and 1.5 percentage points and reduce chronic absenteeism by a minimum of half a percentage point from 2023, based on the state data.

Those modest increases were enough to lift the district out of interim review and earn the high-performing designation.

Although the designation signals a positive mark for the district, education experts have raised questions about the role the state’s evaluation system plays in measuring school performance and student achievement.

Mark Weber, an education policy analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective, said the state reviews school performance but argues that those measures aren’t necessarily indicators of student achievement.

“There are lots of other things that influence student performance that are not judged by test scores,” Weber told Chalkbeat on Thursday. “We should, in my opinion, be more judicious about how we use these measures, especially when they have high stakes involved, and whether the district has autonomous control of its schools; that’s a high stakes question.”

Paul Brubaker, Newark Public Schools’ communications director, did not respond to a request for comment about this year’s state evaluation.

The state self-evaluation system, known as the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum, or NJQSAC, was established in 2005 to ensure accountability in school districts requiring state intervention. In 2017, Newark’s evaluation was vital in the state’s decision to initiate the district’s return to local control after it made “significant progress” and satisfied regulatory requirements of the monitoring system, according to the district’s 2017 transition plan for local control.

As part of the state’s evaluation process, districts must also submit their own performance review.

In 2022, Newark gave itself high scores in each area of the evaluation. That year, Superintendent Roger León said the board’s responsibility is to say “we’ve met 100 points,” meaning the highest level of performance the district can reach based on all five components of the state’s monitoring system.

In 2023, the last time Newark received a full evaluation, the district was tasked with proving student achievement to the state despite the effects of the pandemic and learning loss suffered during remote learning.

Many of the trends in Newark, such as students scoring lower in math than English language arts, echo those seen nationally as students continue to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the spring of 2022, New Jersey students took the state standardized test for the first time since 2019 due to disruptions during remote learning.

León described 2022 scores as “horrible” at the time, citing passing rates of just 13% in math and 27% in English language arts for Newark students in grades 3 through 9. In 2023, students scored 15% in math and 29% in English language arts, and in 2024, 17.7% passed the math test and 31% passed the English language arts test. Although those scores improved by about two percentage points year over year, they still highlighted ongoing struggles among Newark students in math, reading, and science.

“We set these bars for quote, unquote proficiency, and you know, a student could be right below it or right above it. Are we really going to say that that’s the difference? Is that all that’s important?” Weber added.

In addition to scoring 80% on the instruction and program portion of this year’s state evaluation, Newark scored 100% in fiscal, governance, and operations areas, according to the state board of education. The district also scored a 97% in the personnel area.

In the 2025-26 school year, the district will get a full review under the state’s evaluation system. Each of the five areas used to evaluate districts is weighted and used to determine if a district is providing a “thorough and efficient education.”

State test results released last December also showed an overwhelming majority of students in the district are still struggling to perform on grade level in key subjects. Nearly 70% of students in grades 3-9 fell short of meeting literacy rates, around 82% did not meet math standards, and 93% of fifth graders were below grade level in science.

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark school board to pay $200K to settle legal claim filed by ex-school board member’s daughter

2025-08-05T15:00:07+00:00

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Former Newark school board member Dawn Haynes and her daughter, who had both been vocal about alleged racist experiences at a Newark high school, reached a $200,000 settlement with the district in May, according to sources and documents reviewed by Chalkbeat.

The agreement called for Haynes to step down from the school board and for Haynes’ daughter to drop her legal claim to sue the district, according to two people with knowledge of the agreement.

The settlement, which has not been previously reported, offers new clarity about the abrupt end of Haynes’ board term and the culmination of a messy legal and political battle stemming from allegations of discrimination and racist harassment at the Newark School of Global Studies.

Haynes’ resignation in May came without explanation, an unusual move for a member who had advocated for greater transparency on the board. Haynes had spent months petitioning to keep her seat after fellow board members asked the state education department to remove her after her daughter threatened to sue the district.

The settlement, obtained by Chalkbeat through a public records request, acknowledges no wrongdoing by the Newark school board and includes a confidentiality clause that prohibits the parties involved from disclosing the terms and details. It was heavily redacted by the district, citing public records laws that protect confidentiality and student privacy.

Two individuals, whose names were redacted, signed the settlement agreement on May 13, a day after Haynes submitted a resignation letter to the Newark school board. A heavily redacted letter that appears identical to that resignation letter is included as an exhibit in the settlement.

This marks at least the second settlement that the school district has entered into to end potential lawsuits tied to the School of Global Studies, a five-year-old school where incidents of racial harassment in 2022 led to half a dozen Black students transferring and the resignation of educators and the school’s vice principal. A lawsuit from two teachers claiming a hostile work environment, filed in Essex County Superior Court in April 2024, is ongoing.

Haynes and her daughter, Akela Haynes, did not respond to a request for comment. District spokesperson Paul Brubaker and school board President Hasani Council did not answer questions about the settlement or Haynes’ departure. Bryant Horsley, who represented Haynes in the district’s petition to remove her from the school board, did not respond to a request for comment about the petition.

Haynes, her daughter called for change after Global Studies allegations

Throughout Haynes’ three-term tenure on the board, she and her daughter had been vocal about alleged racial discrimination that students and teachers said they faced at Global Studies. In November 2022, a group of Black students and teachers from the high school spoke about the ongoing racial harassment they said they experienced on campus. The way district and school leaders handled the allegations drew heavy criticism from the community.

Haynes’ legal fights around Global Studies began in 2023 when she first faced an ethics complaint filed by former Global Studies parent liaison Samantha Heer, who alleged that Haynes used her position as board president to organize a meeting between parents and the Black student council at the school. The complaint was dropped in July 2024 after Heer failed to appear for hearings, according to the state education department.

Haynes, along with former board members Crystal Williams and A’Dorian Murray-Thomas, was also the subject of an ethics complaint filed by Global Studies Principal Nelson Ruiz in 2023, which remains under review by the state’s School Ethics Commission.

State administrative code requires the School Ethics Commission to keep confidential all matters until there is a finding of probable cause, or a determination of a violation, or the matter is dismissed, according to the state Education Department on Tuesday.

Months later, on Oct. 25, 2024, Akela Haynes filed a legal claim against the school district over allegations of racial and religious harassment during her time as a student at Global Studies, which she described as her dream high school and where she studied Mandarin and looked forward to a trip to China. A Muslim, Akela Haynes, previously told Chalkbeat that she dealt with a student calling her a terrorist and a racial slur. She said she had raised the issue with school administrators, who she said failed to address the problems.

The claim alleged Superintendent Roger León and Ruiz were liable for violating their obligation to protect the former student from “the physical and psychological harms” she experienced there. The settlement between Haynes, her daughter, and the Newark Board of Education marks the first time the district has formally responded to the allegations in the legal claim filed in October. Ruiz has not publicly addressed the allegations.

Akela Haynes’ legal claim was not a lawsuit against the district, but rather a notice of her intent to sue. But the claim kicked off the school board’s efforts to oust her mother, with members citing a conflict of interest as the reason for her immediate removal.

In November 2024, the Newark school board voted to ask the state education department to recommend the removal of Haynes due to a conflict that stemmed from her daughter incorrectly listing her mother’s address on her legal claim rather than Akela Haynes’ new address in Georgia, where she now attends school, according to court filings. But the school board’s request was shot down in January by the state’s education commissioner and was sent back to the state’s office of administrative law for a resolution.

The matter remained unsettled for months until the Newark school board voted on a resolution to approve the settlement with Haynes and her daughter at its May 17 retreat meeting. The resolution said the May 13 settlement was in the district’s best interest “in order to avoid protracted and costly proceedings” and was recommended by León.

A day earlier, on May 12, Haynes submitted a resignation letter to Council, the school board president, effective May 1. In June, the Newark school board appointed South Ward leader Melissa Reed to replace Haynes, but still offered no explanation about why Haynes resigned.

The Newark school board withdrew the petition to remove Haynes on June 20, more than a month after it had approved the settlement, according to a copy of the withdrawal letter obtained by Chalkbeat.

Since 2022, when Global Studies students first spoke out about the allegations of racial harassment, the Newark school district has worked to quell public discussion about the situation at the high school. The district refused to release a report from Creed Strategies, a consulting firm hired by the school board to examine the racial, religious, and cultural dynamics at Global Studies. Haynes, who had read the report, had previously called it “traumatizing to read.”

León had previously said the report would remain internal and inform the district’s strategy on diversity, but no details about the strategy have been made public.

The Newark Teachers Union filed two lawsuits seeking the release of the secret report about the high school, but the district reached a settlement with the union last fall, and the report was not released. Details of that settlement also remained secret.

Chalkbeat obtained a copy of the Creed Strategies’ report, which found that district leaders failed to “quickly and consistently” respond to racist and bigoted incidents against Black students and teachers at Global Studies, a high school designed to embrace world cultures. Creed Strategies also recommended that the district assess the effects of anti-Blackness on the school system.

Before her resignation, Haynes demanded a public apology from the board during the January school board retreat, due in part to the “false information,” she alleged, that was given to board members about the situation. She was never given one.

This story has been updated to include information from the New Jersey Department of Education on the ethics case initiated by Global Studies principal Nelson Ruiz against Haynes and two former board members.

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark school board appoints Melissa Reed to fill vacant board seat left by Dawn Haynes

2025-06-27T17:06:26+00:00

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The Newark school board voted to appoint Melissa Reed to fill a board seat that was left empty after one of its longest-serving members abruptly resigned last month.

Reed, a 29-year-old district leader for the South Ward and Newark Public Schools graduate, won a unanimous vote at a board meeting Thursday to join the Newark Board of Education and succeed former member Dawn Haynes. She will serve a one-year term up for election in April 2026. She was one of seven candidates interviewed by the board on Thursday, including several former school board candidates.

In total, nine people applied to fill the vacant board seat, according to information obtained through a public records request. The district was accepting applications for the position until June 2.

Reed’s swearing-in was added to a special school board meeting originally scheduled for so-called “Donaldson hearings,” where staff members can appeal a district decision not to renew their contracts. The agenda for the meeting was posted less than an hour before the meeting began and did not mention the board’s intent to swear in a new member.

The Newark Board of Education swore in Melissa Reed, a Newark resident and public school graduate, for a one-year term to the Newark Board of Education.

Reed recited the oath of office in front of her new board colleagues and attendees, as her sister held the Bible. She then sat in the empty board seat and addressed the other contenders for the seat, many of whom she knew and had worked with.

“You guys have been in the community for years. Like, when I walked through the door, I greeted everybody, because all you guys’ faces are familiar,” she said. “We all do the same thing. We all have the love and passion and compassion for our kids, and we want a better community, and we want a better city for the people that live here.”

She added: “Just because I’m here doesn’t mean that I can’t work with you.”

Reed’s selection is the latest reshuffling of board members and comes after Haynes, who was elected in 2018 and serving her third term, resigned from the board as of May 1. Last school year, Thomas Luna, a charter school teacher, won a unanimous board vote to fill an empty seat after former board President Asia Norton suddenly resigned. But the school board refused to swear in Luna and eventually appointed someone else.

Haynes was under scrutiny from district Superintendent Roger León and other leaders after her daughter filed a legal claim against the district alleging religious, racial, and gender discrimination, and other harassment during her time as a student at Newark School of Global Studies. In November 2024, the school board voted to ask the state education department to recommend removing Haynes on grounds that her daughter’s claim led to a conflict of interest. But the state education commissioner shot down the petition in January.

Reed will join the other eight board members in deciding policies for New Jersey’s largest school system, which has roughly 40,000 students across 64 schools. The board is also tasked with holding the superintendent accountable and addressing the public schools’ most pressing issues, such as managing district finances, transportation, facilities needs, academic recovery efforts, implementing federal and state policies, and supporting its growing number of students, including multilingual learners and students with disabilities.

The school board has also faced criticism from the community over transparency in addressing racism in schools; the district’s decision not to pay board members’ attorneys fees in their fight against an ethics complaint initiated by a high school principal; and the board’s approval of thousands of dollars for a staff fun day that the state’s education department deemed an inappropriate use of funds.

Newark Board of Education members pose for a picture with their newest member, Melissa Reed, and her sister.

Reed works in the Essex County Division of Senior Services and has experience working on political campaigns in Newark. She is serving a two-year term as the South Ward Democratic committee leader for Municipal District 25, a position she was elected to in 2024. She has been an advocate for policies that promote equity, sustainability, and community well-being. Before her interview with the board on Thursday, Reed told Chalkbeat she wanted to become a board member because she wanted to give back to city youth and offer transparency and support to students and parents.

During the meeting, Reed sat next to Elaine Asyah Aquil, who ran for school board this year under the All Kids Matter banner and who was also vying for the empty board seat. Reed said Aquil had inspired her to use her voice, and she praised her for her support throughout the years.

“She really motivated me, and I appreciate that so much,” Reed said.

Along with Aquil, the other candidates who interviewed for the board position were former school board candidates Ade’Kamil Kelly, who ran twice, Latoya Jackson, who ran three times, Sheila Montague, who ran three times, and Yolanda Johnson, who ran four times, along with Fawn Ross, who was vying for a board seat for the first time.

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Legislador republicano de NJ exige investigación de las finanzas de las escuelas de Newark

2025-05-02T19:44:52+00:00

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Un legislador de Nueva Jersey exige que el estado investigue de inmediato los “descarados y frívolos” gastos de las escuelas de Newark en los últimos años, incluyendo $17.5 millones para un sistema de cámaras de seguridad con inteligencia artificial y $44,000 para un día de diversión del personal, entre otros costos en el presupuesto del distrito de $1,500 millones.

El asambleísta republicano Alex Sauickie, que representa partes de los condados de Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean y Burlington, instó al comisionado estatal de educación Kevin Dehmer a auditar los presupuestos y gastos del distrito para el año académico actual y los últimos cinco años, según una carta enviada por correo electrónico compartida con Chalkbeat Newark.

“Esta petición no se hace a la ligera”, escribió Sauickie en la carta del 15 de abril. “Se basa en un creciente conjunto de información financiera disponible públicamente e informes que revelan lo que la mayoría consideraría gastos descarados y frívolos incompatibles con la responsabilidad fiduciaria esperada de un distrito que recibe más de $ 1,300 millones en dólares de los contribuyentes, la mayor parte provenientes de residentes fuera de Newark”.

El legislador del sur de Nueva Jersey, que defiende el Servicio DOGE de la administración Trump —una iniciativa que la administración dice que está destinada a recortar el gasto federal que considera derrochador— también propuso una legislación a principios de este año que asignaría un monitor fiscal a Newark y otros distritos escolares con alta pobreza.

El vocero de las escuelas públicas de Newark, Paul Brubaker, calificó las declaraciones del legislador como “ataques infundados y escandalosos” contra el distrito. Las llamadas del legislador “exponen conceptos erróneos profundamente arraigados sobre nuestro distrito y, más generalmente, los distritos escolares urbanos de Nueva Jersey”, dijo Brubaker en un comunicado enviado por correo electrónico el martes 22 de abril.

Sauickie se centra en particular en los $1,250 millones que el distrito recibió en ayuda estatal para el año escolar en curso y los $75 millones adicionales asignados al distrito para el próximo año escolar. Esa ayuda estatal marca la primera vez que Nueva Jersey financia totalmente al distrito en base a la fórmula actual de ayuda escolar.

El traslado de fondos a distritos históricamente subfinanciados, como Newark, causó algunos recortes en las ayudas estatales para los distritos que han sido sobrefinanciados según la fórmula estatal de ayuda escolar. Debido a eso, los distritos de su región han experimentado reducciones en las ayudas estatales y han tenido que enfrentar cortes difíciles y a menudo controvertidos en sus presupuestos en los últimos años, dijo Sauickie.

El distrito escolar de Jackson, por ejemplo, ha citado recortes en las ayudas estatales por su decisión de vender una escuela primaria y fusionar sus dos escuelas secundarias.

El impulso del legislador para auditar los gastos de Newark llega en un momento en que la administración de Trump está examinando los costos que considera derrochadores, fraudulentos o un abuso de la financiación a nivel federal. En las últimas semanas, la administración puso fin a los fondos federales para el alivio de la pandemia, pidió a las escuelas que acabaran con los programas de diversidad, equidad e inclusión que considera ilegales, y eliminó personal del Departamento de Educación de Estados Unidos.

El Departamento de Educación del estado no respondió a una solicitud de comentarios antes de la publicación de este artículo. Sauickie dijo que no había recibido respuesta de Dehmer o del departamento estatal de educación desde que envió la carta la semana pasada.

El distrito fue ordenado a reembolsar al estado por el uso indebido de la ayuda

Sauickie tuvo éxito en un reciente intento de investigar los gastos del distrito después de que informes periodísticos el año pasado destacaran el “día de diversión para el personal” del superintendente de Newark, Roger León, que se llevó a cabo con un costo de $44,000. Después de leer los informes, el legislador escribió una carta a Dehmer y le solicitó que se realizara una auditoría.

El Departamento de Educación del estado posteriormente auditó al distrito y determinó que debía devolver $33,650 en ayuda estatal, la cual dijo fue gastada inapropiadamente cuando se organizó el día de diversión para el personal. El evento de un día incluyó un DJ y cuatro cabinas inflables de carnaval, entre otros entretenimientos, pero carecían de componentes educativos o de desarrollo profesional, determinó la auditoría.

En su reciente carta a funcionarios estatales, Sauickie también dijo que quiere que el departamento de educación del estado investigue al superintendente del condado de Essex, Joseph S. Zarra, por el “nivel de supervisión o falta de ella” al revisar los presupuestos del distrito.

El equipo de prensa del departamento estatal de educación, que responde en nombre de los superintendentes del condado, tampoco respondió a una solicitud de respuesta de Zarra.

“Si otros distritos no han recibido la financiación que necesitan para ofrecer un programa educativo completo y eficiente, nos unimos a su petición de ayuda estatal adicional”, agregó Brubaker en su declaración por correo electrónico. “Sin embargo, todo el mundo debería tener cuidado con los legisladores que tratan de desviarse de las necesidades de sus propias comunidades haciendo declaraciones ofensivas, despectivas y falsas sobre otras comunidades, como Newark, en lugar de abordar esas necesidades directamente”.

Newark presupuestó $17.5 millones para un sistema de cámaras de seguridad de inteligencia artificial, que fue financiado en su mayor parte por fondos federales de ayuda para casos de pandemia. El distrito no ha confirmado si el gobierno federal dispersó los fondos que necesitaba para cubrir el costo de ese proyecto, que se paralizó en el otoño debido a problemas de asbesto y plomo.

En los últimos años, la Junta de Educación de Newark también ha gastado miles de dólares en viajes a conferencias desde Miami hasta Honolulu, según el consejo editorial de The Star-Ledger. En los últimos dos años, la junta escolar ha aprobado hasta $2.8 millones de dólares para atender eventos del personal, incluidas las noches de regreso a la escuela, según Tap Into Newark.

Cuando se le preguntó sobre los gastos de viaje, Brubaker dijo en un correo electrónico: “El distrito no ha gastado millones en viajes, y no controla dónde se celebran las conferencias”.

Del mismo modo, cuando se le preguntó acerca de los fondos presupuestados para los eventos con comidas y bebidas, Brubaker dijo: “Nunca lo hemos hecho”.

Este año se cumplen cinco años desde que se restauró el control local de las escuelas públicas de Newark. El distrito había estado bajo control estatal desde 1995, una medida que tenía como objetivo mejorar el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes y las finanzas del distrito. Varias escuelas de distrito fueron cerradas y vendidas durante ese tiempo, que León ha convertido en una de sus prioridades recuperar.

Traducido por Bernardo de la Cruz.

Catherine Carrera es la corresponsal jefa de Chalkbeat Newark. Comunícate con ella por correo electrónico a ccarrera@chalkbeat.org.

Esta traducción fue proporcionada por New Jersey Hispano, en asociación con el Centro de Medios Cooperativos de la Universidad Estatal de Montclair, y cuenta con el apoyo financiero del Consorcio de Información Cívica de NJ. La historia fue escrita originalmente en inglés por Chalkbeat Newark y se vuelve a publicar en virtud de un acuerdo especial para compartir contenido a través del Servicio de noticias de traducción al español de NJ News Commons.

New Jersey GOP lawmaker demands investigation into Newark schools’ finances

2025-04-23T21:55:28+00:00

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Leer en español.

A New Jersey lawmaker is demanding that the state immediately investigate Newark schools’ “brazen and frivolous” spending in recent years, including $17.5 million for an artificial intelligence security camera system and $44,000 for a staff fun day, among other costs in the district’s $1.5 billion budget.

Republican Assemblyman Alex Sauickie, who represents parts of Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Burlington counties, urged state Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer to audit the district’s budgets and expenditures for the current academic year and the last five years, according to an emailed letter shared with Chalkbeat Newark.

“This request is not made lightly,” wrote Sauickie in the April 15 letter. “It is based on a growing body of publicly available financial information and reports that reveal what most would consider brazen and frivolous expenditures inconsistent with the fiduciary responsibility expected of a district receiving over $1.3 billion in taxpayer dollars — most of which come from residents outside of Newark.”

The South Jersey lawmaker who champions the Trump administration’s U.S. DOGE Service — an initiative the administration says is intended to cut federal spending it considers wasteful — also proposed legislation earlier this year that would assign a fiscal monitor to Newark and other high-poverty school districts.

Newark Public Schools spokesman Paul Brubaker called the lawmaker’s statements “baseless and outrageous attacks” on the district. The calls from the lawmaker “expose deep-seated misconceptions about our district and, more generally, New Jersey’s urban school districts,” Brubaker said in an emailed statement on Tuesday.

Sauickie takes particular aim at the $1.25 billion the district received in state aid for the current school year and the additional $75 million earmarked for the district next school year. That state aid marks the first time New Jersey is fully funding the district based on the current school aid formula.

Shifting funds to historically underfunded districts, such as Newark, caused some cuts in state aid for districts that have been overfunded based on the state’s school aid formula. Because of that, districts in his region have experienced state aid reductions and have had to face difficult, and often, controversial cuts in their budgets in the last few years, Sauickie said.

The Jackson school district, for example, has cited state aid cuts for its decision to sell an elementary school and merge its two high schools.

The lawmaker’s push for auditing Newark’s spending comes at a time when the Trump administration is scrutinizing costs it considers wasteful, fraudulent, or an abuse of funding at the federal level. In recent weeks, the administration put an end to federal pandemic relief funding, asked schools to end diversity, equity, and inclusion programs it considers illegal, and gutted staffing in the U.S. Education Department.

The state Department of Education did not respond to a request for comment by publication. Sauickie said he hadn’t gotten a response from Dehmer or the state education department since he sent the letter last week.

District was ordered to refund state for misuse of aid

Sauickie was successful in a recent push to investigate the district’s spending after news reports last year highlighted Newark Superintendent Roger León’s “staff fun day,” which ran at a cost of $44,000. After reading the reports, the lawmaker wrote a letter to Dehmer and urged an audit.

The state Education Department subsequently audited the district and determined it needed to pay back $33,650 in state aid, which it said was inappropriately spent when hosting the staff fun day. The daylong event included a DJ and four inflatable carnival booths, among other entertainment, but lacked educational or professional development components, the audit determined.

In his recent letter to state officials, Sauickie also said he wants the state education department to investigate Essex County Superintendent Joseph S. Zarra for the “level of oversight or lack thereof” in reviewing the district’s budgets.

The state education department’s press team, which responds on behalf of the county superintendents, also did not respond to a request for a response from Zarra.

“If other districts have not received the funding they need to provide a thorough and efficient educational program, we join in their advocacy for additional state aid,” Brubaker added in his emailed statement. “However, everyone should be wary of legislators who attempt to deflect from the needs of their own communities by making offensive, disparaging, and false statements about other communities, like Newark, instead of tackling those needs head-on.”

Newark budgeted $17.5 million for an artificial intelligence security camera system, which was mostly funded by federal pandemic relief dollars. The district hasn’t confirmed if the federal government dispersed the funds it needed to cover the cost of that project, which was stalled in the fall due to asbestos and lead issues.

In recent years, the Newark Board of Education has also spent thousands of dollars on travel to conferences from Miami to Honolulu, according to The Star-Ledger editorial board. Over the last two years, the school board has approved up to $2.8 million for catering for staff events, including back-to-school nights, according to Tap Into Newark.

When asked about the travel expenses, Brubaker said in an email response, “The district has not spent millions on travel, and it does not control where conferences are held.”

Similarly, when asked about the budgeted funds for catering, Brubaker said, “We have never done so.”

This year marks five years since local control was fully restored for Newark Public Schools. The district had been under state takeover since 1995, a move that was intended to improve student academic performance and the district’s finances. Several district schools were closed and sold during that time, which León has made one of his priorities to reclaim.

Catherine Carrera is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Newark. Contact Catherine at ccarrera@chalkbeat.org.

A translation of this story was provided by Bernardo de la Cruz of New Jersey Hispano in partnership with Montclair State University’s Center for Cooperative Media and is supported financially by the NJ Civic Information Consortium. The story was originally written in English by Chalkbeat Newark and is republished under a special content-sharing agreement through NJ News Commons’ Spanish Translation News Service.

Newark school nurses will get boosts in tuition reimbursements, pay under ‘historic’ new contract

2025-03-03T21:55:36+00:00

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Newark Public Schools nurses will get 4.5% annual raises, an extended workday, and higher starting salaries for certified staff under a new five-year contract approved by the Newark Board of Education last week.

Since the start of the school year, the district’s nurses, represented by the Newark Teachers Association, have highlighted the need for higher pay, more nurses, and improved working conditions after taking on more responsibility following the pandemic and its effect on student health. Some nurses have said they struggled to pay rent on their previous salary, while others reported seeing a rise in depression, asthma, and anxiety among district students that has contributed to an increase in their workload.

The district employs 86 nurses across its 64 schools, according to Paul Brubaker, Newark Public Schools’ communications director.

The new contract also includes increased tuition reimbursement and a nurse stipend, and extends the workday from six hours and 40 minutes to seven hours, aligning with teachers’ schedules under the district’s new universal school hours implemented this school year.

“Our nurses play a vital role in the health and well-being of our students every day, and this contract reflects our deep appreciation for their dedication,” Superintendent Roger León said in a press release.

The NTA spent nearly eight months negotiating the new agreement with Leòn and other district staff. Evelyn Ayum, the NTA president, called the new contract a historic win because for the first time in recent years, it acknowledges nurses’ unique skills, which include administering medication, monitoring diabetics, checking students with asthma, and supporting parents and staff.

The new agreement took effect on March 1, Ayum said.

“This contract wouldn’t have been obtained without the advocacy of nurses being at school board meetings and telling their story,” Ayum told Chalkbeat on Friday. “By [nurses] activating their activism for change, they received a new kind of respect from this contract, and they now have the groundwork for it to get better and better.”

Similar to the Newark Teachers Union contract, the five-year agreement provides 4.5% annual raises, though each nurse’s raise may be different based on which step of the salary guide they are on. All nurses will also receive a $3,000 taxable stipend that will also be used to calculate their pension contributions, Ayum said.

The new contract raises the starting salary next school year for instructional certified nurses from $65,000 to $67,000; the salary for non-instructional nurses will go from $58,500 to $60,300. By 2029, certified nurses will have a starting salary of $74,000, and the salary for non-instructional nurses will start at $66,600, according to the new contract. The increases are higher for nurses with master’s or doctoral degrees.

Tuition reimbursement also increases from $26,500 to up to $60,000 with a $600 per credit for course cap. The bump will help support uncertified nurses who are obtaining their certification, attract new nurses, and retain existing ones, Ayum said. School nurses must hold a license as a registered professional nurse in New Jersey, obtain state certification as a school nurse, and have a bachelor’s degree in either school nursing, public health, or health education.

The new five-year contract also requires nurses to attend their school’s Back-to-School night and fall and spring parent conferences as necessary, according to the nurses' contract. Nurses will be able to clear students for sports and educate parents about issues related to asthma and obesity, especially diabetes, which is rising among youth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ayum added.

The new seven-hour workday for nurses comes after the Newark Teachers Union agreement approved an extended schedule for teachers to add more time for lunch and transition time between periods. Ayum said nurses are used to staying late and helping students as needed, highlighting the importance of their work in schools.

The district’s nurses had been working without a contract since last summer, and roughly 10 nurses attended several school board meetings throughout this school year to urge Leòn and the district’s school board to approve a new agreement.

During a school board meeting in September 2024, Felecia Briggs-Herbert, a nurse at Arts High School with over 30 years of nursing experience, said some district schools are operating with only one school nurse. That falls below the National Association of School Nurses guidelines, which recommends one nurse per 750 students. For students with more complex health care needs, the organization suggests at least one nurse to 125 students.

“Nurses aren’t only relevant during a pandemic. We are essential every day as we care for our students with various medical conditions,” Briggs-Herbert said during that school board meeting. “Nurses are dealing with more and more students under the influence with no real help on top of everything else we are contending with on a daily basis.”

At the same meeting, Carol Wisneiski, a Bard High School nurse with over 17 years of experience in the public schools, said the district needs to fill its nurse vacancies. This school year, the district hired 18 new nurses but continues to hire more as needed, according to Brubaker.

Wisneiski added that nurses are essential to schools and the relationships they build with students are important when caring for them. While treating a student at Central High School, she noticed that the student looked like she was under the influence, but Wisneiski knew the student wasn’t on any substances. Wisneiski and the nurse she was working with quickly realized the student needed to go to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis, a complication of diabetes.

“Folks tend to think that a nurse is a nurse,” said Wisneiski when talking about school nurses and the specialized work they perform in schools. “I can tell you, you can’t put any nurse anywhere.”

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark school board members disputing ethics complaint will not get attorneys fees paid, state says

2025-02-27T18:08:43+00:00

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A former Newark school board member and a current member may have to pay their own attorneys fees in their fight against a school ethics complaint over their efforts to investigate allegations of racial bias at a city high school.

Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer denied the requests of board member Crystal Williams and former member A’Dorian Murray-Thomas to force the district to resume payments of their attorneys fees. The Newark Board of Education approved a resolution last November to stop them.

Newark School of Global Studies principal Nelson Ruiz filed the ethics complaint against the women, according to Dehmer’s Monday decision. The complaint remains under review by the state’s School Ethics Commission.

The commission has to determine if the women were acting under their duties as board members during their investigation of racial bias at Global Studies, which a state judge found in an initial ruling, according to Dehmer’s decision. Williams and Murray-Thomas filed separate requests to the state education department in December. Those were sent to the New Jersey Office of Administrative Law, which reviews contested cases for state agencies and issues initial decisions.

Further details about the ethics complaint have not been made public.

In its argument to the state, the Newark Board of Education wrote that it is “no longer obligated to pay” Williams' and Murray-Thomas’ attorneys fees because they both acted against the district’s legal interest when their attorney subpoenaed a consultant to obtain a report the district had previously deemed privileged.

The Newark school board originally approved four resolutions in which the board agreed to pay $285 per hour in attorneys fees for four unnamed board members at the center of ethics complaints in February 2023. At the time, the district did not release details about the complaints. During that meeting, board member Hasani Council abstained from voting on all four motions. Board members Dawn Haynes, Murray-Thomas, and Williams each abstained from one of the four motions.

The Newark school board rescinded three resolutions that authorized the payment of Williams’ and Murray-Thomas’ attorneys fees in November, according to the state’s decision. That resolution did not include the names of board members or other details about the board’s action at the time, other than noting it was being done “to protect the interests of the Board of Education.”

In her petition to the state, Janelle Edwards-Stewart of Porzio, Bromberg, and Newman, the attorney representing Williams and Murray-Thomas, wrote that both women were not informed of the district’s action to rescind the payments and on more than one occasion, Williams was “physically barred by Board staff members” from participating in parts of at least two meetings at the direction of Superintendent Roger Leon and the district’s attorney Brenda Liss.

On Wednesday, the district’s communications director Paul Brubaker did not respond to emailed questions asking why Global Studies principal Ruiz filed a school ethics complaint against Williams and Murray-Thomas and why the board approved a resolution to rescind the payment of attorneys fees. Williams and Murray-Thomas declined to comment.

Dehmer’s decision goes against state Administrative Law Judge Andrew Baron’s initial decision issued last month, which partially sided with Williams and Murray-Thomas. Baron agreed that the district should resume payment of their attorneys fees except for the portion that pertains to the subpoena of the “privileged” document.

Baron wrote that “while the District may have unclean hands” for ending its agreement to pay for attorneys fees, Williams, Murray-Thomas, and their attorney “also have unclean hands” because of their action to send a subpoena to a “district consultant for a document they knew had already been classified as confidential.”

“Clearly, when the district agreed to pay petitioner’s reasonable counsel fees, they did not contemplate paying additional fees for a separate action which would permit petitioner to obtain a confidential document it had retained an outside consultant to prepare,” Baron’s Jan. 8 decision read.

The state’s decision marks the latest development in the fight by community leaders to push León to address complaints of racism and religious harassment at Global Studies. Last month, Chalkbeat obtained a copy of a scathing draft report, conducted by the consulting firm Creed Strategies and deemed as privileged by the district, that detailed harrowing examples of how Black students and teachers at Global Studies were “subjected to acts of anti-Blackness and anti-Black racism.”

The Newark school board commissioned the consultant’s report in January 2023 after students and teachers first described a pattern of racist harassment at the high school in 2022. But in June 2023, León said that report was meant to inform the district’s strategy on race and would remain internal.

Neither Newark Public Schools nor the state’s School Ethics Commission have released the details about the ethics complaints against the board members. Under New Jersey law, the commission cannot publicly release information about a complaint until a public meeting is held to determine probable cause or violation or until the matter is settled, withdrawn, or dismissed.

Dehmer’s Monday decision also comes after his decision last month denying Newark Public Schools’ request to unseat board member Haynes over a conflict of interest after her daughter filed a legal claim against the district alleging that she experienced religious, racial, and gender discrimination and other harassment during her time as a Global Studies student.

Williams and Murray-Thomas have 20 days to appeal Dehmer’s decision.

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Un año después del plan de mejoramiento de las escuelas públicas de Newark, ¿cómo ha progresado?

2025-02-12T21:34:42+00:00

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Después de que las escuelas públicas de Newark no alcanzaran el rendimiento de los estudiantes en las pruebas estandarizadas durante varios años consecutivos, el estado intervino y puso al distrito en un plan de mejoramiento que delineaba métricas claramente definidas necesarias para mostrar el progreso del estudiante.

Eso fue hace casi un año. Ahora, los resultados de la última ronda de la New Jersey Student Learning Assessment (Evaluación de Aprendizaje de Estudiantes de Nueva Jersey) mostraron pocos cambios, una vez más, con la gran mayoría de los estudiantes de Newark todavía por debajo del nivel de grado en lectura, matemáticas y ciencias.

Eso significa que el distrito permanecerá bajo la vigilancia del superintendente ejecutivo del condado de Essex, un representante del departamento estatal de educación, quien tiene el mandato de intervenir para evaluar el progreso del distrito cada seis meses. La supervisión tiene ecos de los 25 años del distrito bajo control estatal, que se suspendió hace cinco años en medio de la pandemia.

Los objetivos del plan de mejora de Newark aprobado por el estado son elevados en algunos aspectos y modestos en otros. Incluyen objetivos anuales para mejorar las tasas de competencia en lectura en 4 puntos porcentuales, matemáticas en 8 puntos porcentuales y ciencias en 3 puntos porcentuales, además de aumentar la tasa de graduación en 1.5 puntos porcentuales, y la disminución del ausentismo crónico en medio punto porcentual.

Según datos estatales y distritales disponibles públicamente, Newark logró solo uno de esos objetivos: reducir su tasa de ausentismo crónico del 12.7% en 2023 al 12.1% en 2024. El estado define el ausentismo crónico como falta del 10% del año escolar, o 18 días en un año escolar de 180 días.

Un portavoz de las escuelas públicas de Newark no respondió a una solicitud de comentarios sobre la situación actual del distrito en el marco del plan de mejora. Según la ley estatal, si el desempeño del distrito empeora drásticamente bajo el plan de mejoramiento, eso podría desencadenar una intervención estatal parcial o completa, aunque también se necesitarían subsanar las deficiencias en varias otras áreas.

Algunos críticos del sistema de evaluación estatal argumentan que medir el desempeño de un distrito en base a los resultados de los estudiantes en las pruebas estatales no representa con precisión lo bien que se está enseñando a los estudiantes.

“Estás juzgando la calidad del distrito escolar en base a métricas que no dependen enteramente sobre cómo le está yendo a la escuela”, dijo Mark Weber, analista de políticas educativas de New Jersey Policy Perspective y profesor de la Rutgers University. “Si tienes un distrito que tiene una alta tasa de pobreza, eso va a afectar las puntuaciones en los exámenes, y el distrito está siendo juzgado por eso”.

Una revisión intermedia en junio mostró que el distrito aún no cumplía con los estándares estatales, según documentos obtenidos por Chalkbeat Newark a través de una solicitud de registros públicos. Según la directriz de seis meses en el estatuto estatal, una revisión posterior estaba prevista para diciembre, pero aún no se había completado hasta esta semana, dijo el martes el portavoz del departamento de educación estatal, Michael Yaple.

El distrito seguirá bajo un plan de mejoramiento, agregó Yaple, hasta que cumpla con los objetivos en la próxima revisión intermedia o cumpla con las normas estatales en la revisión integral que se realizará en el año escolar 2025-26.

El panorama de los resultados de los estudiantes en Newark no ha cambiado significativamente en las últimas tres rondas de pruebas estatales desde que la pandemia de COVID interrumpió el aprendizaje.

Los resultados de las pruebas estatales publicadas en diciembre mostraron que una abrumadora mayoría de los estudiantes del distrito todavía tienen dificultades para rendir a nivel de grado en materias clave. Casi el 70% de los estudiantes de los grados 3 a 9 no alcanzan los niveles de alfabetización, alrededor del 82% no cumplen con los estándares de matemáticas y el 93% de los alumnos de quinto grado están por debajo del nivel de ciencia.

Los resultados mostraron aumentos limitados sobre el 2023, destacando la lenta recuperación de Newark de la convulsión del aprendizaje en la era de la pandemia. En los últimos años, con la ayuda de fondos federales para el alivio de la pandemia, el superintendente Roger León aumentó los esfuerzos de tutoría con programas de verano y sábados. El distrito asignó $6.8 millones para tutoría este año escolar, ofreciendo sesiones adicionales desde el comienzo del año escolar.

Pero algunas de esas actividades de tutoría corren el riesgo de ser reducidas el próximo año, debido a que el distrito ya no tiene acceso a esos fondos federales, que expiraron en septiembre.

La puntuación de evaluación desciende por debajo del nivel estándar, pero no a niveles históricamente bajos

El Departamento de Educación del estado revisa el desempeño general de un distrito cada tres años en base a cinco categorías clave de su sistema de evaluación —el Quality Single Accountability Continuum (Continuo Único de Rendición de Cuentas de Calidad)— que incluye instrucción, gestión fiscal, gobierno, operaciones y personal. En cada categoría, hay varias maneras en que los distritos son juzgados usando una escala de 100 puntos para determinar cómo cumplen con los estándares descritos. Cuando un distrito cae por debajo de la puntuación mínima de aprobación de 80 en cualquier categoría dada, se le ordena crear un plan de mejoramiento del distrito con aprobación y supervisión estatal.

Newark debía ser revisada por el estado en el año escolar 2022-2023 por primera vez desde que recuperó el control local completo en 2020. El distrito se dio altas calificaciones en todas las categorías, pero a fines de 2023, el estado le dio al distrito una puntuación de 79 en instrucción, en particular descontando puntos en lo que respecta al rendimiento de los estudiantes, las tasas de graduación y el ausentismo crónico.

Joseph Zarra, el superintendente ejecutivo interino del condado de Essex, realizó una revisión semestral en junio y redujo dos puntos adicionales de la puntuación de instrucción del distrito a 77 debido a su fracaso para cumplir con los objetivos del plan de mejora, según documentos estatales.

El portavoz de las escuelas públicas de Newark, Paul Brubaker, no respondió a preguntas sobre la lucha del distrito para cumplir con los objetivos de su plan de mejoramiento.

Aunque el distrito sigue teniendo un plan de mejora, las razones son muy diferentes a lo que llevó al control estatal en 1995 cuando los niveles de rendimiento de los estudiantes se contraponían a los gastos exorbitantes entre los líderes del distrito. Fue durante los 25 años de la toma del poder por el estado, cuando se creó el sistema de evaluación del departamento de educación y luego se utilizó para determinar la preparación del distrito en su transición de vuelta al control local.

Los críticos dicen que el sistema de evaluación favorece a los distritos más ricos

Una vez que el distrito recuperó el control local en 2020, se enfrentó a un obstáculo pronunciado ya que los estudiantes de toda la ciudad se vieron afectados de manera desproporcionada por el aprendizaje remoto durante los cierres por COVID-19 debido al acceso limitado a internet, la falta de computadoras portátiles o tabletas digitales en casa, y los obstáculos a los recursos para los estudiantes con discapacidades, entre otros temas.

La pandemia llegó poco después de que el distrito ya estaba viendo volver a caer el rendimiento de los estudiantes en las puntuaciones de los exámenes estatales después de años de avances.

Con la entrada de $287 millones en fondos federales de socorro, los líderes del distrito destinaron grandes sumas de esos fondos para reparar sus edificios escolares dilapidados, y una proporción menor se destinó a aumentar las actividades de tutoría. Newark no fue el único en tomar esas decisiones, ya que muchos distritos escolares de alta pobreza gastaron los fondos de manera similar.

Los críticos del sistema de evaluación estatal señalan las desigualdades subyacentes en el sistema, diciendo que las críticas a un distrito con altas necesidades como Newark basadas en los resultados de los estudiantes en las pruebas estatales no tienen en cuenta factores que contribuyen al bajo rendimiento de los estudiantes, como la pobreza.

“Para un distrito que comienza con puntuaciones más bajas en los exámenes, es más difícil mostrar crecimiento”, dijo Weber, el profesor de Rutgers, agregando que el distrito también ha visto una afluencia de estudiantes de inglés en los últimos años que requieren recursos adicionales.

“¿Es racional y razonable esperar que el distrito obtenga las mismas puntuaciones que otro distrito que no tiene, digamos, tantos estudiantes de inglés?” Weber dijo. “Debido a esta dependencia de los resultados de las pruebas para determinar si se necesita alguna corrección o no, hay un sesgo inherente en contra de un distrito como Newark, Paterson, Trenton y Camden. Eso es problemático”.

Otras categorías del sistema de evaluación, como la gestión y las operaciones, se basan exclusivamente en las políticas y prácticas vigentes.

“Esas son cosas que el distrito escolar podría controlar directamente. Los resultados de los estudiantes no lo son”, dijo Weber.

En los últimos meses, líderes escolares a nivel estatal han instado a la Junta de Educación del estado a cambiar el énfasis del sistema en los resultados estudiantiles, que dicen favorece a distritos más ricos. En octubre, el Comisionado de Educación interino Kevin Dehmer informó a la junta escolar estatal que de 56 exámenes de desempeño de distrito realizados durante ese período, 42 distritos no cumplieron con los estándares estatales, debido principalmente a deficiencias en el rendimiento académico.

Si Newark aún no cumple con los objetivos establecidos en su plan de mejoramiento durante los próximos seis meses, el estado hará una revisión integral en el año escolar 2025-26 y determinará en ese momento si se debe implementar un nuevo plan de mejoramiento, de acuerdo con la ley estatal.

El distrito podría enfrentar una intervención estatal parcial si su puntuación en cualquiera de las cinco categorías de evaluación cae por debajo de 50 puntos y no implementa el plan de mejoramiento, según la ley estatal. Si las circunstancias adicionales también impiden que el distrito proporcione una educación completa y eficiente, como lo exige la constitución del estado, entonces el comisionado de educación podría invocar la intervención total del estado, dice la ley.

Traducido por Bernardo de la Cruz

Esta traducción fue proporcionada por New Jersey Hispano, en asociación con el Centro de Medios Cooperativos de la Universidad Estatal de Montclair, y cuenta con el apoyo financiero del Consorcio de Información Cívica de NJ. La historia fue escrita originalmente en inglés por Chalkbeat Newark y se vuelve a publicar en virtud de un acuerdo especial para compartir contenido a través del Servicio de noticias de traducción al español de NJ News Commons.

Catherine Carrera es la corresponsal jefa de Chalkbeat Newark. Comunícate con ella por correo electrónico a ccarrera@chalkbeat.org.

A year into Newark Public Schools’ improvement plan, how has the district progressed?

2025-02-06T11:00:01+00:00

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After Newark Public Schools fell short on student achievement in standardized tests several years running, the state stepped in and put the district on an improvement plan that outlined clearly defined metrics needed to show student progress.

That was nearly a year ago. Now, the most recent round of New Jersey Student Learning Assessment results showed little change, once again, with the overwhelming majority of Newark students still performing below grade-level proficiency in reading, math, and science.

That means the district will remain under the watch of the Essex County executive superintendent, a proxy for the state education department, who is mandated to step in to evaluate the district’s progress every six months. The oversight carries echoes of the district’s 25 years under state control, which was lifted five years ago amid the pandemic.

Newark’s state-approved improvement plan goals are lofty by some measures and modest by others. They include year-over-year objectives to improve proficiency rates in reading by 4 percentage points, math by 8 percentage points, and science by 3 percentage points, in addition to increasing the graduation rate by 1.5 percentage points, and decreasing chronic absenteeism by half of a percentage point.

Based on publicly available state and district data, Newark succeeded in only one of those goals — decreasing its chronic absenteeism rate from 12.7% in 2023 to 12.1% in 2024. The state defines chronic absenteeism as missing 10% of the school year, or 18 days in a 180-day school year.

A Newark Public Schools spokesman did not respond to a request for comment on the district’s current standing under the improvement plan. According to state statute, if the district’s performance drastically worsens while under the improvement plan, that could trigger partial or full state intervention, though insufficiencies in several other areas would also need to be met.

Some critics of the state’s evaluation system argue that measuring a district’s performance on student outcomes in state tests doesn’t accurately represent how well it’s teaching students.

“You’re judging the quality of the school district based on metrics that are not entirely dependent on how the school is doing,” said Mark Weber, an education policy analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective and lecturer at Rutgers University. “If you have a district that has a high poverty rate, that’s going to affect test scores, and the district is being judged on that.”

An interim review in June showed the district still wasn’t meeting state standards, according to documents Chalkbeat Newark obtained through a public records request. Based on the six-month guideline in the state statute, a subsequent review was due in December, but it had not been completed yet as of this week, state education department spokesman Michael Yaple said Tuesday.

The district will remain under an improvement plan status, Yaple added, until it either satisfies the goals in the next interim review or it meets state standards in the comprehensive review due in the 2025-26 school year.

The dire landscape of student achievement in Newark hasn’t significantly changed in the last three rounds of state testing since the COVID pandemic disrupted learning.

State test results released in December showed an overwhelming majority of students in the district are still struggling to perform on grade level in key subjects. Nearly 70% of students in grades 3-9 are falling short of meeting literacy benchmarks, around 82% aren’t meeting math standards, and 93% of fifth graders are below grade-level in science.

The results showed limited increases over 2023, highlighting Newark’s slow recovery from pandemic-era learning upheaval. Over the last few years with the help of federal pandemic relief funds, Superintendent Roger León ramped up tutoring efforts with summer and Saturday programs. The district allocated $6.8 million for tutoring this school year, offering extra tutoring sessions from the start of the school year.

But some of those tutoring efforts are at risk of being scaled back next year, as the district no longer has access to those federal dollars, which expired in September.

Evaluation score dips below standard, but not at historically low levels

The state Department of Education reviews a district’s overall performance every three years based on five key categories in its evaluation system — the Quality Single Accountability Continuum — which includes instruction, fiscal management, governance, operations, and personnel. Under each category, there are several ways districts get judged using a scale of 100 points to determine how well they’re meeting the standards outlined. When a district falls below the minimum passing score of 80 in any given category, it’s mandated to create a district improvement plan with state approval and oversight.

Newark was due for its state review in the 2022-23 school year for the first time since it regained full local control in 2020. The district gave itself high marks in all categories, but, in late 2023, the state gave the district a score of 79 for instruction, particularly docking points as it related to student achievement, graduation rates, and chronic absenteeism.

Joseph Zarra, the interim Essex County executive superintendent, conducted a six-month review in June and knocked two additional points from the district’s instruction score to a 77 due to its failure to meet goals in the improvement plan, state documents showed.

Newark Public Schools spokesman Paul Brubaker did not respond to questions about the district’s struggle to meet its improvement plan goals.

Though the district remains under an improvement plan, the reasons are starkly different from what led to state control in 1995 when staggeringly low student achievement levels contrasted exorbitantly high spending among district leaders. It was during the state’s 25-year takeover, that the education department’s evaluation system was created and then used to determine the district’s readiness in its transition back to local control.

Critics say evaluation system favors wealthier districts

Once the district regained local control in 2020, it faced a steep hurdle as students citywide were disproportionately affected by remote learning during COVID-19 shutdowns due to limited internet access, lack of laptops or digital tablets at home, and barriers to resources for students with disabilities, among other issues.

The pandemic came soon after the district was already seeing student performance on state test scores slide back after years of improvement.

With the influx of $287 million in federal relief funding, district leaders earmarked large sums of those funds to fix up its dilapidated school buildings, with a smaller proportion going toward increased tutoring efforts. Newark wasn’t alone in those decisions, as many high-poverty school districts spent the funds similarly.

Critics of the state’s evaluation system point to the underlying inequities in the system, saying that critiques of a high-needs district like Newark based on student outcomes in state tests don’t account for factors that contribute to low student achievement, such as poverty.

“For a district that starts with lower test scores, it’s harder to show growth,” said Weber, the Rutgers lecturer, adding that the district has also seen an influx of English language learners in recent years who require additional resources.

“Is it rational and reasonable to expect the district to get the same scores as another district that doesn’t have, let’s say, as many English language learners?” Weber said. “Because of this reliance on test score outcomes to determine whether you’re in need of correction or not, you’ve inherently got a bias against a district like Newark, Paterson, Trenton, and Camden. That’s problematic.”

Other categories in the evaluation system, such as governance and operations, are solely based on policies and practices in place.

“Those are things that the school district could directly control. Student outcomes are not,” Weber said.

In recent months, school leaders statewide have urged the state Board of Education to change the system’s emphasis on student outcomes, which they say favors wealthier districts. In October, Acting Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer reported a notice to the state school board that of 56 total district performance reviews conducted during that period, 42 districts didn’t meet state standards, largely due to shortcomings in academic achievement.

If Newark still doesn’t meet the goals outlined in its improvement plan over the next six months, the state will do a comprehensive review in the 2025-26 school year, and determine at that point if a new improvement plan should be implemented, according to state statute.

The district could face partial state intervention if its score in any of the five evaluation categories falls below 50 points and it fails to implement the improvement plan, according to state statute. If additional circumstances are also preventing the district from providing a thorough and efficient education, as the state’s constitution mandates, then the education commissioner could invoke full state intervention, the statute says.

Catherine Carrera is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Newark. Contact Catherine at ccarrera@chalkbeat.org.

NJ Education commissioner denies district petition to unseat Newark school board member

2025-01-22T21:48:57+00:00

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The state’s Acting Commissioner of Education Kevin Dehmer denied Newark Public Schools’ request to remove board member Dawn Haynes over a conflict of interest, according to his decision issued Tuesday.

In his decision, Dehmer said the school district failed to prove how the board would “suffer irreparable harm” if Haynes was not removed and if a threat to sue the district by Haynes’ daughter prevails.

Dehmer’s decision does not end the case but instead orders it to continue at the state’s Office of Administrative Law, which reviews contested cases for state agencies and issues initial decisions, with additional hearings as needed to close it.

The school district petitioned to unseat Haynes in December claiming a conflict of interest after her daughter, Akela Haynes, filed a legal claim against Newark Public Schools alleging that she experienced religious, racial, and gender discrimination and other harassment during her time as a Newark School of Global Studies student.

Paul Brubaker, the district’s communications director, did not respond to questions on Wednesday about why the district called for the immediate removal of Haynes or if it would continue to argue for the board member’s removal.

Before Dehmer’s Tuesday decision, state Administrative Law Judge William J. Courtney had also denied the district’s petition earlier this month. In his decision, Courtney wrote that “there is no reason why” Haynes can’t abstain “from participation in any such discussion or board action” on the claim filed by her daughter, Akela Haynes.

Haynes, a six-year board member, and her daughter have been vocal about the racial discrimination students and teachers said they faced at Global Studies. In her claim, Akela Haynes alleges that between September 2020 and December 2022, she “suffered pervasive and consistent” discrimination, sexual harassment, assault, battery, intimidation, bullying, cyber-bullying, emotional distress, and other inappropriate and unlawful treatment.

Earlier this month, Chalkbeat Newark obtained an unreleased draft of a consultant’s report that found students and teachers at Global Studies endured anti-Black racism and religious harassment.

Akela Haynes sent her claim to the district in October and under state law, can file a lawsuit after six months. Two former Global Studies teachers also filed a lawsuit against the district last spring alleging that Global Studies administrators and district leaders created a hostile work environment where they experienced racial discrimination and retaliation, according to that lawsuit, which is ongoing.

The district’s petition to the state, signed by Superintendent Roger León, the district’s attorney Brenda Liss, and school business administrator Valerie Wilson, was discussed by board members in a November 2024 session closed to the public. In its petition, the district argued that Haynes and her daughter are members of the same household and under state law, Haynes “must be immediately removed from her positions as board member because she is directly or indirectly interested in her daughter’s claim.”

But Haynes and her daughter deny they live in the same household, according to Dehmer’s decision this week. Akela Haynes is a freshman student at Clark Atlanta University in Georgia where she lives on campus and intends to live with her cousin in Marietta, Georgia during the summer months, according to the decision. In the legal claim sent to the school district, Akela Haynes listed her mother’s address “for purposes of convenience,” but provided the state with proof that she no longer lives with Haynes in Newark, read Dehmer’s decision.

Dehmer also said the district failed to prove that the board would “suffer greater harm” than Haynes will suffer if the request for her removal was not approved. The district’s school board has not publicly discussed their petition to unseat Haynes or voted on a formal action against Akela Haynes’ claim.

Earlier this month, at a school board retreat, Haynes demanded a public apology from the board because of the “public scrutiny” and “false information given to my board colleagues,” she said. She also said the district is “missing the point” about the allegations of racist harassment at Global Studies and called the boards efforts to remove her “a public lynching of a Black woman.”

“It’s not about the Global Studies report that board members never had access to unless we were under the watchful eye of the general counsel and still do not have access to,” Haynes said, “it’s not about my daughters pending lawsuit, it’s about the students who stood before us who was exhausted after being harmed and ignored.”

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Leaked draft report found anti-Black racism at a Newark high school: Here are 3 things to know

2025-01-13T20:43:50+00:00

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Editor’s note: This story, and a draft report linked to in the story, include references to racist, Islamophobic language and bigoted views that are violent in nature.

The Newark school district has faced controversy over documented claims of racist harassment that occurred at one of its high schools and its fight to block the public from viewing a report, commissioned by the school board, that assessed the fallout.

Chalkbeat began chronicling student complaints of racial bias and religious insensitivity at the Newark School of Global Studies in 2022. Subsequent public outcry prompted the school board in January 2023 to commission a report from Creed Strategies, a consulting firm, to evaluate the school’s culture and provide recommendations that would promote more culturally inclusive dynamics at the school.

Despite continued calls from parents, students, advocates, and school board members to see the findings of the report, district officials have not publicly released it. Instead, Superintendent Roger León has said that the report will remain under review and serve as an internal document, keeping it from public scrutiny. The district previously denied public records requests for the report from Chalkbeat and others, including the Newark Teachers Union.

Read the full analysis of the draft report obtained by Chalkbeat here.

In 2023, the union sued to make the report public. However, the union ultimately settled with the district without the report ever seeing public view.

Chalkbeat has obtained a draft copy of the Creed report, dated May 2023, which is not the most recent iteration of the report. In response to a request for a more recent version, a district spokesman last week did not provide one and said that it was “privileged and confidential.”

Attorneys for the district have argued elsewhere that the report remains a draft document, making it exempt from New Jersey’s open public records law.

Meanwhile, the situation at Global Studies has continued to cause controversy. The school board attempted to oust an elected member whose daughter, a former student at the school, is seeking to sue over her treatment there. A judge recently rejected the board’s bid to unseat that member.

As Chalkbeat continues to report on this story, we want to hear more from Newark School of Global Studies former and current teachers, staff, and students. Reach us at newark.tips@chalkbeat.org.

Here is more background about the situation at Global Studies and brief takeaways from the draft report.

What happened at the Newark School of Global Studies?

In the fall of 2022, a group of Global Studies students spoke out during a Board of Education meeting about the racist and religious harassment they were facing from peers at the school and what they felt was an insufficient response from school staff and administration. The students and their parents demanded attention and a stronger response from district leaders, saying they felt unsafe at the school. Some called for the removal of school principal Nelson Ruiz.

Two Black teachers at the school, who also claimed they were subjected to racial harassment and hostility, resigned from their roles and filed legal claims with the state Division of Civil Rights. They have since sued the district in a lawsuit filed in Superior Court of Essex County that alleges school and district leaders created a hostile work environment where they experienced racial discrimination and retaliation. That lawsuit is ongoing.

For more background, catch up on these related stories:

Racist slurs, parent pleas: Emails reveal long battle to address harassment at Newark’s Global Studies

Battle continues a year after Newark Global Studies’ students first described pattern of racism

The racist bullying at school was unbearable, so I decided to speak out

What is the Creed report?

In January 2023, the Newark school board commissioned Creed Strategies, a consulting firm focused on educational and racial justice and led by Lauren Wells — who previously served as chief education officer for Newark Mayor Ras Baraka — to evaluate the school culture at Global Studies.

The evaluation took months to complete as reviewers conducted classroom observations and extensive interviews with staff, teachers, and students. The firm reviewed a range of metrics, including enrollment, attendance, state test scores, suspension rates, and more.

In the fall of 2023, León shared limited information about the recommendations outlined in the report, withholding from the public further details or findings.

For more, catch up on these related stories:

Report on racial, cultural dynamics at Newark’s Global Studies to remain internal, Superintendent Roger León says

Newark schools must assess effects of ‘anti-Blackness,’ identify cultural gaps, Global Studies report recommends

Major findings from the report: Limited response to racist incidents, patterns of anti-Blackness, need for professional development

The draft report had a number of findings about the culture at Global Studies and the administration’s response:

The report found that the school didn’t act quickly or consistently to address claims of racist, bigoted, and biased incidents, which had been ongoing at the school since its inception in the fall of 2020, when students were learning remotely, according to the draft report.

School leaders’ responses to the alleged incidents ranged from having students do written apologies to suspensions, the draft report stated. The school also took a restorative approach to the alleged racist incidents, but those practices “alone did not create a school culture where Black students and teachers felt psychologically safe and protected from racist incidents and other incidents of biases,” the report detailed.
Since the school opened in the fall of 2020, Latino students have made up the majority of the student body and Black students were less likely to be enrolled, according to the draft report. Black students and teachers also transferred out of Global Studies at disproportionate rates than comparison schools, the draft report found.

“The sharp distinction between being Black and Latino in the racial dynamics of Newark seeps into the school, resulting in the types of racial incidents brought to the public attention.”
Draft report on the Newark School of Global Studies

Through student interviews and observations, reviewers found that some Latino students expressed anti-Black sentiments but would deflect their significance by saying that they’re kidding around or by claiming they identify as Black, according to the draft report.
The superintendent, the report stated, held an assembly for the junior class where, according to the draft report, students said they were told they could leave the school if they felt uncomfortable. The principal also held an assembly, according to interviews cited in the draft report, where he told the entire school “not to use the N-word or they would be suspended,” the draft report stated.
Those interviewed in the draft report noted the school had a “sudden burst of activities around Black History Month” and acknowledged the focus seemed to be “a reactive effort to appease students and quell the tension,” according to the draft report.
School administration failed to identify patterns of anti-Blackness to inform professional development activities, the draft report found. “There was a missed opportunity to address the professional learning needs of instructional staff to be responsive to these issues as a part of student learning,” the report read.

Catherine Carrera is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Newark. Contact Catherine at ccarrera@chalkbeat.org.

Leaked draft: Global Studies unreleased report found students endured anti-Black racism

2025-01-13T20:42:34+00:00

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Editor’s note: This story, and a draft report linked to in the story, include references to racist, Islamophobic language and bigoted views that are violent in nature.

Newark Public Schools leaders failed to “quickly and consistently” respond to racist and bigoted incidents against Black students and teachers at a city school designed to embrace world cultures, according to a draft of a scathing report that district officials have sought to keep private.

A copy of the 39-page draft, obtained by Chalkbeat Newark, details harrowing examples of how Black students and teachers at the Newark School of Global Studies were “subjected to acts of anti-Blackness and anti-Black racism.” The review also highlighted how the school’s response failed to address the problems, and in some cases, magnified racial issues.

The May 2023 draft of the report written by the consulting firm Creed Strategies is the public’s first look into the firm’s review of the cultural, racial, and religious dynamics at Global Studies that pushed some Black students to transfer and teachers to resign. The draft obtained by Chalkbeat is not the latest version of the report. But the district has fought to keep all versions of the report private, nearly two years after Newark school board leaders commissioned it.

Attorneys for the district have argued in court filings that the report is a “predecisional draft document” and therefore exempt from the state’s public records law. If portions of the report were disclosed, “it would have a chilling effect” on the district’s ongoing efforts “to improve dialogue and sensitivity practices” at Global Studies and other schools, according to a court record outlining the district’s opposition to the Newark Teachers Union lawsuit seeking the release of the report.

In 2023, the Newark Teachers Union filed two lawsuits against the district over the release of the report, but the union agreed to settle the lawsuits last fall without its release.

The draft report paints a picture of a campus where Black students and teachers reported being called racial slurs by Latino students, the N-word was commonly used among non-Black students, and where complaints by Black students were often dismissed or minimized by administrators and non-Black staff. A male student was repeatedly called an anti-gay slur in class while a teacher was present, and other students made threats to “take off” and “stomp on” the hijabs of Black and Arab Muslim female teachers, according to the review.

Read takeaways from the draft report here.

Many of the allegations in the draft report have been brought up in public, substantiated in Chalkbeat interviews, and are mentioned in lawsuits against the district. The issues also caught the attention of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who hosted a town hall to discuss unity among Black and brown communities months after students spoke publicly about their experiences.

Former Global Studies teachers filed a lawsuit against the district alleging that school and district leaders created a hostile work environment where they experienced racial discrimination and retaliation, according to the lawsuit filed in Essex County Superior Court last spring. The lawsuit is ongoing.

The former teachers also filed claims with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. The department opened an investigation into the claim on Dec. 21, 2023, and it is ongoing.

Paul Brubaker, the district’s communications director, did not respond to Chalkbeat’s request to provide a copy of the full Global Studies report. Instead, in an emailed response, he reiterated the district’s stance that the report is “privileged and confidential.” Brubaker said the school board “reserves the right to take any and all appropriate action to prevent or redress injury to itself,” district staff, school or students.

Brubaker did not respond to questions about the district’s efforts to fix the problems at the high school, how it changed its policies to address racial problems, and the professional support it has provided teachers with since the incidents at the school surfaced.

Newark Global Studies draft report finds students, teachers subjected to acts of anti-Blackness.

Do you have more information, tips, or insights about the Newark School of Global Studies?You can reach us at newark.tips@chalkbeat.org.

Superintendent Roger León promised to fix the problems

Staff, parents, and students were interviewed by Creed Strategies’ six-member review team about their experiences at the high school and were anonymously quoted throughout the draft report. The research team was made up of professors and education experts with experience in school leadership and representative of the demographics at Global Studies.

In interviews with Creed researchers, Black students described a “sense of betrayal” when their peers and adults used racial slurs, according to the draft report. Most Black students “felt stunned, at a loss for words, or angry” when the incidents occurred, the report read.

When asked by researchers about the reported incidents, some of the staff responded defensively, while others said they did not know about the issues until students spoke publicly in 2022, the review found. Teachers reported that the lack of transparency about the issues at Global Studies limited their ability to understand what was happening and eroded morale, the report read. Other staff said the aftermath of the issues becoming public caused “some upheaval” at Global Studies with “very few” attributing the chaos to the racist incidents Black students and teachers had described in 2022, the draft report stated.

But emails obtained by Chalkbeat revealed that school administrators had known about the issues before they became public, and a parent begged state and district officials for an end to the harassment against her son. School leaders missed an opportunity “to address the professional learning needs” of teachers to be responsive to the incidents and create “culturally responsive” learning, according to the draft.

Some interviewees cited in the report also framed “Black women and girls” as “easily triggered and angry” when discussing the incidents at the school, the review notes. “Instead of focusing on the systemic racism that Black women and girls are speaking up against, there was a sense of defensiveness,” the draft report says. In claims filed by former Global Studies teachers, they alleged they “suffered harassment and racial hostility by students and supervisors” and felt their “worth as a teacher and human being has been diminished.”

Newark school board leaders commissioned the review of Global Studies at the start of 2023 in response to Black students speaking publicly about a pattern of racist harassment on campus. The May 2023 draft provided the district with three recommendations, which were released publicly, and meant to be “proactively implemented” to tackle anti-Blackness and build Global Studies’ understanding of diversity, the draft read.

A mix of Global Studies parents, students, teachers, some board members, and community advocates have been calling on Superintendent Roger León to release the full report on the high school and address the problems. León promised students he would fix the problems at the school but he has not said what changes or efforts have been made at Global Studies, one of the district’s top magnet schools. Deborah Smith Gregory, president of NAACP Newark, is one of the advocates who has called on León to release the Global Studies report but has been ignored, she said during a school board meeting last month.

“It seems that the rule of the superintendent is being sanctioned by the board with little oversight and question,” said Smith Gregory in December.

Despite calls for transparency, the Newark school board last month quietly sent a petition to the state to remove one of its longest-serving members after her daughter filed a legal claim against the district alleging racial harassment and discrimination during her time as a student at Global Studies. A New Jersey judge denied the petition but the state’s commissioner of education will issue a final decision by February.

School leaders did not communicate seriousness of harassment

Students reported racist incidents at the high school since the school opened during remote learning in 2020, while the number of Black students has decreased steadily since then, according to the draft.

According to the draft report, Global Studies’ leaders had a “limited response” to the harassment reported by students and “centered impact rather than intent” of the incidents. Interviews found that some school staff learned about the incidents through their relationships with students and the teachers involved. A “very small group” said “they had no knowledge of the incidents before the students' public comments” in November 2022, the report read.

Staff interviewees also said “the effect of the public reports and media” on the school environment led to “chaos” and “ill feelings,” the draft states. Some suggested that the feelings were “intensified by the lack of clear communication about why students were complaining and leaving the school,” the report read.

“I think that has made some students more like, upset, angry ... Unraveled things a little bit. So that’s like an unfortunate thing that it’s like kind of causing some upheaval,” said one interviewee in the report.

As part of the review, teachers and administrators told researchers about 11 reported incidents. Discipline for those incidents ranged from written apologies and cultural sensitivity training to mediation and suspensions, according to the draft. Of the consequences, 22 students had in-school detention, seven received out-of-school suspensions, seven had a parent conference, six received mediation, four participated in out-of-school counseling, three received after-school detention, and three more had a conflict resolution session, according to the draft.

With one exception, Black adult interviewees expressed their belief that Black students experienced racial harm at the high school, while six out of the seven non-Black, non-Latino adults interviewed said “they believed the students and expressed concern about their well-being,” according to the report.

Some said they were also aware of racist incidents against Black and Asian American teachers in the building, the report found. The former teachers who filed a lawsuit against the district claimed they also suffered “severe emotional problems” leading them to seek “psychological counseling” after experiencing racial harassment at the high school. But nine interviewees also suggested the reports of Black students and media coverage “were exaggerated and wanted to set the record straight,” according to the report.

Others lamented the school’s approaches to addressing the incidents and “lack of communication about them were eroding teacher morale,” according to the draft. One teacher specifically suggested that because of the public scrutiny, “administrators started to backtrack reports stated about one of the formally reported incidents,” the report read.

“I want to say that when I hear these recordings about what people are saying and including the students that are in the school, to me, it feels like they’re talking about another school. Because I do not see that. You know, I have not heard that,” an interviewee told researchers.

Missed opportunity to support staff, teachers at Global Studies

One of the main draws of Global Studies was that it promised students would “develop a global perspective” through second-language immersion, exploration of different cultures and career pathways that emphasized international relations in business and diplomacy.

But the overall environment at the school – and the way it was run – led to administrators “missing the opportunity to represent the diversity of its students’ lived experiences and aspirations within the environment and their learning,” according to the report.

When Global Studies opened its doors in 2021 following remote learning, the school was newly renovated and well maintained with college-related signs throughout hallways. But researchers found that the overall tone of the school lacked “the spirit and vitality typical of a high school,” with much of it resembling an elementary and middle school, according to the report.

Most classroom walls were decorated with word walls and inspirational posters or pictures, the report found. Wall displays “rarely demonstrated” how students grappled with topics like geographical and linguistic diversity and global political institutions, the report found. The main theme of the school, which highlights students as global citizens, was often tied by staff to specific celebrations such as Hispanic Heritage and Black History months and notable figures, according to the report.

Additionally, most teachers lacked previous high school teaching experience, according to the report. Students spent “extended periods of time sitting silently” and had a lack of dialogue in classrooms, the report found.

Early on, the school and district administration had not cultivated an environment that encouraged staff to examine and challenge their assumptions of implicit bias and other forms of racism, according to the report.

When Black students spoke about their experiences of racial harassment, school administrators hosted a staff discussion of a book called “Courageous Conversations About Race,” according to the report. But staff members weren’t clear about why they were attending the discussions and told Creed researchers the conversations felt “surface-level” and “lacked transparency and support, and limited their capacity to understand and address the issues” that were happening, the report read.

“There was a missed opportunity to address the professional learning needs of instructional staff to be responsive to these issues as a part of student learning,” the report said.

Response did more damage, leading to transfers, resignations

After Black students spoke out publicly, district leaders held assemblies largely viewed “as insufficient and ineffective” by others, according to the report.

During the 2022-23 school year, Global Studies principal Nelson Ruiz held an assembly for the entire school where he told all students not to use the N-word or they would be suspended, according to the report. The school’s zero-tolerance for the N-word was “not only viewed as harming victims, but it also policed the language and speaking practices of Black students,” the report read.

Interviewees also discussed a pizza party for Black students that some students felt “was an attempt to drive their attention away from the issue,” according to the report. During the January 2023 school board meeting, a former Global Studies student said school administrators called members of the Black Student Union “and gave us pizza, candy and even soda,” in what she felt was an attempt to silence students. Ruiz did not respond to calls, a text, or emailed questions from Chalkbeat about his response to the incidents.

León also held an assembly during the 2022-23 school year, specifically for the junior class, where students were told, “If they don’t feel comfortable [at NSGS], basically they can leave,” a student interviewee said. Students interpreted León’s comment as “If you don’t like it, you can leave,” according to the report. Student interviewees also felt as if school staff were not facilitating their transfer requests because of a lack of communication between León and the school, while others said it was because the school “did not want to lose high-achieving Black students,” the draft report stated.

Those findings echo what students had told Newark school board members. During the January 2023 board meeting, three students said they were being told by guidance counselors that they couldn’t transfer. One student told board members that Leon’s speech “didn’t feel like it had any empathy and it gave very much, ‘if you don’t like it, then go home.” Another student said “a vast amount of students” lined up outside of the guidance counselors’ offices the day after León’s assembly. A third student said guidance counselors told her multiple times that she couldn’t transfer and if she left “how would that make us feel.”

Staff interviewees also said high-performing Black students were the first students to try to transfer out and some considered how that would impact the school’s image, according to the draft report.

The transfer rates of Black students have “significantly increased” each year at Global Studies in comparison to all other student groups, according to data included in the draft report. Black students have been less likely to complete an academic year at the school than their peers at Newark School of Data Science and Information Technology, Newark Fashion and Design, and Newark Vocational, the report stated.

At the end of the 2021-22 school year, six Black students transferred out of Global Studies and in the following school year, another seven Black students had transferred as of March 15, 2023, according to the report. During the 2022-23 school year, three Black female teachers resigned, all from the same department, and two Latino students were transferred out, the report notes.

Throughout the report, researchers also found that the school’s restorative approach to the issues did not adequately address “the persistence or saliency” of racist comments by students. To address the incidents, administrators called for parent conferences and time of reflection with students that led Black students to feel emotionally unsafe about being forced to work with students who used racist language toward them and were allowed to remain in classes, according to the report.

The practices also “created an atmosphere where some Latino students felt they could use racist language toward Black students and teachers without consequence,” the draft reads.

Staff members who were interviewed said they were following district policy and “employing a restorative approach” to discipline students while others acknowledged they had an “educative role” to address the use of racial language by non-Black students, the report found.

One teacher acknowledged that education “on the background of why some of the things [students] say to each other are so hurtful” would be useful.

“I think especially for recent immigrants, they come here, and they hear that kind of dialogue, and they adopt it thinking like they’re gonna be proud and part of American culture and have no background for it, and don’t realize that for them, it’s not appropriate to talk that way,” according to the teacher.

The report recommended the district build school staff’s capacity to identify cultural gaps, create a racially conscious and inclusive environment, foster conversations about race, and assess the effects of anti-Blackness on the school system.

Researchers also noted that “the courage and resilience” of Black students at Global Studies who assumed leadership positions in school organizations, participated in extracurricular activities, and are high achievers demonstrated a level “of social awareness and activism” by challenging racial discrimination.

Their efforts were aligned with the Global Studies theme, the report found.

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

State rejects complaints against Newark board members who failed to seat Thomas Luna

2024-12-11T22:09:13+00:00

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A state commission dismissed ethics complaints against two Newark Board of Education members in connection with the school board’s decision not to swear in a charter school teacher who had been appointed to fill a vacant seat last fall.

The New Jersey School Ethics Commission found insufficient evidence that board President Hasani Council violated the state school ethics act by denying Thomas Luna his oath of office because of his employment as a KIPP charter school teacher and failing to place his swearing-in on an agenda.

The commission also dismissed another complaint that alleged board member Josephine Garcia violated the ethics act because she voted against a motion to swear in Luna to the nine-member governing board.

Both state rulings were made in September.

Council and Garcia did not respond to emailed questions about why Luna was not sworn in last year despite unanimous board approval and why they voted against a motion to seat Luna.

The complaints all stem from confusion around the fall 2023 appointment of Luna, a KIPP Rise Academy teacher and two-time school board candidate. Though the board unanimously voted Luna into a seat vacated by former member Asia Norton in October 2023, it failed to swear him in without explanation during November and December meetings.

Luna and the complainants believe he was kept off the board because of his status as a charter school teacher, even though charter teachers have served in the past and doing so violates no board bylaws.

One of the complainants, Ade’Kamil Kelly, a 2023 school board candidate, said in a call to Chalkbeat on Tuesday that he doesn’t feel the matter is settled and disagrees with the state’s decision. “Tommy should be serving on the board,” he said. In his complaint, Kelly alleges Council went “beyond the actions of policy making” and took away the state’s power to investigate a “perceived conflict of interest.”

“How do you vote for someone unanimously as a group and then double back?” said Kelly, whose complaint, along with Sakinah Ahmad’s, a Newark resident, was consolidated into one case for the state’s review.

Luna’s swearing-in was supposed to take place during the November 2023 board meeting, but it was delayed without an explanation. During that meeting, Council attributed the delay to information the board received from a public records request and a review of School Ethics Commission opinions regarding conflicts of interest for board members.

Thomas Luna is a teacher at KIPP Rise Academy and two-time Newark school board candidate.

Kelly said that if the board voted on Luna before that information came back, “you didn’t do all of your proper due diligence.”

In an email to Chalkbeat last week, Luna said he was unaware of the ethics complaints and was not contacted by state officials during their review process. Luna also said he was never given a full explanation by Newark district leaders as to why he wasn’t seated.

Before the November 2023 school board meeting started, Council and the district’s business administrator Valerie Wilson spoke with Luna and told him they were pausing his swearing-in “because there were questions about my employment,” Luna told Chalkbeat.

“And that’s the last I heard about the matter despite some attempts to get clarification,” Luna added.

At the December 2023 school board meeting, two board members expressed confusion about the delay in seating Luna after member Allison James-Frison introduced a motion to swear him in but was shot down.

The New Jersey Children’s Foundation also raised questions about the move and in January submitted a legal memo to the Newark school board that recommended Luna’s appointment to the board after finding no legal basis for delaying his swearing-in. The memo also noted school board members who have previously served and had ties to the KIPP charter school network.

Former board member Rashied McCreary was a teacher at KIPP Rise Academy when he was elected to the board in 2012. Norton, who was first elected in 2018, was a kindergarten teacher at KIPP Life Academy when she ran for a seat on the school board. She left that position in June 2018, according to her LinkedIn profile. In 2021, Murray-Thomas’s appointment to the board of directors of the KIPP Foundation, a nonprofit that assists KIPP charter schools through training and fundraising, also sparked ethics questions but she continued to serve on the board.

Ahmad and Kelly’s complaints claim that Luna was denied his oath of office by the board president, who “is responsible for placing items on the agenda for the Board to consider, and therefore, violated the Act.”

“When you’re the board president, the council president, you’re CEO, the buck stops at you,” said Kelly in a phone interview, adding that he filed his complaint because he felt an “injustice” was done.

In February and March, Council filed written statements to the state against Ahmad and Kelly’s complaints and called the allegations “frivolous” and said they “failed to allege facts sufficient to establish violations.” Also in February, Garcia filed a written statement to the state that alleged the complaint against her, filed by former KIPP teacher Cara Gagliano Costa, was frivolous.

In her complaint, Costa alleged that Garcia’s vote against the December 2023 motion to swear in Luna “is not a power granted by statute to any board member,” and therefore, a violation of the ethics act.

Claims that the members violated any board policies or procedures for not seating Luna “fall beyond the scope, authority, and jurisdiction of the Commission” and were dismissed by the state, the decisions read. Complainants could have brought their allegations to a court of law to substantiate their claims that members violated board procedures and policies, according to the decisions.

The School Ethics Commission is responsible for enforcing the state’s School Ethics Act.

Kelly said “there could be more information out there that we just don’t have access to right now” and alluded to the board’s lack of transparency about the situation.

Luna, who continues to teach at KIPP Rise, says he is grateful that community members “would take the initiative to seek out actual answers to a very bizarre situation.”

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark must return $33,650 of its state aid for violating use of public funds, monitor finds

2024-11-27T21:05:40+00:00

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Newark Public Schools' “Staff Fun Day” turned out to be a headache for the district, after a state investigation revealed the $44,000 festival violated laws on how school boards can spend taxpayer money.

The New Jersey Department of Education’s investigative unit audited the Newark Board of Education and found it inappropriately spent about $33,650 in state aid when it hosted an outdoor party for central office administrators, staff, and their children in June that included a DJ, four inflatable carnival booths, a rescue squad, and a police officer.

As a consequence, a resolution passed by the school board Tuesday night requires the district to return that aid to state coffers — potentially leaving a hole in the district’s budget, of which more than 82% is funded by state aid.

State laws stipulate that district-sponsored activity must “clearly align with the district’s goals and objectives, particularly in relation to the use of public funds,” states a letter sent to Superintendent Roger León on Oct. 25 from Jamar E. Purnsley, director of the state Office of Fiscal Accountability and Compliance. That division within the state’s education department conducts investigations of school districts, often prompted by an external complaint or by a directive from the education commissioner.

In this case, the investigation was prompted after news articles published in June highlighted the $44,000 price tag for the event, school board secretary and business administrator Valerie Wilson said at the school board meeting on Tuesday.

Held at the Forest Lodge in Warren, a 40-acre wedding venue about 24 miles southwest of Newark, the event was billed as the Central Office Staff Fun Day and took place June 1. The $43,813.90 cost for the event covered, among other features, breakfast and lunch buffets for 275 adults, who are employees of the district’s central office, and their children, approximately 140 of whom were accounted for in the invoice.

Weeks after the event, Board President Hasani Council said at a school board meeting that a “majority” of the children in attendance were students in the district and clarified that no alcoholic beverages were served, even though the invoice included bar service for beer on tap.

Tap INTO Newark was the first to report on the invoice from the venue that the school board approved at its May meeting.

The district argued to the state’s auditors that the event supported its strategic plan’s third priority: “strength-based and responsive culture,” which is to “communicate a shared vision and plan for developing, supporting, and sustaining positive culture and climate” across schools and departments.

The letter from the state’s education department noted that the district “contended that the Fun Day event was intended to promote team building.”

But, while state auditors acknowledged the activities “fostered camaraderie,” it determined the event violated three statutes related to the use of public funds, including provisions that define training events, seminars, and retreats.

Among the activities listed in the “fun day” agenda were team basketball and volleyball, an egg toss competition, free throw contests, corn hole, inflatable axe throwing, a scavenger hunt, limbo competition, and a hula hoop contest, which were all facilitated by the venue’s employees. The 415 guests also had access to a rock wall and bungee activity, arcade games, social media photo booth with prints, and caricature artists.

The auditors identified four critical points in its investigation: a lack of educational or professional development content, an absence of Newark Public Schools’ leadership-led facilitation, a lack of formal sessions to discuss the district’s strategic initiatives, and a lack of alignment with state code that requires specific organizational goals for events funded with taxpayer money.

Board approves refund, but not admission of a violation

In the resolution the board approved on Tuesday, it certified directing a refund back to the state and approved the corrective action plan.

The investigation determined that 76.8% of state aid, or $33,649.07, covered the total event cost. The district is directed to return that amount to the state’s education department, the letter states.

The corrective action plan included a public discussion of the audit findings, which the board engaged in on Tuesday night, and ensuring that future events align with statutory requirements and district goals. The district is also required to post that document on its website, which it did on Wednesday.

Though it approved the requirements outlined in the audit, school board attorney Brenda Liss said that the district still does not admit any violation occurred and disagrees with the finding.

“The OFAC finding is not the be all and end all,” Liss said. “I continue to believe and continue to advise this board that I disagree with that finding. But I also made the recommendation that it is not worth pursuing any further.”

Since the corrective action plan wasn’t onerous, Liss said she advised the board to agree to it without admitting they violated state code.

Board member Crystal Williams asked, “If the state says that there was a violation, does it matter that we don’t admit it or not?” But Liss insisted that the board refrain from admitting any violation.

Wilson, the board secretary and business administrator, said the payment to the state hadn’t been made as of Tuesday night.

The $30,000-plus fine is a fraction of the $1.5 billion district budget. But, in a district that has been historically underfunded with rising expenses as this school year marks the near-end of federal COVID relief funding, the cost could affect students and staff.

When asked how the district will address the hole that will be left in its budget after returning those funds, Communication Director Paul Brubaker said in an email on Wednesday that “the district will make the necessary reallocation of funds to address this matter without compromising the academic program.”

This school year, the district received $1.25 billion in state aid, a record high and the first time the state fulfilled its part on the school funding formula. Still, district leaders earlier this year said the district remained $112 million under its local fair share of property taxes.

The hefty fine didn’t stop the Newark superintendent from expressing gratitude for the state auditor’s office at the board meeting Tuesday night, ahead of the vote to approve the resolution. León said the district would be planning another “fun day” this school year.

“We appreciate the team from OFAC because what they in fact did was provide us with guidance on how we can actually have ‘fun day’ this year — what they would expect on our selection of a number of activities,” León said. “We’re actually thankful to them.”

Catherine Carrera is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Newark. Contact Catherine at ccarrera@chalkbeat.org.

Newark gets federal COVID funding extension for asbestos, lead remediation during AI camera project

2024-09-23T10:00:00+00:00

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A multimillion dollar project to install AI cameras in Newark Public Schools is delayed due to extensive lead stabilization and asbestos abatement that needs to be completed on the city’s aging schools, Chalkbeat has learned.

The district had planned to upgrade its surveillance systems by the start of the school year using federal American Rescue Plan funds, which are set to expire Sept. 30. But the project to install roughly 7,000 AI cameras across all schools is being delayed so the remediation work can be completed as the project progresses, according to a request for a federal extension obtained by Chalkbeat. District leaders also cited delays with vendors who required certified and qualified staff to complete the work and issues in getting buildings empty.

Newark’s school buildings are among the oldest in the state and many have been crumbling for decades. State officials have been slow to address the needs but in 2019, gave Newark $3.9 million to cover asbestos removal from school buildings, the same year data showed elevated levels of lead were found in seven district schools.

When asbestos fibers are inhaled, they could get trapped in the lungs and over time, cause scarring and inflammation that affect breathing and may lead to cancer, the National Cancer Institute says. Similarly, exposure to lead can result in problems such as anemia, kidney and brain damage, and learning disabilities and developmental problems in children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite cleanup over the years, many district buildings continue to require asbestos abatement, lead stabilization, and structural upgrades among other needs.

Newark Public Schools did not respond to questions about asbestos and lead remediation in schools.

The U.S Department of Education has encouraged school districts to spend their COVID relief funds before the deadline this fall but has allowed districts to request an additional 14 months to close out and finalize construction projects, programs, or other work funded by American Rescue Plan dollars, the final and largest of three relief packages approved by Congress. Districts have to explain why they need the extra time and requests to extend funds must be tied to existing contracts for school projects or purchases.

The work to install Newark’s cameras and connect the required cabling districtwide is projected to cost $17.5 million with funding coming from $2.3 million in local funds and the rest through American Rescue Plan dollars, according to the district. Newark has said it needs to update its outdated surveillance system to make schools safer and allow for 24/7 monitoring following two shootings outside schools that left three students injured last school year.

Like many districts, Newark school officials have had to rethink their needs as they face the end of the one-time funding. They no longer require plexiglass shields and masks used at the height of the pandemic but other needs remain.

But it’s too early to gauge the impacts of school districts’ use of relief funds, said Julia Martin, director of policy and government affairs for the Bruman Group, a Washington law firm focused on education.

“School districts are reluctant to spend the money on short-term items because they know they won’t last, and it’s hard for them to spend the money on things like staffing, because when the money runs out, then you have to let that person go,” Martin said.

In total, Newark received $287 million in federal COVID relief funds, less than a quarter of Newark’s $1.5 billion budget this school year. That money was distributed through three relief packages meant to help districts reopen schools and recover from the pandemic. Half of the district’s American Rescue Plan dollars was slated for facilities projects to update its aging buildings, a problem about which school officials have been sounding the alarm for years.

During the pandemic, district leaders were concerned about updating Newark’s ventilation systems in schools to prevent the spread of COVID in classrooms. Although those concerns aren’t as prevalent, Martin says school districts are still focusing on improvements to their buildings to mitigate the long-term effects of the pandemic. In one district, officials used federal funds to fix leaky roofs where mold was growing, a factor that could have exacerbated asthma among students, Martin said. Another school district used COVID funds to renovate its bathrooms after noticing an uptick in students smashing mirrors and fighting in bathrooms post-pandemic, Martin said.

In Newark, district leaders are also faced with helping nearly 40,000 students recover from the negative effects of the pandemic. New Jersey’s youth has faced an unprecedented mental health crisis, a trend on par with students nationally as many struggle with anxiety and depression at levels higher than those pre-pandemic. Last school year, district state test scores went up by 2 percentage points in math and English language arts while only 19% of third graders passed the English assessment, the lowest of any grade in the city for a second year in a row. The challenges point to the ongoing need to help students recover academically from pandemic-era learning disruptions.

“If you just cared about the future of the district, you might say these facilities are going to be around for a long time,” said Marguerite Roza, director of the Edunomics Lab at Georgetown University. “But if you care about the future of the kids that suffered during the pandemic, they’re going to walk out the door with permanent impacts that will never get addressed.”

Newark’s request to extend the funds for its AI camera project was approved in July, allowing the district to cash out almost $17 million by March 2026, roughly 9% of Newark’s $182 million in American Rescue Plan funding. Of that money, roughly $13 million is being used to pay for two vendors to install the AI cameras and respective cabling work, according to purchase orders included in Newark’s request to the state. Another $4 million is tied to expenses for school upgrades, paint jobs, and new furniture that were on back order or delayed due to environmental issues “beyond the district’s control,” according to Newark’s June application to the state.

“How does this decision fit into this bigger agenda to get kids back on track after the pandemic? Because they fell a lot in the pandemic,” said Roza, about the school district’s use of federal COVID relief funds.

The district has used previous COVID relief funds to help pay for items such as air conditioners, Smart Boards, internet access, mental health programs, and professional development for teachers among other things. It also helped expand summer and tutoring programs, which Superintendent Roger León has previously said were the district’s “saving grace” in helping students move forward academically.

According to a national survey by the School Superintendents Association, adding instructional time and addressing mental health needs were the top two priorities for districts across the country followed by purchasing technology and providing students with internet access. The fourth and most common priority was investing in high-dosage tutoring and professional development followed by renovating school facilities to improve learning, air quality, and overall conditions of learning.

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark Public Schools in compliance with special education timelines after years of monitoring

2024-09-13T10:00:00+00:00

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After 12 years of monitoring, Newark Public Schools is now in compliance with federal and state timelines for identifying and evaluating students with disabilities and will no longer be required to provide semi-annual reports showing data in reaching mandated goals.

The district has shown improvements in raising its compliance rate for meeting with parents who request a special education evaluation, evaluating eligible students, and implementing special education services, according to a state monitor. The progress is a result of a 2012 class action settlement agreement in M.A. v. Newark Public Schools, et al., a federal lawsuit that set a 95% compliance goal for the district to raise its historically low rates in evaluating students and delivering services on time.

The progress achieved by the district is a victory for Newark’s parents and children but the state’s monitoring focused solely on complying with federal and state timelines, said Elizabeth Athos, senior educational equity attorney at Education Law Center.

“The case doesn’t necessarily address the quality of the services that kids are getting,” said Athos, who along with a team of attorneys spent a decade in court arguing a lawsuit that resulted in the state’s monitoring under the settlement agreement.

The 2012 settlement agreement stemmed from a 2001 lawsuit filed by a group of six parents represented by the Education Law Center and Gibbons P.C. The case alleged that Newark was violating its “Child Find” duties, a mandate under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act that requires all school districts to identify, locate, and evaluate children with disabilities, regardless of the severity of their disabilities.

Newark Public Schools has seen a dramatic increase in the number of students with disabilities in recent years. This school year, roughly 7,000 students with disabilities are enrolled in district schools and make up less than a quarter of the district’s nearly 40,000 students. This fall, another 11,000 students are English language learners, pointing to the district’s growing need to provide additional support and resources for vulnerable students.

During the first week of school this month, some students with disabilities missed class due to enrollment issues. In previous years, parents of students with disabilities have had trouble securing school services such as transportation and other services required under their child’s Individualized Education Program. The COVID-19 pandemic also affected students with disabilities who were some of the hardest hit by learning disruptions with some requiring makeup services they lost during that time.

Since the monitoring process began in July 2012, the district has been required to issue reports every six months to verify its compliance with state and federal timelines, as part of the settlement agreement approved by the federal district court on Jan. 27, 2012. The agreement tasked the district with achieving 95% compliance with the following two requirements:

Within 20 days of a request for a special education evaluation, the district must meet with parents to determine if a student is eligible for an evaluation, and, if so, obtain parental consent for evaluation; and
Within 90 days of parental consent, the district must conduct a special education evaluation and implement special education and related services for eligible students.

Under state law, the district has to continue to follow those requirements despite the end of the compliance monitoring.

The district started the monitoring process with a 90-day compliance rate of 32% and is now achieving compliance rates above the 95% goal, according to the Education Law Center. The district’s 20-day compliance rate has also risen since July 2012, when it started at 84%. The rate has been consistently at 98% or higher since February 2021, the Education Law Center said.

“While we are pleased with the progress that has been achieved, going forward, the district must broaden its focus to ensuring the quality of its decision-making during the child find and evaluation process,” said class co-counsel Lawrence S. Lustberg, of the Gibbons law firm. “We will not demand that NPS continue its extensive reporting to us, but we intend to watch closely during the next year, to make sure there are no signs of backsliding.”

Diane Janson, the designated special education compliance monitor, and Kim Murray, director of the New Jersey Department of Education’s Office of Special Education, assured Athos and the plaintiffs in the case that the district and Superintendent Roger León had “the support and structure in place to sustain the progress it has made,” according to a press release issued by the Education Law Center.

The district will continue internal monitoring and would reach out to Janson for assistance as “it works to continue improving its special education program,” the press release said.

Newark has also worked to improve its special education program after citations from the New Jersey Department of Education. In 2019, the state cited the district for failing to meet key mandates related to education plans for students with disabilities. In 2022, the state department also found the district had problems with reporting in education plans, notifying parents of meetings, and missing meetings with parents and students with disabilities as part of responsibilities mandated under IDEA. The state ordered the district to take corrective action by November 2022.

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark Public Schools’ $17.5 million AI camera project delayed until the end of the school year

2024-09-06T17:19:30+00:00

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The installation of a new artificially intelligent surveillance system meant to make Newark schools safer has been delayed and won’t be completed until the end of the school year, the district said.

Newark Public Schools had planned to install over 7,000 cameras equipped with AI capabilities — one for every five students — by Aug. 31, before the start of the school year. The district did not provide details about the reasons for the delay but sources close to the project said it was due to challenges in connecting required cabling and wiring through Newark’s aging school buildings.

Newark’s multimillion dollar AI camera project is largely funded by federal COVID relief money through the American Rescue Plan — funding that was set to expire on Sept. 30. The Newark school district received a federal extension to use the funds past the September deadline following project delays, according to Paul Brubaker, the district’s communications director, in an email to Chalkbeat.

The work to install cameras and connect the required cabling districtwide is projected to cost $17.5 million, according to Brubaker. The installation work will take place outside school hours, Brubaker added.

Millennium Communications Group Inc., based in East Hanover, N.J., is responsible for completing the cabling work required to connect and activate cameras to district servers. Millennium declined to comment “because of the sensitive nature of our work,” according to an email to Chalkbeat Newark. The company said it is “not authorized to comment on active projects” and referred all questions to the district.

The work to install over 7,000 cameras in Newark’s school buildings, some of the oldest in the state dating back to the early 1900s, is a massive infrastructure project for the district, where many schools need asbestos removal among other structural upgrades.

In May, the Newark school board first approved a contract up to $12 million for Turn-Key Technologies Inc., based in Sayreville, N.J., to install the AI surveillance system across all schools. The board also approved a separate contract up to $10 million for Millennium to complete the cabling work required to connect and activate cameras to district servers. In 2021, the district allocated $2.4 million in federal COVID money for security cameras, which Superintendent Roger León has said are meant to make schools safer.

But security experts warn that systems with AI capabilities could result in an invasion of privacy or could potentially misidentify items or students if proper safeguards or policies are not in place.

Millennium is a fiber optics and technology company that has encouraged school districts to use American Rescue Plan dollars on security, surveillance, and network infrastructure. Millennium, which beat out two other vendors for the bid, is also an authorized reseller on the New Jersey School Board Association’s Technology & Cybersecurity contract through its partnership with Carahsoft, a government IT solutions company, and the school board association. The contract allows Millennium to supply school districts and member charter schools throughout New Jersey with cybersecurity solutions.

The district’s new surveillance system is an upgrade from its previous cameras. The new setup will use Avigilon cameras, a type of system compatible with Motorola radios used by district school security guards. The integration also expands Newark’s security capabilities by designating personnel to access camera footage, allowing the district to search through footage, hone in on specific incidents, and detect unusual activities throughout the school day.

That system will work with the district’s HALO sensors that can detect vape, gun sounds, and abnormal noise in areas where there are no cameras such as bathrooms, according to Newark’s request for proposals.

Wilson said in May that city police officials would not have access to the system, which includes cameras inside and outside of school buildings and other district locations.

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark appoints district deputy superintendent, hires communications chief after yearslong hiatus

2024-06-25T20:34:47+00:00

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The Newark Board of Education appointed four employees to top leadership roles and hired the former spokesman for Paterson Public Schools and the South-Orange Maplewood school district as the new district communications director for the upcoming school year.

During last week’s Board of Education meeting, members unanimously approved the resolution appointing the five to executive positions following a more than two-hour executive session.

The board appointed Yolonda Severe, the district’s executive director of the office of Early Childhood, as deputy superintendent after her predecessor, Nicole Johnson, retired from the role last June. Jose Fuentes, assistant superintendent, will become the district’s second school business administrator joining Valerie Wilson, who’s held the role since 1996, according to Nancy Deering, the district’s acting communications director since at least 2022.

The latest reshuffling of staff comes as the district heads into another unprecedented year that will focus on managing its $1.5 billion spending plan, renovating school buildings, increasing enrollment, academic recovery efforts, and a pending lawsuit for the release of a report on the cultural dynamics at the Newark School of Global Studies. The reorganization of leaders also comes before the district’s summer announcement of new principals for the next school year.

The other appointments promote school principals Rosa Branco, who heads First Avenue school, and Sylvia Esteves, who leads Park Elementary school, to assistant superintendent of teaching and learning and assistant superintendent of the North Ward school leadership team respectively, Deering said.

Paul Brubaker, who was also a former spokesman for U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez and U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., will replace Deering as director of communications with a salary of $180,000, according to June board documents. Deering will continue her role as the director of board relations.

The appointments, with the exception of Brubaker’s, are effective as of July 1, Deering added. Brubaker is set to begin his role on Aug. 1, he confirmed via email.

During last week’s board meeting, the board also approved the appointment of 65 instructional staff members, including a librarian at Thirteenth Avenue School, a dance teacher at Malcolm X Shabazz High School, four high school physical education teachers, and a new department chair at the Newark School of Fashion and Design, according to June board documents. At the elementary schools, 19 elementary teachers, including two kindergarten teachers, and five pre-K teachers, will start next school year with salaries ranging from $62,000 to $104,100, according to the June board records.

Jermaine Blount was also hired as the director of mentoring services, a new position amid Newark’s ongoing efforts to help students recover academically. He begins the role with a salary of $151,500, June board records show.

Board members also approved the appointment of 32 “hard-to-staff” employees, which include a physics and science teacher and three math teachers. The appointments also staff 14 special education teachers, 10 new bilingual education teachers, and three educators teaching English as a second language as the district expects to welcome more than 18,000 bilingual and students with disabilities this fall, the June board records show. The salaries for those teachers range from $62,000 to $105,010.

The district will modify the salaries of the appointed teachers over the summer to reflect the increased pay scale of $65,000 to $109,100 as listed in the new five-year Newark Teachers Union contract, approved by board members during the June meeting.

In previous years, the district has worked to create teacher-to-leader pipelines and elevate people of color into principal, vice principal, and executive staff positions.

Last week’s school board meeting agenda did not include salaries for the new executive appointments and Deering did not provide the information. State budget records for the 2023-24 school year showed Severe was salaried at $170,280 and Fuentes at $195,246 for that year. Deering, who managed the district’s communications last school year was salaried at $169,879. Wilson, a 27-year veteran of the district, had a salary of $223,131 last school year.

Clarification: June 26, 2024: The story was updated to clarify that Paul Brubaker will begin his role with the district on Aug. 1. An additional paragraph was added to clarify that the teacher salaries listed in this story will be modified over the summer to reflect the new pay range as stipulated in the Newark Teachers Union contract for next school year.

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark Board of Education 2024 election results: Voters pick incumbents backed by mayor

2024-04-17T05:16:00+00:00

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Incumbents Dawn Haynes and Vereliz Santana and their running mates, Helena Vinhas and Kanileah Anderson, appeared headed to victory in Tuesday’s Newark school board election, in which fewer than 2.8% of voters participated, according to preliminary results.

All four candidates are part of the mayoral-backed “Moving Newark Schools Forward” slate, whose candidates have won every school board election since 2016. Santana and Vinhas each received 22% of the vote, according to preliminary results, while Haynes received roughly 20%. Anderson ran unopposed in her bid to complete the rest of her one-year term.

If the leading candidates hold on to win, the nine-member board would be composed entirely of members who ran for election as part of the “Moving Newark Schools Forward” slate.

First-time candidate Debra Salters trailed the four-member slate with 11.3%. Returning candidate Che’ J.T. Colter ran alongside newcomer Muta El-Amin on the “It Takes a Village” slate, a duo of community advocates who each received roughly 3%. Returning candidate Latoya Jackson received 6.3%, while two-time candidates Sheila Montague and Jimmie White garnered 8.3% and 2.7%, respectively.

Voters were choosing three candidates to serve three-year terms on the school board, along with Anderson, who was appointed to the board to fill a vacant seat and running to stay for the rest of her term.

As of 9:34 p.m. on Tuesday, Essex County results showed that out of 163,713 registered voters in Newark, just 4,626 voted in the school board election, which determines who sets policies for New Jersey’s largest school system, and its roughly 40,000 students. The board is also tasked with holding the superintendent accountable and, last month, approved a $1.5 billion budget.

During the day, residents reported low turnout at polling sites across the city’s five wards. Historically, voter turnout for the annual school board election has been low, typically around 3% to 4%. In last year’s election, just over 3% of Newark voters participated.

The Oliver Street Elementary School polling site was quiet at noon on Tues., April 16, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey.

At Oliver Street Elementary School, in the Ironbound section of Newark, few people turned up to vote early in the day. Poll workers at the school said fewer than five people had shown up to vote by 2 p.m.

“I had no idea that was happening,” said parent Patricia Miraflor in Spanish, as she looked at a candidate flyer taped to a pole across the street.

Outside the school, signs that read “vote here” in English and Spanish hung outside a black gate leading people up a ramp and to the entrance of the voting site.

More than 90 churches, senior centers, and schools across the city’s five wards opened their doors at 6 a.m. on Election Day to serve as polling places. Despite being open until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, many sites only saw a slow trickle of voters throughout the day.

Lifelong Newark resident Barbara Howell knows the stakes are high for the school board race but feels disappointed with voter turnout every year. Howell said she mailed in her ballot last week.

“I saw a few of the candidates stop by senior centers but I didn’t really know them or what they’ve done here,” said Howell on Tuesday.

Newark anticipated a new wave of voters this year after the City Council unanimously approved an ordinance to lower the voting age to 16 for school board elections. But those voters will not participate until next year’s election due to state and county delays in getting voter registration machines ready by April.

Candidate signs hang outside Mt. Zion Baptist Church, a polling site on Tuesday in Newark.

In the North Ward, the polling site located in the basement of Roberto Clemente Elementary School saw four voters by 12:45 p.m. A few blocks away, Mount Zion Baptist Church saw 14 voters as of 1 p.m. as poll workers passed the time by knitting, having lunch, and chatting about the day.

“If nobody votes, nobody can complain about what’s wrong with the schools,” Howell added on Tuesday.

Maggie Freeman, who ran for a seat on the school board in 2022, said she was the 10th person to vote at Good Neighbor Baptist Church in the South Ward as of 2:20 p.m. Every year, she wonders why voter turnout is low.

Nonprofit groups such as Project Ready, The Gem Project, and the Newark branch of the NAACP held candidate forums to increase voter turnout this year. Each group has stressed the importance of participating in the election by canvassing, sharing information on social media, and hosting voter events. Project Ready also hired a truck with an LED message board to drive around the city and encourage people to vote.

Sol Salazar was driving that truck down Bergen Street on Election Day.

“People took pictures by the truck, but the goal is to get them to the polls,” said Salazar before she drove up to the North Ward.

At a polling site inside Newark School of Global Studies, only one person had voted by 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Ester Perez, a poll worker for a school in the Central Ward on Tuesday, attended McKinley Elementary School and remembers how hard it was to learn English as a second language when she was a student. Perez remembers her parents and others in the city advocating for more services for bilingual students and hopes today’s parents learn to voice their concerns too.

That starts by “going out to vote,” Perez said.

“I remember way back when I went to school that parents were more involved with education,” Perez said. “It was a big topic for the city back then.”

Irvington also held school board elections Tuesday.

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark 2024 school board election: Meet the candidates

2024-04-11T21:30:08+00:00

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Before this year’s presidential and New Jersey senatorial races, Newark residents will vote in the April school board election on Tuesday.

The city’s 160,000-plus registered voters will head to the polls and see a pool of nine candidates on their ballot vying for three full-term seats and one unopposed incumbent looking to reclaim her seat for a one-year, unexpired term.

Low reading and math test scores, aging facilities, chronic absenteeism, and calls to expand bilingual education services are among the top issues facing the district. In the upcoming year, the board will be tasked with addressing these concerns using its recently approved $1.5 billion budget as federal COVID relief funds are set to expire in September.

How do I vote in the April school board election?

Registered voters can vote in person at their polling place from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on April 16. There are 97 polling locations citywide and they are listed by ward in English and Spanish on the Essex County Board of Elections website.

If you’re a registered voter but don’t want to vote in person or can’t make it, you can vote by mail. Voters were able to apply by mail for a mail-in ballot up until April 9. For those who missed that deadline and still want this option, visit the Essex County Clerk’s Office to apply in person before the cutoff time of 3 p.m. on Monday, the day before the election. The county clerk’s office is located at 495 Dr Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard in Newark.

Be sure to follow the instructions on the ballot to deliver it before polls close on Tuesday to the county elections board, located in the same building as the county clerk. If mailing the ballot, it must be postmarked no later than April 16 and received by the elections board no later than six days after polls close.

The voter registration deadline for this election was March 26. Voters for this election must be at least 18 years old but starting next year, the minimum age to vote in the school board election will be 16 in Newark. To check on voter registration status, visit the state Division of Elections website.

Who’s running?

Nine candidates are running for three three-year terms, including Che’ Colter, Muta El-Amin, Dawn Haynes, Latoya Jackson, Sheila Montague, Debra Salters, Vereliz Santana, Helena Vinhas, and Jimmie White. Kanileah Anderson is running unopposed for a one-year unexpired term.

Anderson and Vinhas were appointed by the board in January to fill seats vacated by former board members.

To better understand each candidate’s views on key issues, Chalkbeat Newark sent all 10 candidates five questions, including two submitted by readers. Nine candidates responded.

Here’s what they said in their own words. Responses were lightly edited for clarity and length. Grammatical errors in candidate responses were not corrected.

Judge to review Global Studies report as part of Newark Teachers Union’s open records lawsuit

2024-01-24T22:25:25+00:00

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Newark Public Schools officials have two weeks to provide a state Superior Court judge with a copy of the report on the cultural dynamics at the Newark School of Global Studies to determine whether it can be released publicly.

The scathing report, which the district has not made public, was commissioned after incidents of racial harassment against Black students and staff at the high school surfaced more than a year ago. The Newark Teachers Union sued the district in November for access to the report after its public-records request was denied.

Judge Mayra Tarantino on Tuesday ordered the district to submit the document by Feb. 6 for the court’s private review. The judge also called for both sides to submit arguments on whether the report should be public record and whether any materials held by Creed Strategies, the consulting firm that compiled the report, are also subject to the Open Public Records Act.

Raymond Baldino, an associate at the Zazzali law firm representing the teachers union said the union requested the court’s private review of the document “rather than accept the district’s claim at face value that the report cannot be made public.”

The next hearing for this case hasn’t been scheduled, Baldino said. The district could appeal the judge’s order, he said, but attorneys have not had any discussions about that or a settlement.

Nancy Deering, the district’s spokesperson, and Craig Novak of the Taylor Law Group, who represents the district on the case, did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday afternoon.

In documents submitted to the court in December, Superintendent Roger León argued that releasing the report would have a “chilling effect” on discussions about racial dialogue and sensitivity practices at Newark School of Global Studies and districtwide.

The new court order comes amid persistent tensions between the community and the district over the lack of solutions and transparency on the issue after incidents of harassment against Black students and staff at the high school first surfaced in late 2022. The issues sparked heavy criticism from the community about the response from school and district leaders, who had known about the problems months before they became public.

The situation resulted in at least half a dozen Black students requesting transfers out of the high school and two Black teachers resigning. The former teachers have also filed legal claims with state and federal offices, alleging they experienced harassment and racial hostility from students and supervisors.

In early 2023, the Newark school board commissioned a report on the cultural, religious, and racial dynamics at Global Studies High School. But later that year, León said the report would not be released publicly despite requests from members and community leaders. The district last fall shared only parts of the report that contained three recommendations for the district.

The union filed a public records request for access to the full report on Sept. 29, 2023, arguing that it has an interest in the release of the report and in knowing of any changes or recommendations to the district’s approach to handling student and staff issues related to “anti-Blackness” or “cultural sensitivity,” ultimately affecting teachers in the district.

The district denied the request, citing a legal exemption that allows some draft documents or advisory documents to be withheld from the public. Other parties, including Chalkbeat Newark, have also requested access to the report.

The recommendations released in the fall called on the district to assess the effects of “anti-Blackness” on the school system, foster conversations about racial issues, build school staff capacity to identify cultural gaps, and create an environment that is racially conscious and inclusive.

The recommendations came as the high school’s vice principal, Hoda Abdelwahab, left the district. She was among those called out by community leaders during board meetings and in legal claims filed by former teachers at the high school for handling the issues poorly.

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark school board votes in Thomas Luna to fill vacant board seat

2023-10-31T20:55:26+00:00

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Board of education leaders in New Jersey’s largest school district voted in a new member, weeks after the former president stepped down and a new one took her place.

Thomas Luna won a unanimous vote at a school board meeting Monday to be the new member of the Newark Board of Education following a vacancy left by former president, Asia Norton, who resigned two weeks after the start of the school year. Luna was chosen out of 10 candidates who submitted applications to the board last month.

“I get to wake up every day and teach the future of the city. And to bring that perspective is something that is really important to me, and I think will benefit everyone in terms of working with this team of board members to do the work for our kids and our families,” said Luna, a teacher at KIPP Rise Academy and two-time school board candidate, during a phone call on Tuesday.

Luna will be sworn in during November’s school board meeting and will serve on the board until April, when school board elections for the new year take place.

His selection is the latest reshuffling of board members after Hasani Council was sworn in as president last month when Norton departed for a role with the Superior Court of New Jersey.

The news comes as board members continue to work on hiring their separate attorney, solidify their goals for the year, and push for the release of a long-awaited review of the cultural climate at Newark School of Global Studies in the wake of reported incidents of racial harassment at the school, among other work.

Following Norton’s departure, the Newark board had 65 days to fill the vacant seat, according to New Jersey law. They solicited nominations from the community and received 10 applications, which they accepted until Sept. 29. The current board interviewed the candidates on Monday and later that evening voted to move forward with Luna, based on the information received during those interviews, said board president Council on Tuesday.

Luna, a seventh and eighth grade math and science teacher for more than 10 years in Newark, said his first order of business is making sure he gets his “personal bearings” about the work the board is doing. He said he is grateful and excited to work with the city’s school board and best serve its students.

Thomas Luna ran for a seat on the Newark Board of Education in April 2022 and 2023.

Previously, Luna ran for a school board seat in April 2022 and 2023 but both times lost to the Moving Newark Schools Forward slate, which has had strong backing from powerful state and local politicians. Chalkbeat Newark interviewed Luna for the 2023 school board voter guide where he said, “the most pressing issue facing Newark schools today is achievement.”

“As a board member, I would work with my fellow board members and the superintendent to establish and fully fund intervention strategies and teams within our schools to provide the academic safety nets our kids need,” said Luna in April.

A first-generation college graduate, Luna received a degree in public administration from Texas State University. As an educator, Luna has said he’s mentored many of his students even after they moved on to high school and college.

As a leader and organizer with Newark for Education Equity and Diversity, a nonprofit, he has helped community members and elected officials pass policy on the state and local levels. He has led and developed various community programs and believes in collective change, Luna said.

The board may also have to fill another vacant position as board member A’Dorian Murray-Thomas runs against Khalil Kettles next week in the Nov. 7 general election for a seat on the Essex County Board of Commissioners, which approves the county budget, among other responsibilities. Murray-Thomas is running as a Democrat and Kettles as an Independent to represent District 2, which includes Newark, Irvington, and Maplewood.

Murray-Thomas’s term on the school board expires in 2025, but she would not be able to simultaneously hold elected positions on the school and commissioner boards. If she wins, there would be another vacancy on the board in January.

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark school board votes in Hasani Council as president

2023-09-27T02:46:47+00:00

Board members in New Jersey’s largest school district voted in a new board president to succeed Asia Norton, who stepped down last week.

Hasani Council won a unanimous vote at a meeting Tuesday to be the new leader of the Newark Board of Education, as Norton leaves for a new role with the Superior Court of New Jersey.

“We are here for one purpose, and that is to serve and make sure we keep students at the center of every decision that we make,” Council said on Tuesday after thanking his board colleagues for their support.

Norton’s resignation and Council’s elevation leave a vacant seat on the board, just days before members will meet to plan their goals for the year, which include hiring a board attorney.

The board has 65 days to fill the vacant seat, according to New Jersey law. The board is accepting nominations for the role, and those interested must submit a letter of intent and resume to the Newark Board of Education by 4 p.m. on Sept. 29.

Hasani Council, a board member with longstanding political ties in Newark, will succeed Asia Norton.

Board members Dawn Haynes and Vereliz Santana will remain as vice presidents.

Council, a Newark native and alum of University High School, has longstanding political ties in Newark and currently serves as chief of staff to his father, Patrick Council, who represents the South Ward on the City Council. The younger Council also serves as Democratic district leader in the 36th District of the South Ward.

He formerly worked as a legislative aide to former City Council member John Sharpe James.

“You are the first (Newark Public Schools) student that is assuming this leadership role for our city,” said Superintendent Roger León, a former principal at University High School.

Council joined the board in 2020 after running on the “Moving Newark Schools Forward” slate, a group backed by New Jersey politicians including Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, state Sen. Teresa Ruiz, and members of the Newark City Council.

The eight remaining school board members have been endorsed by the coalition, as has been the case for the past few years.

Board members on Tuesday also expressed their gratitude to Norton, who has served on the board since 2018, when the state returned Newark Public Schools to local control. Norton announced her resignation in a Facebook post Sept. 18. She graduated with a law degree from Rutgers Law School in May.

“It’s not easy being in law school and presiding over a board in the magnitude and the dignity in which she did, and we thank her for her service,” Haynes said Tuesday.

The Newark Board of Education will meet on Thursday, Sept. 28, at Mount Vernon Elementary School for its regular board meeting, and on Saturday, Sept. 30, at the district’s central office for its retreat meeting.

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark school board president resigns two weeks into school year

2023-09-18T23:35:05+00:00

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Newark school board president Asia Norton has resigned from her role on the board, she confirmed to Chalkbeat Newark on Tuesday.

The news comes two weeks after the start of the school year and in the midst of the school board working to hire its own attorney. Her resignation is “effective immediately,” according to her Facebook post.

Norton did not cite a reason for her unexpected resignation but on Tuesday, she told Chalkbeat Newark she “stepped down because I work for the superior court of New Jersey, Essex Vicinage.” She didn’t explain further.

In her Facebook post, Norton wrote: “I am departing from the Board but I am still here tearing down barriers to help our students reach their full potential.”

It is unclear who will fill Norton’s role or take on the duties as board president, which include running school board meetings and addressing questions or uncertainties prior to meetings. Under New Jersey law, the board has 65 days to select Norton’s replacement and post the position publicly. The board must also allow for public comment before an appointment is made.

Currently, board members Dawn Haynes and Vereliz Santana serve as vice presidents.

Norton has been a board member since 2018 and her abrupt departure comes as members continue to deliberate the next steps in their search to hire a board attorney and concerns grow over a “drawn out” hiring process.

During August’s school board business meeting, Norton was at odds with other board members after she suggested bringing in an outside attorney to help them in the search, further delaying the hiring process.

Board members said they would hear from an outside attorney during last week’s special board meeting. But at the meeting, the board went into a two-hour closed session and board members did not disclose what was discussed.

The news also comes after board members raised concerns over the need to secure an attorney before the start of the school year, and the ongoing battle to release a long-awaited review of the cultural climate at Newark School of Global Studies following reported incidents of racial harassment at the school.

“Our children define who they are and control their narratives,” wrote Norton on Facebook. “I have pulled from their strength in tough times because they are the definition of perseverance.”

A third-generation Newark resident and South Ward native, Norton was first elected to the board in 2018 and hails from a family of educators. Before being elected to the board, Norton was a teacher for seven years at North Star Academy, KIPP Life Academy charter school, and Marion P. Thomas charter school. She then transitioned to a role as literacy coach at Elizabeth Public Schools with the Children’s Literacy Initiative, according to her biography on the district’s website.

During her time as a board member, Norton worked on partnerships with the New York Federal Reserve, BridgeYear, and other organizations to expand educational experiences for Newark students. She also advocated for an equity officer position within the district to build programs and support policies that create “an equitable education system for all students,” according to her biography.

She also worked with board and community members to improve the representation of Black and Brown people in the district’s curriculum, her biography read.

Norton received her bachelor’s degree from Simmons College in Boston and a master’s degree in sociology and education from Columbia University Teachers College. She received her law degree from Rutgers Law School in May 2023.

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark Board of Education members choose new president, co-vice presidents

2023-05-15T10:00:00+00:00

Five years after New Jersey’s largest school system returned to local control, newly elected Board of Education members — all part of the “Moving Newark Schools Forward” slate endorsed by state and local politicians — were officially sworn in.

Incumbents Josephine Garcia and Hasani Council were reinstated to their roles and newcomer Allison James-Frison took on her new duties. The board also elected members Asia Norton as new president and Vereliz Santana and Dawn Haynes as co-vice presidents during Thursday’s meeting, where parents, district employees, family members, and community leaders filled the room.

According to Essex County election data posted online, 5,408 people, just over 3% of Newark voters, cast ballots in this year’s school board election.

Voters also passed Newark Public Schools’ $1.3 billion budget, which is earmarked to expand teaching positions and “aggressively” tackle learning loss driven by the pandemic by continuing to support programs such as tutoring, among other items.

“I’m not new to the policies and I’m not new to what education excellence should look like,” said James-Frison, a social worker and nonprofit founder as she addressed the boardroom for the first time.

Newark regained full control of its school system in 2018, ending 25 years of state intervention that seized power from the local community and fundamentally reshaped New Jersey’s largest district. The board is responsible for holding Superintendent Roger León accountable and ensuring the district’s progress after state control.

Newly elected board members will serve a three-year term and must work to address the most pressing issues in Newark schools including, learning loss in the district as well as mental health challenges among young people, chronic absenteeism, and graduation rates. They will also have to address the needs of students with disabilities as autism cases spike across the city and state along with the growing number of English language learners in New Jersey’s largest school district.

“The only way we will continue to make progress and expedite that progress is if we continue to come together and work together,” Norton, the new board president, said Thursday. “Our children are depending on the people in this room.”

Before giving their inaugural speeches, Garcia, Council, and James-Frison took turns calling up family members, friends, and campaign volunteers as they were sworn in by the district’s general counsel, Brenda Liss. They read their oath of office statements noting their requirement to uphold the law and “impartially and justly perform all the duties.”

At the meeting, Council abstained from voting on all three board leadership appointments citing issues with the makeup of the board.

“My abstentions were not against my board colleagues. It was because I believe we should have had a totally reorganized board and the makeup of our leadership needed to look different,” Council added during the meeting.

During the meeting, a member of the public who took issue with Norton’s charter school background as a former teacher at North Star Academy, KIPP NJ, and Marion P. Thomas Charter School, interrupted the meeting as board members read the code of ethics. She paced around the front of the room, shouting as security guards surrounded her and asked her to leave.

Board members also voted to reconfirm seating arrangements so the board’s president could sit next to its two vice presidents. The board’s new leadership includes two Black women and a Latina.

The Newark Board of Education will meet virtually on Saturday, May 20 for its annual retreat board meeting and in person at George Washington Carver Elementary School on Thursday, May 25 for its regular school board meeting.

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark schools chief retracts promise to give teachers two days off, says learning loss too great

2023-05-12T19:10:01+00:00

Newark Superintendent Roger León backpedaled on a promise and rejected the teachers union request to extend the upcoming Memorial Day break by using two extra in-session days that were built into the 2022-23 academic calendar.

School board members, a community member, and Newark Teachers Union President John Abeigon pressed the chief of schools at a board meeting Thursday to follow through on his promise to end the year early if no days are used for emergency closings due to inclement weather.

Abeigon and the others suggested an extended break before or after Memorial Day would suffice if it’s too late in the year to move up the last day of school by two days.

But León didn’t budge.

“The answer to extending it would be no,” he said, pointing to concerns about students’ low performance in reading and math standardized tests and a rise in chronic absenteeism.

He also said that state standardized testing will be ongoing through the end of the month, which would make it “humanly not possible at this time” to take days off before or after Memorial Day on May 29.

The math, reading, and science standardized tests are scheduled for May 1 through May 26, the Friday before Memorial Day, according to the state testing schedule. Makeup dates are scheduled for May 30 to June 2.

Even so, numerous school districts statewide have opted to extend the holiday weekend with unused snow days, including West Orange, Bloomfield, and others in Essex County.

Though New Jersey schools are required to be in session for 180 days to receive state aid, many districts tack on additional days in the annual academic calendar to allow for sudden closures due to inclement weather or other emergencies.

When the additional days aren’t used, many districts will extend holiday weekends, spring breaks, or allow for an early end to the school year.

The Newark Public Schools 2022-23 school calendar has 182 days, two days more than the minimum 180 requirement. The Newark Teachers Union contract also stipulates a maximum of 182 instructional days, though there can be less than that total. With very light snow this past winter — the state saw record-low snow totals — the district didn’t use the extra two days for emergency closures.

‘Accountability is important’

State code permits school boards to determine the dates schools are open in their districts.

Abeigon asked the school board members at the meeting to make a motion to amend the current school calendar to include two extra days off.

No board members took him up on his suggestion, but two pressured León to explain why he backtracked on his word.

At Newark’s annual convocation on Aug. 30, just before the start of the school year, León told district employees that as a show of appreciation for their work, he would end the school year on June 21 instead of June 23 if the extra two days are not used.

“You know how I said you were valued. You saw how I said we were appreciating you. And you saw that we’re doing it not only with our word but through actions, right?” León said at the convocation, according to a video recording that the union posted on its YouTube channel. “If in fact we do not have any weather inclement reasons to close schools, we will actually close school at the 180th day — June 21.”

But as the school year went on, grim test results showed students struggling in math and reading and the chronic absenteeism rate going up.

“If, in fact, the realities today were any different, we would be making obviously different recommendations,” León said on Thursday. “That is not the recommendation that we are moving forward right now.”

In an email to union members on Tuesday, León also said that “maximizing instructional time for all of our students must be our highest priority” and that deducting two days from the academic calendar would “detract” from that priority.

Though learning loss is evident, it’s hard to see how it would be exacerbated by an additional two days off, said Allison James-Frison, the newly elected board member who was sworn in at the board meeting Thursday.

“And accountability is important,” James-Frison said. “The superintendent stated that he would do it and I think he should be held accountable to what he stated months ago.”

Board member Crystal Williams said she agreed with James-Frison and suggested giving staff and students half days if two full days off is not feasible.

“You can’t tell someone you’re going to do something for them and then don’t follow through,” said Denise Cole, a longtime resident and education advocate, during the public comment portion of the meeting. “That’s not leadership.”

Abeigon said the district’s decision to not go through with the extra two days off could have other ramifications.

“This doesn’t help the teacher retention problem one bit because it will discourage teachers from coming to the district and, in some cases, it will be the last straw for some of our teachers who feel they can’t work in a district where they can’t trust the superintendent,” Abeigon said.

Union leaders raised the issue with district officials at three separate meetings since March, said Michael Maillaro, the union’s spokesman.

The Newark Teachers Union also has support from the state chapter of its union to push for the two days off.

“As a way to show appreciation for the jobs they did all year, it would certainly mean a lot to them if the district recognized their efforts by keeping their promise and not have them go to school for the two snow days they didn’t use,” said Donna M. Chiera, the president of AFT-NJ, in an email. “Those two days at the end of June will not have a significant or any impact on student achievement.”

Catherine Carrera is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Newark, covering the city’s K-12 schools with a focus on English language learners. Contact Catherine at ccarrera@chalkbeat.org.

Newark Teachers Union sues district over requests for convocation video, employee bonus pay

2023-03-24T10:30:00+00:00

The Newark Teachers Union is suing the district in an effort to force officials to produce video of this year’s convocation and information on bonus payments made to faculty and staff or prove that the records do not exist.

The teachers union has been advocating since last fall for Newark’s per diem staff — employees who work as needed for the school district — and say they were left out of a $1,000 “Let’s Go to Work” bonus payment given to full-time staff this school year. The district and union have been at odds on why per diems were excluded.

After union leaders filed a request for bonus pay records, the district provided the documents but blacked out the names and payment amounts to eligible employees. Union leaders hope the lawsuit forces the district to release a full list of bonus payouts, with names and amounts, and a video or PowerPoint presentation of this year’s convocation, or to prove that those records do not exist.

“The NTU is interested in researching how the program operates and why some, but not other faculty received the payments,” read the lawsuit filed last month in Superior Court in Essex County.

In an effort to understand the “design and implementation” of the program, the teachers union filed two requests for information about bonus pay records in December and January before filing the lawsuit against the Newark Board of Education in February.

Superintendent Roger León first announced the “Let’s Go to Work” bonus during the annual convocation held at the end of August last year where he thanked staff for their work and their “commitment to excellence during these most unusual times,” according to a district press release. After realizing that per diem employees would be excluded, union members showed up at the December board meeting to protest the exclusion but board president Dawn Haynes argued that the union did not negotiate the payment for per diem employees.

Union leaders disputed the claim, saying it wasn’t a part of their contract negotiations last spring but rather an incentive from León. In an email to Chalkbeat Newark in December, district spokesperson Nancy Deering said the “Let’s Go To Work” payment was a “retention strategy for full-time employees.”

The union and its employees continue to claim that the district’s per diem staff worked during the pandemic and are deserving of the extra pay.

Mike Maillaro, the union’s director of research and communication, filed the first request after the December board meeting for “video of the district-wide convocation from August 30, 2022” and a list of “any and all recipients of ‘Let’s go to work’ grants or payments for the 2022-23 school year with the titles of Chief of Staff, Assistant Superintendents, Special Assistants, Directors, Supervisors, or equivalent titles,” the lawsuit read.

The district responded by saying they did not have a video of the two-hour August convocation and provided an 88-page document of pages that were “almost entirely” blacked-out, except to show the titles of employees who apparently received the pay, according to the lawsuit.

In January, the union filed a second request for records, this time seeking PowerPoint documents, notes, or transcripts of León’s “Let’s Go to Work” presentation at the convocation. The district denied the request and said the records did not exist, the lawsuit alleges.

The Newark Teachers Union has roughly 2,000 per diem classroom aides and teachers who are members. Newark schools were closed from April 2020 until September 2021, prompting concern about returning to in-person learning among parents, students, and teachers who were at risk of being exposed to the virus during that time. The district was forced to shut down schools again as COVID cases surged in December of that year.

The district and teachers union have a scheduled court hearing on April 13.

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Ethics complaints filed against four Newark Board of Education members

2023-02-24T22:57:34+00:00

Four members of the Newark Board of Education face ethics complaints currently before the New Jersey School Ethics Commission, according to details shared during the February school board meeting.

On Thursday, the school board approved four resolutions to pay $285 per hour in attorney’s fees and expenses for four unnamed board members at the center of the complaints.

The district did not release the names of the board members or details about the nature of the complaints during the meeting. The ethics commission has not released the ethics complaints.

Under New Jersey law, the commission cannot publicly release information about a complaint until a public meeting is held to determine probable cause or violation, or until the matter is settled, withdrawn, or dismissed.

During the meeting, board member Hasani Council abstained from voting on all four motions. Board president Dawn Haynes and members A’Dorian Murray-Thomas and Crystal Williams each abstained from one of the four motions.

According to Robert’s Rules, an abstention is neither for or against a matter before the body and can be used by board members who legally cannot vote on a matter due to a conflict of interest.

Council, Haynes, Murray-Thomas, and Williams did not respond to calls and emails from Chalkbeat Newark. The district’s acting communications director, Nancy Deering, did not respond to an email inquiry about the complaints.

Two board members will be represented by Souder, Shabazz & Woolridge law group, and the other two by Janelle Edwards-Stewart and Porzio, Bromberg & Newman PC, according to Thursday’s resolutions approved by the board.

Calvin Souder of Souder, Shabazz & Woolridge law group did not say what board members his firm was representing and refused to comment on the matter before ending the call. Janelle Edwards-Stewart and Porzio, Bromberg & Newman PC law firm did not respond to calls or emails from Chalkbeat Newark.

The votes on the legal fees came after members entered into a roughly hour-long executive session. Brenda Liss, the district’s general counsel, introduced each resolution and noted the state code requiring school districts to pay legal fees for board members facing litigation during the course of their terms.

The district did not say who filed the complaints against the board members.

This is the first time school board leaders face ethics complaints during León’s tenure. The news comes nearly a month after school board members came under fire after reports that León’s contract was automatically renewed.

It also comes two months before school board elections. Council’s board term is up this year but he has not said if he will run for reelection. Haynes’ term ends next year and Murray-Thomas and Williams have terms ending in 2025.

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark school board blocks attempt to stop superintendent’s contract renewal

2023-01-27T04:23:05+00:00

A Newark school board member’s attempt to stop Superintendent Roger León’s contract renewal and to allow public input went nowhere Thursday, following continued questions about transparency of the process.

Board member Crystal Williams, who was elected last year, introduced a motion to issue a letter of nonrenewal to León before Jan. 31 “in order to reassess his contract” and “give the public the opportunity to voice their concerns.” But the motion died for lack of a second by any of the other eight members of the Newark Board of Education.

Williams’ motion was the first challenge by a board member since last week’s revelation that León’s contract was quietly renewed in May 2022. Once that renewal takes effect on July 1, 2023, León’s term will extend to June 30, 2028, according to his contract.

“The voice of the community is paramount,” said Williams as she introduced the motion. “Let’s take their concerns seriously and do this the right way; there’s no reason to go around it.”

Dozens of Newark parents, teachers, students, and advocates filled the room during Thursday’s board of education meeting and raised a range of issues affecting public school students. Current and former students at Newark’s School of Global Studies brought up concerns over patterns of racist harassment at the school, high school teachers shared their worries over the lack of bilingual teachers supporting English language learners, and advocates criticized the board’s handling of the superintendent’s contract renewal.

Newark school leaders have been under fire after reports that León’s contract was automatically renewed due to a clause in his previous contract that said board members needed to alert him by May 15, 2022, if his term wasn’t going to be extended the next year.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, Deborah Gregory Smith, president of the Newark chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, pointed to the community interest in holding the board accountable after it regained full control of the district from the state.

“Since the return to local control, those of us who fought to have it reinstated have not dropped the ball or stopped being involved,” Smith said. “You have not been listening to the community and as a result have not been transparent or accountable for your decision.”

Others like Newark resident Deanna Harrell said they felt compelled to attend Thursday’s meeting because of the concerns over León’s contract renewal.

“I’m not normally here at these meetings, but hearing about things like that made me want to be here at these meetings and I will be here going forward,” Harrell said.

Following Williams’ motion, board member Flohisha Johnson, who was part of the board that approved León’s initial contract in 2018, defended the contract renewal and process.

“I stand behind my superintendent because you know why? I elected him into this office and we appointed him as a board, as a whole, and we don’t have a problem with him,” said Johnson, who was first elected to the board in 2017.

She also read a state law that does not require boards of education to provide public notice or hearings for new contracts, including contracts that replace expired contracts for tenured and non-tenured employees. According to the law, a public notice and public hearing are required only for renegotiations, extensions, amendments, or other alterations to the terms of existing contracts.

John Paff, a longtime advocate for government transparency and a member of the New Jersey Foundation for Open Government, said the state law surrounding superintendent contracts should be amended to ensure the public is aware of contract renewals and decisions.

“This whole problem is nothing but lousy public policy. Nothing like this should be automatically renewed,” Paff said. “The average member of the public is not informed enough and shouldn’t be responsible to be involved enough to pay attention to statutes like this.”

New Jersey state leaders should review the mandates set by law to ensure the public’s protection, he said.

“The Legislature should repeal the statute and change it so that a public hearing provision is included prior to the end of a contract. That’s the only way the public could be protected,” Paff said.

The groundwork for the terms of the automatic renewal was set during a “sparsely attended” public hearing held before a regular school board meeting in 2019, as Chalkbeat Newark reported at the time. After the hearing — which was not advertised online ahead of time —the board extended León’s contract by two extra years and added the renewal clause.

León, a former principal and lifelong Newark resident, did not address the controversy at the meeting or at Saturday’s board retreat. Instead, he addressed questions about his contract during an interview on “Chat Box” that aired on YouTube and NJ PBS on Thursday.

“The fact that people didn’t know is really an important factor and just educating the community and having conversations with them is something that we obviously think is important … and will be doing as we get through the end of the term of this contract and as we begin the next one,” León said when asked about the public scrutiny the district is getting in light of the quiet renewal.

He was hired in 2018 for a three-year contract that extended to June 30, 2021, according to board documents.

“I was part of this board when we gained back local control,” Johnson said during Thursday’s meeting. “I was part of this board when we voted the superintendent in, who I think is doing an awesome job.”

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

NJ isn’t tracking school district compliance with COVID-related law for students with disabilities

2023-01-13T16:33:23+00:00

This story has been updated to include a response from Newark Public Schools.

The New Jersey Department of Education says it is not currently monitoring whether school districts are complying with a state law about services that students with disabilities missed out on during the pandemic, despite claims from advocates that more state supervision is needed.

In early 2022, New Jersey passed a pandemic-related “compensatory education law” that requires school districts to meet with all students who received special education services between March 18, 2020, and Sept. 1, 2021, to determine if they missed services during the pandemic. The law also requires districts to find ways to fill in the gaps for students who did miss out.

But under the law, the state education department is not required to collect data regarding school district compliance, Kathleen Ehling, assistant commissioner for the division of educational services at the department, said in a December letter.

Ehling’s comments came in response to letters from a group of special education advocates and attorneys to the department that urged state leaders for more oversight and intervention, after parents in some districts said they didn’t know their rights under the new law.

The group’s letters detailed how districts asked some parents to sign documents about makeup services without having a discussion about services their children missed during the pandemic. In other situations, districts asked parents to write requests for meetings about the matter. In both cases, districts’ actions violated the state law.

The department will review districts’ compliance during the state’s “collaborative monitoring process,” which is a comprehensive review of federal and state special education programs and regulations later this year, the agency added.

In addition, “A further targeted review will be conducted in 2023 to ensure compliance” with the law, Laura Fredrick, communications director for the state education department, told Chalkbeat Newark in December. Districts not in compliance will have to adopt a corrective action plan, she said.

Under the law, school districts had until Dec. 31 of last year to schedule Individualized Education Program (often known as IEP) meetings, with parents of students with disabilities to discuss academic gaps during the pandemic and makeup services to address learning disruptions.

Even though that deadline for school districts has passed, Elizabeth Athos, a senior educational equity attorney at the Education Law Center, said that “if a district didn’t do anything, obviously that’s not good, but it doesn’t mean the district is off the hook.”

Athos, who’s also a member of the New Jersey Special Education Practitioners advocacy group that spearheaded the letters to the state about the matter, said parents should “still try and get school districts to the table” to discuss makeup services and their children’s academic progress during the pandemic.

If a district did not schedule an IEP meeting or discuss missed services during the pandemic, families can also take matters to the state by filing a complaint or requesting a due process hearing by Sept. 1. However, Athos said that strategy could be daunting for some parents who might have trouble navigating the system.

Special education concerns persist amid COVID

The lack of continuous oversight by the state could aggravate fears about the support for students with disabilities during the pandemic.

In April 2020, a new state rule allowed districts to offer special education services virtually. But around the same time, the state department of education also told school districts that even if they offered virtual services for students with disabilities during the pandemic, makeup services might still be needed when students returned to in-person learning.

Despite the flexibility districts received with respect to students with disabilities, Chalkbeat Newark found that in 2020, some of these students hadn’t received services for more than 10 days, a situation that constitutes a change in a student’s IEP, which in turn requires a meeting.

Newark Public Schools spokesperson Nancy Deering said the district “uses internal staff and external vendors to cover any service that may have been missed and families can contact the CST [child study team] at any time.”

“We continue to hire staff and vendors to provide compensatory services,” Deering added.

Marilyn Mitchell, the district’s director of special education did not respond to Chalkbeat’s requests for comment about Newark’s compliance with the compensatory education law.

Last year, the state issued a corrective action plan for Newark Public Schools after it found that the district failed to meet several of its responsibilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the main federal special education law. The state found that the district missed meetings with parents and students, and discovered flaws in student placements and other problems.

Newark’s problems providing support and services to its students with disabilities predate the pandemic. In 2019, state monitors ordered Newark to implement a corrective action plan after they found the district failed to meet key mandates related to education plans for students with disabilities.

Parents can seek help from the state

In her response last month to the New Jersey Special Education Practitioners, Ehling said the state issued a memo before the Dec. 31 deadline reminding school districts of their obligations for making up special education services.

Makeup services may include additional sessions per week, or services provided beyond the regular school day, such as additional speech therapy sessions or academic instruction.

If a school district denied a student extra support to make up for missed services, or if parents feel more should be done to address the need, they can find help from the state by requesting a due process hearing by Sept. 1, 2023.

Parents who did not get an IEP meeting with their school districts to discuss makeup services can continue to request one with their school districts, or reach out to their county’s special education specialist or the state’s Special Education Ombudsman.

Parents can also request an investigation into their complaint by submitting a form to the state. However, Athos said that parents do not need a lawyer to request help from the state.

“[Parents] can keep pushing, and in theory, the state should assist and make districts do what they’re supposed to do,” Athos added.

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org

Newark Public Schools promised $1K bonus for employees but per diem staff say they were left out

2022-12-22T15:30:59+00:00

At the last Newark board of education meeting of the year, dozens of teachers wore green — a symbol, they said, of bonuses from which they had been excluded.

Some of the teachers who attended Tuesday’s meeting are per diem employees — staffers that work as needed for the school district — who say they were left out of a $1,000 “Let’s Go To Work!” payment given to full-time staff. The Newark Teachers Union says the bonus should include per diem staff who have worked during the pandemic and beyond, but district leaders argue that the union did not negotiate the bonus for them.

“From my understanding that was a negotiation that was supposed to happen with your union rep so we will see what is supposed to happen,” said Board President Dawn Haynes during the December board meeting. “It was not negotiated for the per diem.”

Superintendent Roger León announced the $1,000 “Let’s Go To Work!” payment during a convocation held in September for all district employees as he thanked staff for their “dedication, contributions, courage, and commitment to excellence during these most unusual times,” according to a press release the school district issued following the event.

In an email to Chalkbeat Newark on Wednesday, district spokesperson Nancy Deering said the “Let’s Go To Work!” payment was a “retention strategy for full-time employees.”

“All staff who worked during the pandemic were compensated for their services and we remain extremely appreciative of all that they did during the most difficult of times,” Deering added.

Newark shut down schools from April 2020 until September 2021, when the return to in-person learning prompted concern among parents, students, and teachers who were at risk of being exposed to the coronavirus during that time. Shortly after, the district was forced to shut down schools again as COVID-19 cases surged in December of that year.

Arie Fiekowsky started working as a teacher for Newark in September 2020 when schools were still shut down and virtual learning became the new normal. As a new teacher, Fiekowsky upgraded her home internet to the highest speed to avoid interruptions in her connection, she said at the board meeting. Once schools slowly reopened, she went back to teaching in person but got sick with COVID, she added.

“All this to say, as a young person with little savings that $1,000 was very important to me,” Fiekowsky told board members.

The Newark Teachers Union has roughly 2,000 per diem classroom aides and teachers who are members, said Michael Maillaro, the union’s director of research and communication.

During the convocation, León welcomed 600 new teachers, according to the district. But from May to October of this year, 325 employees resigned, compared to the 268 instructional staffers who quit in 2021 during the same months, according to data from the teachers union. The union also counted 83 retirements between May and October of this year, compared to 74 retirements in 2021 during the same period.

In November, another 41 members resigned, according to union data.

Newark Teachers Union president John Abeigon said the bonuses announced at the beginning of the year “were not part of negotiations when the current union contract reopened last spring.”

“These bonuses come from the superintendent, not from us,” Abeigon said. “Why would the union do that to its own members? Our sole way of raising money is through union dues, and the board wants to say we would neglect our very own members?”

Alina McKnight also spoke during Tuesday’s meeting and said her workload “is just the same as a teacher” and her duties are the same as other teachers. McKnight is a per diem bilingual chemistry high school teacher who was hired in 2021.

“If you could go ahead and look at the policy again of what it is to be a per diem teacher, I would love for you to do that because we definitely need the guidance and assistance,” said McKnight during public comments.

A per diem classroom aide at an elementary school in the district who asked to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation told Chalkbeat Newark that “there are a lot of injustices going on here” and she is afraid to speak out for her rights.

“We’re the ones that live here in Newark and we were the ones working on the frontlines when we were in the middle of a pandemic — we never stopped working,” the classroom aide said. “So why are we being ignored?”

Catherine Carrera is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Newark, covering the city’s K-12 schools with a focus on English language learners. Contact Catherine at ccarrera@chalkbeat.org.

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

NJ advocates urge state to ensure schools address students with disabilities who missed services during COVID

2022-12-07T22:42:05+00:00

Some New Jersey school districts may be violating state law around services that students with disabilities lost during the pandemic, advocates say.

Parents in some districts are being asked to write requests for meetings related to services their child missed during the pandemic or to sign documents about makeup services without having a discussion about their children’s academic gaps during that time period, the advocates say.

This runs counter to a New Jersey law that says school districts must meet with all students who received special education services between March 19, 2020, and Sept. 1, 2021, to determine if a student missed services during the pandemic and find solutions to provide them.

That’s why the New Jersey Special Education Practitioners, or NJSEP, is urging state education leaders for more oversight and intervention to ensure that school districts comply with COVID-related “compensatory education” for students with disabilities before the end of year deadline. The group is made up of more than 100 attorneys and advocates across New Jersey who represent parents, students with disabilities, and the Education Law Center in special education matters.

“I think some state oversight is important in this situation,” said Lisa Hernandez, a member of NJSEP and counsel at Smith Eibeler in Holmdel, who called for more transparency and clarity to help parents.

Parents of students with disabilities in Newark and across the state have a legal right to meet with school leaders to discuss their students’ missed services during the pandemic and ways to address the gaps in education during that time. Under the New Jersey law passed in March, school districts have until Dec. 31 to schedule Individualized Education Program, or IEP, meetings with parents of students with disabilities to discuss the pandemic-related “compensatory education.”

The special education practitioners group first sent a letter to the state’s DOE in late September to express “serious concerns” about districts that have been slow to comply with the new law. The group’s initial letter also asked the state for “detailed information on enforcement of the law,” including whether the state department of education has collected data on compliance, conducted outreach to graduated students, and provided training on the new law to administrative law judges.

Last month the group sent a second letter to the state to push for more involvement and the need to remind school districts of their legal obligations to hold meetings with parents of students with disabilities to discuss services missed due to pandemic school closures.

In April, the state department of education issued guidance informing school districts of their legal obligations under the law but the state has not taken any other measures to ensure school districts are complying or provided additional information to support school districts as they implement the new law.

The state’s department of education did not respond to Chalkbeat Newark’s questions about the group’s letter or state compensatory education oversight at the time of publishing.

Advocates say they are pushing the state to get more involved because some families are unaware of the law or their legal rights as school districts wrongfully impose additional requirements to make IEP meetings happen and discuss missed education during the pandemic.

“Some parents have no idea what’s going on,” Hernandez added. “There’s just a tremendous lack of information coming to families.”

Some parents have agreed to additional services without understanding their rights for compensatory education, Hernandez said.

“They don’t know why all of sudden they are talking about their child’s progress from a year and a half ago or a year ago. They don’t know that,” said Hernandez, who’s consulted with half a dozen parents of students with disabilities about the pandemic related compensatory education. “The point is to discuss the need or potential need for compensatory education.”

Parents can write a request to the district to meet with school officials about makeup services but ultimately, the obligation to set up those meetings before the end of the year falls on the school district even if a parent hasn’t requested it. If a school district denies a student extra services to make up for missed ones or if parents feel more should be done to address the need, New Jersey families can find help from the state by requesting a due process hearing by Sept. 1, 2023.

“Regardless of the conversations that happen by the end of this year, pursuant to the DOE guidance, families still have another nine months to decide if they want to file for due process and mediation to seek additional compensatory services for their kids for this time period,” Hernandez added.

“So, the discussion is not over.”

Compensatory education may include additional sessions per week or services provided beyond the regular school day. In 2020, the state department of education also told school districts that even if they complied with virtual services during the pandemic, make-up services might still be needed when students returned to in-person learning.

Newark Public Schools switched to remote learning in March 2020 due to school closures caused by the pandemic at which time, special education services were allowed to go virtual under a new state rule that year. Despite school districts’ obligations to students with disabilities during the pandemic, Chalkbeat Newark found that in 2020, some Newark students hadn’t received services for more than 10 days, a situation that constitutes a change in placement requiring an IEP meeting.

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Newark school district gives itself high grades on state-required self-evaluation

2022-11-16T16:28:20+00:00

Newark Public Schools gave itself high marks in this year’s self-evaluation required by the New Jersey Department of Education to measure performance, state support, and oversight, if any, over local districts.

The district submitted its performance review on Nov. 15 as part of the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum, or NJQSAC, the monitoring and district self-evaluation system used to assess school districts in five areas: instruction and program, fiscal, governance, operations, and personnel. In 2017, Newark’s evaluation was vital in the state’s decision to initiate local control to the district after it made “significant progress” and satisfied regulatory requirements of the monitoring system, according to the district’s 2017 transition plan for local control.

During the October board of education meeting, board members said they ranked themselves high in each area of the self-evaluation. Superintendent Roger León added that the board’s responsibility is to say “we’ve met 100 points,” meaning the highest level of performance the district can reach based on all five components of the monitoring system.

If the state finds that a school district scores lower than 80 points on its overall performance, it may require the district to create an improvement plan, undergo an in-depth evaluation, or in extreme cases, the department of education may intervene.

“Our job is not to say, oh, it shouldn’t really be less than 100 points,” said León during the Oct. 27 board meeting. “That’s the state’s job. That’s the job of people who don’t want the district to demonstrate greatness.”

This year, NPS is tasked with proving student achievement to the state despite the effects of the pandemic and learning loss suffered during remote learning. Preliminary state test scores show Newark students scored low in math, reading, and science, a national trend among students. The district must also prove its curriculums are in compliance with state standards, taxpayer dollars are being used appropriately, and school policies and procedures are in place, among other things.

NPS was under state control from 1995 to 2017 after a state judge decried “failure on a very large scale” within its schools and “nepotism, cronyism, and the like” among its school board. During that time, the school board operated in an advisory capacity while the state appointed a superintendent for the district.

New Jersey restored the board’s authority in February 2018, but kept it under state monitoring until July 2020 following a two-year transition period. The changes were made under former Gov. Chris Christie’s administration and following a 2007 law that calls for state-operated districts to regain control of areas they “consistently received strong scores on the NJQSAC” accountability scale.

School districts must undergo the state’s performance review at least every three years. Each of the five areas used to evaluate districts are weighted and used to determine if a district is providing a “thorough and efficient education,” according to the NJQSAC user manual. As part of the evaluation process, district’s must submit their own performance review, which is evaluated in three phases, according to the manual.

During last month’s Newark board of education meeting, interim board president Asia Norton and other board members stressed the importance of the evaluation in order to keep Newark Public Schools under local control. Each committee leader on the board also reported the documents submitted to supplement their review in each of the five areas being assessed.

Once the district’s self-evaluation is submitted, the Essex County executive superintendent will verify the information and documentation submitted for Newark’s performance review before it goes to the state commissioner of education for final review and a state performance score.

If the county finds that Newark satisfies 80 to 100% of the “weighted” performance scores in each of the five areas reviewed, it will recommend the district for a “high-performing” designation to the state. If not, the county will detail areas of improvement for the district.

“This work is important as we wish to continue to remain under local control,” Norton said. “Thus for the last several months, committee and district staff have been working diligently so all necessary materials are compiled and provided to NJDOE so the district is able to receive the highest possible points.”

León said the self-evaluation process started in August, when the district assembled a committee to begin gathering information for submission. A draft of Newark’s performance review was completed on Oct. 7 and posted online for the public to review and submit questions.

The state self-evaluation system was established in 2005 to ensure accountability in school districts requiring state intervention.

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.

Former Newark elementary school principals take top roles at Science Park, Vocational

2022-08-12T21:31:01+00:00

Newly appointed principals at Science Park High School and Newark Vocational High School, both named over the summer by the Newark Board of Education, sent out welcome letters to parents this week to announce their arrival and set the stage for the year.

The new arrivals come amid concerns over principal turnover in the district after their first-year predecessors were ousted from their positions. But parents aren’t sure if the reshuffling will help address some of the long-standing issues affecting both high schools.

“I’m just tired of meeting new principals,” said Doug Freeman, whose son is a senior at Newark Vocational. “The first two didn’t have a real opportunity to bring their vision to life.”

Both high schools are set to face more challenges following a year of learning disruptions due to COVID, student mental health, and staff burnout. The departure of the former principals has also sparked questions over the district’s support given to first-year staff.

Additionally, the departure of vice principals and leadership of color raises questions about district officials’ stated goal of elevating people of color to leadership positions, especially men. Both incoming principals are white women who are replacing people of color.

Karisa DeSantis is the new principal at Newark Vocational replacing Lucinda Eason, a former vice principal at two Newark high schools who started in the fall of last year. DeSantis, a former principal at Elliot Street School and vice principal at Rafael Hernandez School of the Performing Arts, will have to address the high schools’ struggle with discipline, violence, and absenteeism, and concerns over racial representation.

“The school used to be a family-friendly environment,” Freeman said. “You barely needed security and there’s security on the outside corners because they keep making these changes.”

Marcus Allen, president of the Parent Teacher Student Organization at Newark Vocational, is concerned about the continuous turnover at the high school. He’s hoping to meet with DeSantis in the coming weeks but fears for his son’s experience in school.

“Now, he doesn’t trust the experience or trust that he will have the experience he was initially promised because there have been so many changes,” Allen said.

Darleen Gearhart takes the principal’s role at Science Park High School replacing Angela Mincy, who left in 2021 to take the helm at Marion P. Thomas Charter School. Gearhart also faces challenges in the highly selective magnet school that has been accused of under-enrolling Black students.

The district, DeSantis, and Gearhart did not respond to requests for comment.

The district plans to spend $35 million to make urgently needed fixes to buildings, including the future site of Newark Vocational High School.

In a letter to parents on Thursday. DeSantis laid out COVID and safety protocols for the year along with the announcement of a new vice principal, Peter Ramos, and a new department chair, Patrick Malpass. She brings 20 years of experience as an educator working in urban districts in New York, Florida, and New Jersey. In July, DeSantis sent out a survey to parents to gauge concerns, pointing to interest in addressing the school’s issues.

On Monday, Gearhart addressed Science Park parents in a letter detailing her plans for the upcoming year. The former Sussex Avenue School principal brings more than 28 years of experience working in Newark Public Schools. She started her career as a math teacher at Weequahic High School, but will face concerns over discipline at Science Park after several fights broke out and multiple bomb threats were reported last year.

Science Park is the third high school in the past year to lose a Black male principal and Gearhart will have to address concerns about diversity and racial representation.

“As your new school principal, I believe it’s important that I understand both your needs as a parent and the aspirations you have for your child,” said Gearhart in a letter to parents this week.

Teacher retention and principal experience are key factors of school stability. Principals who have led their first school for five or more years hire significantly more teachers who stay at the school, according to a study released in May. At a time when many school districts are facing a teacher shortage, principal turnover could cause serious strains on students and educators.

Last month, district officials also approved 13 internal leadership promotions, two outside appointments for vice principal positions, and four resignations of top administrators.

Allen and Freeman are hoping to develop a working relationship with their new principals as they prepare their children for the first day of school next month.

“I want to know now what to expect,” Freeman said. “Morale has been very low.”

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org

Former Newark BOE employee sues district for allegedly allowing hostile work environment

2022-08-02T14:25:39+00:00

The Newark school district is facing a lawsuit from a former employee who claims she was harassed, discriminated against, and intimidated by district upper management, including Superintendent Roger León.

The incidents allegedly took place between September 2019 and throughout 2020 before the employee, Kristen Hunter, was fired in June 2020, according to the lawsuit filed in New Jersey Superior Court at the end of June. The suit claims the harassment started after Hunter, a former sourcing analyst for the board of education, asked her then-boss, Sherelle Spriggs, for a half day off to take her disabled child to school.

After Spriggs denied the request citing a “blackout period,” Hunter took her request to León, who granted the time off, according to the lawsuit. Hunter alleges Spriggs retaliated against her for going to León and “sabotaged” her efforts to attend professional development classes, tampered with her time records to lower her paychecks, and ostracized her from other colleagues.

Newark Board of Education spokesperson Nancy Deering said the district does not comment on pending litigation. The lawsuit also names school business administrator Valerie Wilson, affirmative action officer Keith Barton, and assistant superintendent Yolanda Mendez, along with 20 other unidentified defendants. Spriggs, Wilson, Barton, and Mendez did not respond to requests for comment.

The lawsuit also claims Wilson ignored Spriggs’ behavior and dismissed the evidence Hunter presented her with, including proof Spriggs tampered with payroll records and hindered her efforts to attend professional development classes. Hunter also alleges that leading up to her firing, León sent “sexually explicit text messages” about her to the assistant school business administrator, Krystal Whitlock. According to the lawsuit, Whitlock invited Hunter to dinner where she then proceeded to “ask invasive questions about Hunter’s sexual preferences and intimate activities.”

“Hunter was mortified when she saw that Whitlock was texting León what appeared to be details about their conversation,” reads the lawsuit.

Newark Board of Education employees work at the district building on Broad Street in Newark.

Hunter, whose son is disabled, said she continued to experience harassment from León, including being “publicly shamed” during central office staff meetings for being late to work after her child was having issues with school bus transportation despite her staying late to make up the time, the lawsuit said. León also yelled at Hunter on June 25, 2020, after his decision to have employees bring their kids to work prompted Hunter to raise concerns for parents with children who required additional support for their children. Former colleagues have said that León developed a reputation as “a taskmaster, with flashes of a hot temper.”

Newark school district employees can file formal complaints to its office of affirmative action, led by affirmative action officer Barton. Hunter complained about León’s behavior, which was disregarded by Barton, who handled the complaint, the lawsuit alleges. Mendez took over Hunter’s complaint and proceeded to send Hunter a letter that included Leon and in-house counsel Alexander D’Jamoos, according to the lawsuit. Hunter was terminated shortly after on June 29, 2020.

This isn’t the first time the district has been sued over allegations of harassment.

In 2019, former Newark Public Schools students filed multiple lawsuits that claim school administrators sexually abused them decades ago. In 2020, at the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation into a complaint related to sexual violence in the Newark school district. It is unclear if it is related to the multiple lawsuits filed in 2019 by former students. Additionally, in 2015 the department opened an investigation related to the denial of disability benefits in Newark Public Schools. Details about the investigation were not readily available.

Newark school board candidates talk mental health, learning loss ahead of April 19 election

2022-04-15T13:33:00+00:00

Newark voters will head to the polls April 19 to pick three school board members and decide on the district’s proposed local tax levy for next school year.

Seven candidates are running for the open seats on the nine-member board. Incumbents A’Dorian Murray-Thomas and Daniel Gonzalez are running for reelection with newcomer Crystal D. Williams on a slate supported by political powerhouses, including Mayor Ras Baraka and state Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz, the Senate majority leader. The other candidates are Maggie Freeman, Allison K. James-Frison, Thomas Luna, and Phillip Wilson.

The district’s $1.2 billion spending plan for the 2022-23 school year is largely backed by $1 billion in state aid, an increase of $120 million from this academic year. The spending plan also includes $138.3 million from the local tax levy, the amount raised through Newark property taxes to fund schools. Next year’s tax levy, if approved by voters, would remain the same as the current school year’s levy.

If voters reject the proposed tax levy, the budget is sent to the city council to vote on reductions.

The vote comes as the district receives a historic infusion of federal money. Board members will be making high-stakes decisions about policies to address severe learning loss in the district and a mental health crisis among young people seen throughout the state.

School board members develop district policy and participate with district officials in monthly committee meetings on programs and instruction, personnel and policy, and finance, among other topics. The board also picks the superintendent and holds this official accountable.

Voter turnout at the annual Newark school board race has been low for years, hovering around 3-4% of registered voters. The Essex County Board of Elections posted an updated list of voting sites, which will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday. A sample ballot is also available on the county board website.

Chalkbeat asked each candidate the same seven questions about why voters should consider them for office, the challenges the district faces today, and more. Readers can find the candidates’ answers using the interactive feature below. Responses have been edited lightly for clarity.

‘You can’t keep my kids safe’: How violence shook a Newark high school, despite pleas for help

2022-01-11T15:39:00+00:00

The calls for help started the first week of classes at Malcolm X Shabazz High School.

Week one: The police were called about a fight at the Newark school, police records from this September show. Week two: an assault in progress. Week three: “criminal mischief.” Week four: an alleged sexual assault.

In October, a melee in the cafeteria sent the school into lockdown, according to students and videos. In a separate incident, two students punched and kicked a young woman as she cowered in a hallway, another video shows. In November, a gunman fired at students just after dismissal. Around the same time, a fight outside the school ended with a group of students stomping on a young man, a different video shows.

The vast majority of Shabazz students aren’t involved in the violence or disorder; they just want a safe, stable place to learn. But the chaos still has disrupted their classes, tarnished their school’s reputation, and exacted a psychic toll.

“I didn’t really feel safe,” said Alana Syphus, a ninth grader who transferred out of Shabazz this fall.

Across the country, educators reported a surge in behavior challenges this fall and unprecedented mental health needs as students readjusted to school while still coping with pandemic stress and uncertainty. Nearly 60% of parents in a recent poll called increased bullying and violence in school a major issue, and nearly 80% said they’re concerned about how schools are handling discipline issues.

But while the pandemic fueled such problems, it didn’t create them. During the 2019-20 school year at Shabazz High School, students were attacked in classrooms and the main office, according to interviews and incident reports. They were stabbed with pencils and hit by chairs. Both students and staffers had to seek medical treatment after altercations.

In private messages and at public meetings, parents and employees pleaded with officials to address the chaos at Shabazz. Yet it persisted.

“Innocent kids were getting harmed — inside the building, outside the building,” said Sharma Eagan, whose daughter is a Shabazz senior. “A lot of things were happening.”

The safety challenges are only one component of the crisis at Shabazz. In addition to violence, the school has struggled with instability, low academic achievement, and declining enrollment for many years and under multiple district leaders, according to a review of school data, incident reports, and police records, as well as interviews with more than 40 current and former officials, school employees, parents, and students.

Allowed to fester, the problems have intensified. Today, Shabazz’s enrollment has dwindled to 277 students — a third of what it was a decade ago. Its graduation rate fell to 62% last year, almost 20 percentage points below the district rate, and just 1 in 3 graduates headed to college in fall 2020.

During the 2019-20 school year, Shabazz’s suspension and serious-incident rates were many times higher than the district average, even exceeding rates at similar high schools.

This November, nearly 60% of Shabazz students were chronically absent — more than any other Newark high school.

District policies and a lack of urgent attention have entrenched the school’s troubles. Most notably, Newark’s two-tiered high school system steers the top-performing students into selective schools and young people with the greatest academic and social-emotional needs to comprehensive high schools such as Shabazz. Shabazz enrolls far more students with disabilities and behavior disorders and mid-year arrivals than any selective school serves.

The district superintendent, Roger León, promised to revitalize the city’s troubled high schools. Yet by opening even more selective schools, he may have deepened the hole that schools like Shabazz are struggling to climb out of. And while he was directly warned about the turmoil at Shabazz, even receiving videos of the violence, it continued under his watch.

A district spokesperson said all reported incidents at Shabazz were investigated and addressed, and the new principal who started this school year has taken steps to improve learning and safety at the school.

Across the country, no school has escaped COVID’s grip. Yet schools that struggled prior to the pandemic, often because they serve the neediest students with limited resources, were especially vulnerable to its disruptions.

In Newark, the failure to forcefully intervene at Shabazz and similarly troubled schools meant they were on shaky ground when the pandemic erupted. Because state and district officials allowed Shabazz to sink so low over so many years, it faces a far steeper path to recovery. And now, as the latest surge forces students back to remote learning, any fragile progress has been put on hold.

The pandemic might be the most dire emergency to beset the school — but it’s far from the first.

Brit Harley, who helped a nonprofit run an enrichment program in Shabazz for several years, said that long before COVID, successive superintendents allowed Shabazz to spiral out of control.

“I was always appalled at what seemed like the lack of oversight and care from the district,” she said recently. “Why was there not an SOS? How can this continue?”

In 1914, South Side High School opened in Newark’s South Ward. In 1972, the school was renamed in honor of Malcolm X Shabazz.

The making of Shabazz

Before it became Shabazz, the sprawling South Ward campus was home to South Side High School.

South Side opened in 1914 when Newark was a growing, majority-white industrial city. Within a few decades, the population transformed as waves of Black southerners moved North and racist housing policies drew white families to the suburbs but confined Black families to the inner city.

Between 1920 and 1970, Newark’s population shifted from 96% to 44% white, and from 4% to 54% Black. In 1972, South Side students led a push to rename the school in honor of the slain civil rights leader Malcolm X Shabazz.

South Side and Shabazz produced many accomplished alumni, including former Newark Mayor Sharpe James, former New York City Mayor Ed Koch, Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus, and Grammy Award-winning singer Cissy Houston. The campus also has long boasted an acclaimed marching band and powerhouse football and basketball teams.

Shabazz boasts an acclaimed marching band.

Yet as deindustrialization, white flight, and government disinvestment wreaked havoc on Newark over many decades, Shabazz suffered too. Violence and poverty in the community seeped onto the campus. “It’s getting more and more difficult,” a Shabazz teacher told a reporter in 1993 as the school grappled with gangs and absenteeism.

The state seized control of Newark’s schools two years later, but little changed at Shabazz. In the 2000s, it spent seven consecutive years on the state’s struggling schools list due to poor performance.

In 2010, state observers found students roaming the halls during class and pulling fire alarms. The “adults in the building have lost control,” the observers wrote, calling it “a school in crisis.” Faulting the state-operated district for providing inadequate support, the reviewers recommended shutting down Shabazz and replacing it with small academies.

The state did not close Shabazz. “It would be like tearing down City Hall,” a former district official told Chalkbeat, citing its devoted alumni network. Instead, in 2011, Shabazz got its fourth new principal in as many years: a 27-year-old named Gemar Mills.

“The school was in disarray,” said Mills, who was promoted from vice principal. “Students were running the building however they wanted to.”

Mills and his team made aggressive changes. They cracked down on gang activity and fights. They replaced graffiti with murals. They held weekly pep rallies and posted online videos promoting “the new Shabazz,” symbolized by its feisty bulldog mascot.

“When we first got there, Shabazz was one of the worst schools in the country,” said Altarik White, an alum who joined Mills’ administrative team. “Through our efforts, we were able to bring back that bulldog bite.”

But when Mills left after just four years at the helm to help lead a national nonprofit, Shabazz began to backslide. The school had relied on a charismatic leader to overcome structural challenges that never went away.

The deep-rooted obstacles include pervasive poverty and crime surrounding Shabazz. In 2019, the poverty rate in the school’s ZIP code was five times the statewide average. Last year through Dec. 5, the local police precinct encountered more than 40% of the city’s shooting victims.

In addition, Shabazz and its feeder schools compete for students and funding with Newark’s many charter schools, which are concentrated in the South Ward. But arguably the greatest hindrance is the district’s own enrollment system, which ushers high-achieving students to selective high schools and the neediest students to Shabazz and the other comprehensive high schools.

This school year, about 31% of Shabazz students have disabilities — nearly twice the districtwide rate. Some parents of students with disabilities say district employees steered their children to the school. (The district spokesperson did not respond to that claim.)

“They said we had to go to Shabazz because he has special needs,” said Theresa Pringle, whose son enrolled at the school in 2018. “They guide you where they want to put you.”

In 2018, the most recent year when such data was available, Shabazz enrolled more students with emotional difficulties that affect learning and behavior than did any other district high school. And compared with selective high schools, a disproportionate share of students transfer to Shabazz during the school year, often because they were forced out of other schools due to discipline problems.

“Instead of having an alternative school, it’s been determined that Shabazz will be the school where all the behavior disorder kids will go,” said Donald Massey, a former Shabazz security guard and football coach.

A Shabazz 9th grader, whose name Chalkbeat is withholding, said the concentration of students with behavior challenges can impede on everyone’s learning.

“It creates a whole distraction for the school,” she said, “because now they bang on the doors, they run in the hallways.”

A 2011 study of Chicago schools found that schools serving more students with academic challenges were more likely to struggle with safety and order. In fact, students’ prior academic achievement had a bigger impact on school safety than crime and poverty in the surrounding area, the researchers found.

“We’re making some of these issues more challenging in the way we sort students” into schools, said David Johnson, a senior research analyst at the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research, who co-authored the report.

By sending so many students with academic and behavior challenges to Shabazz, the district created a combustible situation. By 2019, the situation had come to a head.

Chaos before the storm

Newark officials received repeated warnings that Shabazz was in trouble.

Theresa Pringle, whose son attended Shabazz, raised concerns about violence at the school during an August 2019 school board meeting.

In August 2019, Pringle stood up at a school board meeting to call attention to the chaos. The previous school year, Shabazz had reported 62 serious incidents, the majority involving violence. Its rate of incidents was six times the district average. East Side High School, with four times as many students as Shabazz, reported only 38 offenses.

“These incidents are taking place on school grounds during the school day and escalating into the community,” she said, “putting my son’s safety in imminent danger.”

As predicted, the violence resumed as soon as the 2019-20 school year started. On Sept. 12, a brawl broke out between periods, records show. The next morning, three students attacked a young man at a nearby bus stop. The student was rushed to a hospital.

In the following weeks, students fought or were attacked in stairwells, hallways, and locker rooms, according to incident reports and videos. One student flung a laptop at a classmate’s face, sending him to the hospital. On at least two occasions, security guards had to seek medical care, the reports show.

“It was constant fights breaking out,” said Naheim Dixson, who was a senior that school year.

Video screenshots show some of the violent incidents that Shabazz students recorded during the 2019-20 school year.

Students recorded the mayhem. In one video, the principal, wearing a black suit, rushes into a crowd of dozens to break up a fight. In another, a young woman pummels a student on the floor of the main office. In yet another, four young men assault a fifth student in a stairwell. “The incident could be described as extremely violent and predatory in nature,” the incident report reads.

León was aware of the violence. An alarmed Shabazz employee had been texting the Newark superintendent videos of the brutality, which León referenced at a staff meeting, according to an attendee.

On Feb. 5, 2020, the employee sent León a video of a young man entering a classroom, punching a seated student in the face, and chasing him into the hallway.

“I know in the past I’ve sent you multiple videos of the mayhem that’s going on in Shabazz,” the staffer wrote to León, according to a screenshot of the message shared with Chalkbeat. The employee wrote that León previously referred him to an assistant superintendent, whom the employee contacted, yet the violence continued.

“Mr. Leon if something isn’t done soon,” he wrote, “Shabazz will inevitably end up on the 5 o’clock news.”

The warning was eerily prescient. The next day, footage of several Shabazz basketball players attacking their coach appeared on the evening news. The story soon was picked up by the Washington Post, CNN, and Fox News. Newark’s mayor issued a statement and the assistant superintendent met with Shabazz families, but parents and staffers said they didn’t hear from León.

“When the big stuff goes down, he ain’t there,” said Eagan, the Shabazz parent.

León did not respond to questions about the specific steps he took to address the violence at Shabazz.

“Any and all reported incidents regarding Malcolm X Shabazz High School have been investigated, and appropriate action has been taken in response,” district spokesperson Nancy Deering said in a statement.

The disorder weighed on students. Erica Mends, who was in 12th grade that year, recalled students wandering the halls during class and teachers locking classroom doors to prevent intrusions.

“Every single day we go to school, we don’t know what to expect,” she said. “What is going to happen in the hallway? Who is going to say what to who?”

The chaos compounded other issues. Former students remember sitting in half-empty classrooms while their peers skipped school, and long-term substitutes replacing teachers who quit mid-year.

“It was a miserable, unhappy place to work,” said a teacher who left after the 2019-20 school year.

The violent videos were widely viewed, overshadowing students’ many accomplishments.

“Shabazz is filled with smart kids,” said Dixson, who graduated in 2020 and plans to join the military. But they were “outshined because everyone shined a light on the bad things.”

Pringle felt she had to remain vigilant while her son was at Shabazz. She documented 38 visits to the school to raise concerns about safety and other issues.

“Safety has to be addressed,” she said in an interview. “Parents should feel confident that when their children go to school, they won’t get a dreaded call that something has happened to your child.”

The violence at Shabazz continued through March 13, 2020, when a “male student decided to start hitting [a] female student” in the cafeteria, according to the incident report. That evening, the district announced it was shutting down school buildings due to the fast-spreading coronavirus.

The following year and a half of remote learning offered students a reprieve from the violence at Shabazz, even as the pandemic created new hardships.

In spring 2021, more than a year after dozens of documented fights and assaults at Shabazz, León replaced Principal Naseed Gifted, whom he had installed at the school three years earlier.

Superintendent Roger León spoke at a back-to-school event at Shabazz in 2018. In the background is Naseed Gifted, whom León appointed as principal.

That June, the Shabazz employee who had sent León videos of the violence followed up with the superintendent in an email, which Chalkbeat obtained. (The employee, who no longer works for the district, requested anonymity to avoid retaliation.)

In the June 24, 2021 email, he said he had warned León, another official, and school board members about the “mayhem” at Shabazz, but “my concerns [fell] on deaf ears.” Now, he said, he worried what would happen when Shabazz students, who already “had major social and emotional issues prior to the pandemic,” came back to a school with new administrators and staffers.

“Mr. Leon, I’m praying the district has a plan for the students who will be returning to a school that doesn’t remotely reflect the school they left,” he wrote. “I’m praying for these kids.”

A steep climb ahead

Schools nationwide reported a wave of fights and disruptions when in-person learning resumed this fall. The strain was heightened at Shabazz, where students returned to a new principal and a campus known for violence.

“At the beginning of the school year, it was a fight like every day,” said 10th grader Amiyah McClinton.

A current Shabazz employee, who asked to remain anonymous, described witnessing many of the same problems that plagued the school before the pandemic: terrible attendance, frequent fights, and students wandering the halls during class. Remote learning had also exacerbated academic and mental health challenges.

“You come in and want to teach content,” she said, “but you can’t without first putting out a zillion fires.”

Shanaya Thomas, whose two children attend Shabazz, was already worried about the violence when she learned that a man fired a gun outside the school on Nov. 30, narrowly missing two students. The next day, Thomas emailed Superintendent León to ask that he allow her son and daughter to learn from home.

“You can’t keep my kids safe, so why would I send them to school?” she said in an interview. Last month, she notified the district that she’d be homeschooling her children.

Shabazz students say fights were frequent at the beginning of the school year, but things have since calmed down.

Yet despite those persistent challenges, the school has made some progress. Students say they’ve been impressed with the new principal, Atiba Buckman, who previously led a district elementary school. Buckman meets regularly with the newly established student government, rewards students for good grades and attendance, and recently brought some calm to the school, they said.

“There used to be fights every day; now it’s like every other day,” said Imani, a ninth-grader who declined to give her last name. “It’s not perfect, but they’re doing their best.”

Even when the school has seemed in disarray, it still offered opportunities. Members of Shabazz’s Biogeochemistry Team compiled data that was included in a published study; in 2017, one of the student-researchers won a full ride to Harvard. Parents and students praise the school’s cosmetology and engineering programs, its partnerships with local universities, and its vaunted athletic teams and marching band, which recently performed at an event featuring former President Barack Obama.

“A lot of people were telling me, ‘You put him in there, he’s going to fail,’” said Yvonne Davis, whose son, Tariq, is a sophomore who’s in the marching band and on the honor roll. “Tariq proved them wrong; he’s doing really good.”

Yet the school remains in distress. Its enrollment is at an all-time low and its graduation rate, which trails far behind the district average, is lower than it was a decade ago. Only 31% of Shabazz graduates in 2020 entered college that fall. This November, 6 in 10 Shabazz students were chronically absent, an alarming trend that suggests students are falling further behind instead of making up ground lost during the pandemic.

The dire situation at Shabazz and other struggling high schools bears little resemblance to the vision laid out by León, a former selective school principal who became superintendent in 2018. Early in his tenure, he promised to make high school improvement a centerpiece of his agenda.

“We are changing the entire landscape of not only this school system, but of every single high school,” he proclaimed in 2019.

His marquee reform was reinvesting in vocational programs at the comprehensive high schools and recruiting businesses and universities to support their career training.

But he has been less clear about his plan to improve academics at those schools, which continue to lag far behind the selective high schools in every key measure. For example, when New Jersey last gave its annual exams in 2019, 63% of students at the selective Science Park High School were proficient in math, compared with just 3% of students at Shabazz.

At the same time, León has made changes that could hamstring the comprehensive schools. He eliminated a small school for struggling students, and sent them back to the traditional high schools. He opened several new selective high schools, and instituted a new entrance exam that the selective schools can use to admit top-performing students. Meanwhile, Shabazz and the other comprehensive schools must admit all who apply.

“If they don’t get accepted by any other school on their high school application, they get funneled to Shabazz,” said the current Shabazz employee. “Honestly, I think the district is setting up the school to fail.”

Deering, the district spokesperson, said León plans to eventually restore alternative education programs, which previous superintendents phased out. She added that all comprehensive high schools offer honors and Advanced Placement classes. (Only 9% of Shabazz students took AP classes last year, according to district data.)

“Many South Side and Shabazz graduates have gone on to successful careers, major leadership roles, and a rich history with a committed, dedicated, and supportive alumni association,” she said in a statement. “The new leadership at the school has instituted steps to address academics, culture, climate, and students’ social and emotional learning needs.”

Deering declined to provide details about the improvements. Principal Buckman and Newark school board President Dawn Haynes did not respond to multiple emails.

The district’s response to the acute challenges at Shabazz and similar schools remains a work in progress.

At the December school board meeting, members pressed León about concerningly high rates of absenteeism, serious incidents, and suspensions. León cited an ongoing review of the district’s discipline policies and a plan to train students to provide peer-to-peer counseling.

“A lot of really important work needs to happen,” León told the board, “to actually see these numbers on a downward spiral.”

While successive officials promise change, generations of young people encounter similar problems at Shabazz.

Malachi Muhammad graduated from Shabazz in 2016. Today, he’s part of a group that monitors students as they travel to and from school.

Malachi Muhammad, who graduated in 2016, remembers fights at the school and certain classes that offered little more than “babysitting.” It was known “for being a school that you get dumped into,” he said.

Today, Muhammad is a member of the Newark Community Street Team, whose staffers watch over students outside several designated schools, including Shabazz. Each day, the 24-year-old greets Shabazz students as they arrive and leave. He was talking to the two students the day the gunman exited a white car at dismissal and shot at them; Muhammad helped them escape.

Last month, he stood in the shadow of one of the school’s towering brick walls. It once featured a mural of Malcolm X Shabazz holding a page that read, “By any dreams necessary.” The mural was removed during repairs and never replaced.

Muhammad thought about the brilliance contained within those walls. Like young people everywhere, the students at Shabazz are capable of such greatness, he knew, if given the chance.

“A lot of these minds are revolutionary and they want something different,” he said. “But no one’s enabling it.”

‘No evidence’ that NJ takeover of Camden schools improved students’ test scores, report says

2021-05-14T22:07:54+00:00

Standardized test scores for Camden City students have improved in recent years but a study released this week found “no evidence” that state control of the district contributed to the upward trend.

“To justify [state] intervention, there should be clear evidence of performance gains that could not be achieved under local control,” read the report, published Thursday by New Jersey Policy Perspective, a nonpartisan think tank. “That evidence is absent in Camden.”

Former Gov. Chris Christie pursued a state takeover of Camden City School District eight years ago in part to address test scores that were among the lowest in the state.

Camden, a district of about 15,000 students across its public, renaissance and charter schools, was the fourth district ever to be taken over by the state and currently the only one under full state control.

Newark regained local control last summer after 25 years of state intervention and Paterson regained control of its schools in January after 30 years. Jersey City, the first district to be taken over in 1989, is undergoing a transition back to local control.

Since the 2013 takeover, Camden has seen improvements in graduation rates and a reduction in its suspension and drop-out rates, among other breakthroughs, state-appointed Superintendent Katrina McCombs said on Friday.

“I wholeheartedly disagree with the foundational premise of the report,” McCombs said, adding that those achievements were reached because of state support.

Historically, it has taken decades for state-operated districts to return power to the local school board. Under a takeover, the school board becomes an advisory board and a state-appointed superintendent reports directly to the state commissioner of education.

The report’s findings show that test scores began improving in 2007, not only for Camden students but also for comparable school districts including Newark, Paterson, and Jersey City.

“We see a preexisting trend that test scores in Camden started to go into a positive direction and improve at least six years before the takeover happened,” said Michael S. Hayes, an assistant professor at Rutgers–Camden. Hayes, who discussed the findings in a webinar on Thursday, is one of three authors of the report.

“If we look at both Camden City and its comparison groups, they’re all experiencing positive gains in math and reading…which suggests, again, it’s not the state takeover,” Hayes said. “Something’s happening to all low-income school districts.”

One explanation for improved student performance and test scores could be economic recovery and the positive effect that has in a household, Hayes noted.

A 2019 study of student achievement during the Great Recession — between 2007 and 2009 — found that declines in test scores were greater in school districts that served more economically disadvantaged students.

“As the economic recovery is improving household conditions, that may be translating to overall gains in performance for low-income students across the state,” Hayes said.

Students in Camden are predominantly Black and Latino and about 43% of families live below the poverty level, according to the most recent demographic data.

Student test scores are one of the key criteria used to gauge performance and justify state intervention, although previous studies have shown that they’re not useful measures of progress in state-operated districts.

Other measures of success include the graduation rate, which is now at 69% compared to 49% in 2012, and dropout rate, down to 11% from 21% in 2012, according to the district. There have also been 53% fewer suspensions since state intervention began in 2013, according to the district.

Those aspects of the takeover “are indisputably good,” said Julia Sass Rubin, an associate professor at Rutgers University and co-author of the report. But still, she questioned, “these improvements, could they have happened without state takeover?”

McCombs said she believes that state intervention has helped the district with student achievement at a “quicker” rate than it might have without state control.

“When looking at the graduation rate — that is a far cry from where we were prior to state intervention,” she said.

But the positive change in the graduation rate is much more nuanced, said Keith Benson, president of the Camden Education Association. Benson said the district shifted its grading scale after the intervention, which changed the classification of a failing grade from 65 and below to 59 and below.

“If more people are failing because of a certain grading system, then more people are getting retained and more are choosing to drop out,” Benson said. “Simply shifting the grading scale ensured more people pass and a better graduation rate.”

“That had nothing to do with state takeover,” he added. “It had to do with changing the grade scale.”

Even so, Benson said there has been a “net benefit” to a state-operated school district. He said two schools — Veterans Memorial Family School and Rileta Twine Cream Early Childhood Center — were saved from closure because of state intervention.

“Without state takeover, it would have just been a done deal and we wouldn’t have been able to appeal that decision,” Benson said. “We get to have this flicker of hope and that bit of hope matters a lot when it comes to saving a school from closing.”

As Newark schools grapple with coronavirus, board members meet behind closed doors

2020-04-24T22:40:04+00:00

Six weeks after the coronavirus pandemic shuttered Newark school buildings, the district faces urgent challenges around attendance, enrollment, virtual learning, and meal distribution.

But instead of convening a formal meeting this month to publicly discuss those issues, the Newark school board held private sessions with Superintendent Roger León, according to multiple attendees. The closed-door sessions limit transparency and accountability and may violate state rules, advocates and experts said.

The board’s “role is to work with the superintendent and be the liaison between the school district and the community,” said Deborah Smith-Gregory, president of the Newark NAACP. “They need to have a meeting and stop playing.”

Last month, the board voted unanimously to suspend its bylaws and expand León’s authority during the pandemic.

Several board members did host a virtual question-and-answer session with families this week, and León joined a virtual parent meeting earlier this month. And the board had no choice but to cancel a reorganization meeting this month that was supposed to take place after the school board election, which the governor moved to May.

However, the board has not scheduled a new public meeting this month to replace the one that was canceled. Instead, small groups of board members met with León and other district officials on Tuesday in virtual sessions that were not open to the public, attendees said.

Each session lasted about two hours and touched on pressing matters related to the pandemic, according to board members. For instance, León discussed how many staff members have tested positive for the virus, emergency funding the district has received, and the delay in “match letters” that tell families which schools their children will attend this fall, the members said.

Under New Jersey’s Open Public Meetings Act, meetings of the full board must be public, but smaller committees can meet privately to discuss specific matters such as personnel and curriculum. However, the law prohibits school boards or other public entities from convening multiple small-group meetings in order to avoid holding a public meeting of the full board.

The board’s sessions this week, in which three members at a time met with León to discuss general district matters, could potentially run afoul of the public meetings law, said Walter Luers, president of the New Jersey Foundation for Open Government.

“What they can’t do is say, ‘Okay, I’m going to have a meeting with the first three [board members], and then discuss the same issues with the second three, and then the third three. That’s called a chain meeting,” he said. “They’re not supposed to do that.”

Board President Josephine Garcia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

District spokeswoman Nancy Deering said the board’s reorganization meeting was rescheduled for May 19 due to the change in the board election date. She added that León has met with many people during the coronavirus crisis.

“The superintendent has held countless meetings with stakeholders during this pandemic and actually since the start of his administration,” she said in an email, “and that includes sitting in committee meetings with members of the board.”

Board member Tave Padilla said the board’s committees did not meet this month, which eliminated the need for a full board meeting to report out on the committees’ work. He added that León’s private briefings were intended to keep board members informed, not shut out the public.

“I don’t think he would do anything to deceive anybody,” Padilla said. “He’s been nothing but transparent.”

However, the lack of an official board meeting this month has left the public waiting for answers to urgent questions about how students are faring during the pandemic. For instance, how many students are logging into virtual classes? How many students still need laptops in order to learn from home? And how are schools providing services virtually to students with special needs?

Unlike many New Jersey districts, Newark has not released the school closure plan that all districts were required to submit to the state, further limiting the public’s understanding of how Newark is responding to the crisis.

“The community has questions, and I think it’s the board’s responsibility to answer those questions,” said board member Reginald Bledsoe.

Bledsoe also noted that the board can only vote on district policy or spending at official meetings, not small-group sessions like those held this week. It’s crucial that the full board meet in order to fulfill its oversight role and share vital information with the public — especially during a health crisis, he added.

“I think there’s a need for an official meeting,” he said. “There needs to be information given on the record.”

As part of the board’s ongoing “parent engagement tour,” four board members hosted a virtual forum Wednesday that members of the public could watch online. León gave brief remarks, and board members answered questions submitted by the public. They shared useful information, including where students can pick up free meals, the date of the board election, and when assignments for the marking period were due. Nearly 300 people tuned in.

Yolanda Johnson, a Newark parent organizer, said that families have been eager for information sessions like the one Wednesday.

“That’s what they want right there,” said Johnson, who runs the group Parents Educating Parents. However, she does not believe the forum can substitute for an official board meeting, where members of the public are allotted speaking time and officials share important information, such as attendance data.

“We should have had a board meeting this month so we can be updated on post-COVID 19,” she said, referring to the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Denise Cole, a Newark education advocate and former school board candidate, agreed. She said monthly board meetings allow the public to provide feedback on policies and get information, which is especially important during a pandemic.

“Right now, the public doesn’t know what’s going on in our schools because of the lack of transparency,” she said, adding, “We still have the right to speak and have our voices heard.”

Newark prepares take-home assignments for students in case of coronavirus closures

2020-03-13T00:43:00+00:00

If the coronavirus forces Newark schools to close, students will have thick homework packets to keep them busy.

The Newark school district has created 15 days of take-home assignments in each subject for every grade level, according to a district memo and a sample packet obtained by Chalkbeat. The district will give students paper copies of the “school closure packets” and will post electronic versions online, the message said.

As the coronavirus spreads across the United States and New Jersey, which now has 29 apparent cases and one death, districts are rushing to prepare for possible long-term school closures. On Thursday evening, officials in Bergen County said they will close all public schools in the county, which collectively enroll nearly 170,000 students. The county has faced the state’s largest outbreak, with 13 people testing positive for the virus.

Across New Jersey, more than 180 districts held staff trainings this week to review plans for the coronavirus, according to the state education department, and every district must submit its plans for how it will educate students at home if the virus forces prolonged school closures.

To date, no one from Newark has tested positive for the virus and no district schools have had to close. But the district is still required to develop contingency plans, which it shared with school employees during a previously scheduled staff training on Wednesday.

The cover of a work packet for students that Newark created in case schools are forced to close.

Teachers received copies of the district-made work packets, which include assignments in math, reading, science, social studies, art, physical education, and world languages. A second-grade packet viewed by Chalkbeat contained 109 pages filled with activities, readings, writing prompts, and assignments for students to complete using their textbooks.

Teachers were told to review the packets and consider whether any changes are needed, including for students with disabilities, according to the district memo. Principals must approve changes or additions that teachers suggest.

“We believe that teachers are best suited to ensure that the instructional plans are aligned with the students’ needs,” said the memo, which school leaders read to staff members during the training.

While some districts say they will offer online lessons if students cannot come to school, virtual learning poses major challenges for many districts, particularly in low-income and rural communities. Many families lack the necessary technology at home, and districts may not have the infrastructure in place to deliver online instruction.

About 20% of Newark households lack smartphones or computers and a third do not have internet access, according to census data. It’s unclear whether the district will provide laptops and internet hotspots to students who need them.

Other districts, including Jersey City, also plan to send home assignment packets in the event of school closures, as do some charter schools, such as People’s Prep, a Newark high school that cancelled classes this week because of coronavirus concerns. In Jersey City, the district has issued Chromebook laptops to more than 70% of students and has more than 2,000 internet hotspots available that students could use if they have to work from home, the superintendent told the Jersey Journal.

Questions remain about Newark’s school-closure plans, including how Newark will meet the state’s requirement that districts continue to provide special-education services to students with disabilities and daily meals to eligible students if schools must close.

A Newark Public Schools spokeswoman has not responded to questions Chalkbeat has sent over the past week about the district’s coronavirus response.

Beyond a letter that Superintendent Roger León sent to families and district employees on March 5, the district has provided little public information about its response to the virus, which prompted New Jersey to declare a state of emergency this week and cancel all large gatherings.

By contrast, other districts have provided regular updates through emails and robocalls. Paterson Public Schools created a special coronavirus webpage complete with video messages from the superintendent and detailed information about the district’s closure plan.

Behind the scenes, Newark has been taking steps to prepare for the virus, according to the district memo. District officials have been in regular contact with the city and state health departments, and Newark’s health director recently gave presentations to school principals and nurses.

A specially trained team is scheduled to conduct “intense cleaning at all schools on a regular basis,” while school custodians will continue wiping down high-touch surfaces such as doorknobs and handrails, the memo said. The district is also using a special device to coat surfaces with a disinfectant.

Signs that the district is gearing up for the virus, even as learning continues, were evident in schools across Newark this week, said John Abeigon, president of the Newark Teachers Union.

“Everywhere I went, I saw cleaning going on, training going on, teaching going on,” said Abeigon, who said he visited 10 schools this week.

“The plan is to be prepared,” he added. “Right now, that’s all we can do.”

Newark will prep school workers on coronavirus, as N.J. declares state of emergency

2020-03-10T01:08:05+00:00

The Newark school district will train employees this week to take precautions related to the new coronavirus, including what to do in the case of mandatory school closures, the city teachers union said Monday amid rising concerns about the virus.

On Monday evening, Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency, authorizing the education department and other state agencies to take “appropriate steps” to address the health crisis. The move came after state officials announced Monday that five additional people tested positive for the virus, called COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 11.

To date, no one from Newark has tested positive for the virus and no city schools have had to close.

The governor’s emergency declaration will not immediately disrupt schools, Murphy said in a video message, adding that the risk of infection for individuals remains low and that he made the declaration out of an abundance of caution.

“For the overwhelming majority of New Jerseyans, this declaration will have no immediate impact on daily life,” he said, adding that residents can continue to move around freely and go to school or work.

Last week, the state education department ordered districts to create contingency plans in the case of coronavirus-related school closures. A few districts said they would dismiss students early this week or cancel a day of classes so they could work on the plans, which are likely to include online classes.

More than 600 cases of the coronavirus and more than 20 deaths have been reported in the U.S., according to counts by news outlets. In areas with outbreaks, some schools have closed in order to slow the spread of the virus, while a growing number of colleges — including Princeton University in New Jersey — are switching from in-person classes to online ones. Children appear less likely to develop severe symptoms of the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus, but they can still be infected and spread the virus.

Newark Superintendent Roger León said last week that the district has been following city and state health department recommendations and that schools have taken extra health precautions. The measures include nurses giving students lessons on hand washing, and custodians sanitizing high-touch surfaces such as cafeteria tables, desktops, and doorknobs.

The district will share more information with personnel on Wednesday, when students are out of school and employees are to attend a previously scheduled training unrelated to the coronavirus. Custodians, cafeteria workers, and security guards will be trained on health and safety measures, while teachers and other staffers will discuss procedures for school closures, according to the message sent to Newark Teachers Union members.

Newark Teachers Union President John Abeigon, who met with León on Monday, said the district is still developing its coronavirus contingency plan.

Forced school closures would pose a number of challenges that the district must think through, such as how to ensure that students continue to receive free or reduced-priced breakfast and lunch that schools serve each day, Abeigon added. One solution could be to ask local community groups and religious organizations to help deliver the school meals to students’ homes, he said.

“It’s a perfect opportunity for the village to stand up and act like a village,” Abeigon said.

Another consideration is how students would participate in online lessons if they do not have home computers or internet access. Abeigon said the district is reaching out to internet providers to explore options for providing internet access to families who lack it, but that plans have not yet been made.

The union is advising teachers to stay home if they experience any symptoms of an illness, Abeigon said, adding that the district assured him that teachers will not be penalized for medically excused absences. He said it is important for teachers to keep calm, which will also help ease students’ anxiety.

“We’re telling everyone, be calm,” he said. “There’s no cause for panic.”

A district spokeswoman did not immediately respond to questions Monday about the district’s planning. The district has not posted any information on its website apart from a coronavirus fact sheet.

More than a third of Newark students attend charter schools, which are also required to come up with plans to educate students at home should schools need to close due to the coronavirus.

KIPP New Jersey is still finalizing its plan, said a spokeswoman for the charter school network, which educates nearly 4,800 students at its 11 Newark schools. In the meantime, the schools are stepping up their cleaning and hand washing routines and distributing disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer to every classroom, said spokeswoman Jessica Shearer, who added that no cases of the virus have been reported in any of the schools. The network also created a webpage with information about the virus.
“In the unlikely event we need to close school, we are preparing contingency plans and will continue to keep families updated,” said Joanna Belcher, KIPP-Newark’s executive director, in a Mar. 6 letter to families.

Other charter school operators have taken similar precautions, including Marion P. Thomas Charter School, which serves about 1,500 students across three Newark schools. Custodians are ramping up their cleaning of high-touch surfaces, the schools are stocking up on hand sanitizer and cleaning wipes, and sick students or staff members are being sent home, according to a Mar. 6 letter to families.

The BRICK Education Network, or BEN, which oversees Marion P. Thomas and another charter school, is still developing its plan to educate students at home in the event of a closure, the letter said.

“We encourage everyone to contemplate plans for what to do if BEN Schools are closed for cleaning and/or quarantine for several days,” the letter said.

Ikisha Grant, whose son is in the third grade at KIPP Seek Academy, said her family would manage if the school had to temporarily close — they have a home computer with internet and an older daughter who could babysit while Grant is at work. For now, Grant said her family is focusing on things they can control, like good hygiene, while they await updates from the school.

“I’m trying to calm myself down, I’m making sure we clean up and wash our hands,” she said. “It’s just a lot.”

This article answers questions raised by our readers. Share your coronavirus-related questions, concerns, and ideas here, and keep up with our reporting on COVID-19 here.

Newark schools say they are taking coronavirus precautions, as state tells districts to plan for teaching students at home

2020-03-06T03:39:40+00:00

The Newark school district on Thursday afternoon assured families that it is taking precautions to keep students and employees safe amid the nationwide spread of the new coronavirus, just as state officials announced that a second person had tested positive for the virus in New Jersey.

That evening, the state sent a memo ordering every school board to come up with plans to educate students at home should schools need to close for health reasons, such as a coronavirus outbreak. Home instruction can include online classes and will count toward the requirement that students receive 180 school days per year, the memo said.

New Jersey’s first two “presumptive positive” cases of the virus, COVID-19, were discovered this week in Bergen County, just north of Newark, state officials said Thursday, adding that they are waiting for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to confirm the test results. More cases are likely as additional people are tested, though officials added that the overall risk of contracting the virus remains low.

The letter distributed to Newark Public Schools students and employees on Thursday.

In a letter distributed to students and emailed to employees Thursday afternoon, Newark schools chief Roger León said there is no indication of “the presence of the coronavirus in our schools at this time.” The district is nonetheless taking “precautionary actions” to ensure the health and safety of students and staff members, the superintendent said.

District officials have been in contact with the city and state health departments and are following their recommendations, León said. Inside schools, he added, nurses have been reminding students about safety measures they can take, such as washing their hands and properly covering their coughs, and custodians have been sanitizing “high contact surfaces,” which includes cafeteria tables, desktops, and doorknobs.

“If we learn of further developments that directly impact us in Newark, I will reach out to you again,” León said in the letter addressed to the “Newark School Community.”

The letter did not raise the possibility of school closures in the event of a local outbreak of the coronavirus, which causes flu-like symptoms and has infected more than 200 people in 18 states. It also did not say whether classes will be offered online if students cannot come to school.

The state health department has previously advised schools to prepare for the possibility of a local outbreak that could force schools to close. The potential for school closures has raised questions about whether schools would still be forced to meet the 180-school-day requirement.

Schools can meet that requirement by providing students with home instruction, which can include online learning, each day that schools are forced to close for public health reasons, New Jersey’s Education Commissioner Lamont Repollet said in his memo Thursday to districts and charter schools. The closures must be ordered by state or local health departments, Repollet added.

Every school board must submit its plan for home instruction in the event of health-related school closures to the county superintendent, the memo says. The plans should address how students with disabilities will continue to receive their required services and how eligible students will get meals that are normally served in schools.

Whether schools will be able to provide online classes to students on a large scale remains an open question. Even if schools have the necessary technology, many families do not, said Marie Blistan, the president of the New Jersey Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union.

“Not everybody has the internet, not everybody has a computer at home,” Blistan told Chalkbeat on Thursday before the state released its memo. “Those are things we have to think about.”

As fears about the coronavirus escalated last month, some districts began posting public notices explaining the steps they were taking to prepare for any outbreak. Newark officials did not provide such information until Thursday’s letter, which was not available online as of late Thursday.

Lisa Santos, whose son is in third grade at Chancellor Avenue School, said she had been waiting anxiously for information from the district about its plans to keep students safe.

“I haven’t heard anything,” she said Thursday afternoon as she picked up her son from school. “Everybody’s pretty much in the dark.”

NJ officials: Schools should prep for possible coronavirus outbreak, including plans for closures and online learning

2020-03-03T01:57:44+00:00

New Jersey schools should plan for a possible coronavirus outbreak in their communities, the state said Monday, even as officials insisted that the risk of infection remains low.

New Jersey has had no confirmed cases of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus that has led to six U.S. deaths as of Monday. State officials sought to ease mounting anxieties about the virus, which has now been linked to 100 cases in the U.S. and has infected more than 90,000 people worldwide.

Globally, few children have come down with the illness and their cases have tended to be mild, officials said. But the virus is likely to continue spreading, which means schools should have plans ready in case of a local outbreak, according to the state health department’s updated guidance.

Ahead of a possible outbreak, schools should establish procedures to quickly send home sick students, provide staff training on preventative measures, and remind students about respiratory hygiene, such as handwashing and how to cover coughs, according to the state’s recommendations. Schools should also prepare to close, cancel events, and provide home instruction in the case of an outbreak, though there is no present cause to close schools, the guidance document says.

“Schools and businesses should be preparing for ill students and staff,” said Lisa McHugh, who oversees infectious diseases at the state health department, at a press conference Monday with Gov. Phil Murphy and the state’s education and health commissioners. Another official added that districts and colleges should come up with plans to limit mass gatherings and provide online classes, if necessary.

It was unclear Monday whether Newark, the state’s largest school district, has a plan. Last week, the district posted a virus factsheet on its website but did not provide any information about precautions taken by the district or individual schools, unlike other districts that have posted information about their prevention efforts. A Newark Public Schools spokeswoman did not respond to multiple emails last week and Monday inquiring about the district’s outbreak preparation.

Meanwhile, the city health department has shared its coronavirus response plan with Newark’s schools chief “as a guide for responding to an outbreak in the Newark Public Schools,” said Dr. Mark Wade, director of the city Department of Health & Community Wellness, in a statement provided by City Hall. The city’s plan is based on guidance from federal and state agencies.

Wade has been in contact with Superintendent Roger León and gave him a coronavirus guide to send home with students, the statement said. And Wade will speak with school principals at a meeting later this week hosted by León.

In New Jersey, all eight people who have been tested for the coronavirus have been cleared, officials said Monday, adding that an additional person was due to undergo testing. In early February, Murphy convened a coronavirus task force with leaders from multiple agencies, including the education department, that meets weekly to plan and coordinate response efforts.

The state is creating a special committee that will focus on school emergency preparedness, officials said Monday. And the governor plans to call school superintendents and higher education leaders this week to brief them on outbreak preparations.

“We’ve been at this for weeks and we’re prepared, but we’re staying vigilant,” Murphy said at the press conference, adding that the overall risk of contracting the illness remains low for New Jersey residents.

There are currently no vaccines or medications for COVID-19, whose symptoms include fever, coughing, and shortness of breath.

If any New Jersey students become infected, districts may be responsible for continuing to educate them while they recover.

State rules require districts to provide home instruction to students who can’t attend school for certain reasons, such as a medical condition or a suspension. Certified teachers must lead the lessons, which can be conducted in person or through online programs.

As part of its coronavirus response, the state education department is monitoring districts to make sure schools provide off-site education when needed, officials said Monday.

While that approach may work for individual students who become ill, it’s unclear whether districts are prepared to offer online lessons to a large number of students. Already, the state teachers union has raised concerns about reaching students whose families lack home computers or internet access. Newark Teachers Union President John Abeigon said he was not sure Newark was ready to offer online lessons to students if schools have to close because of an outbreak.

“The city has made big strides in terms of providing Wi-Fi connections and things of that nature,” he told Chalkbeat, “but it’s never been tried at that magnitude.”

State Education Commissioner Lamont Repollet did not address those concerns at Monday’s press conference, where he said that schools would continue to educate students remotely in the event of forced closures. But he acknowledged that having to shut down due to an outbreak, rather than a natural disaster, would be a new experience for many schools.

“We normally have that process in place and they have protocols,” Repollet said. “However, this is something different because now the school closure may be of a health concern, rather than Superstorm Sandy.”

Some districts have already begun taking precautions, which they outlined in public notices.

In Montclair, school nurses are giving classroom lessons on how to stop the spread of germs, while any students with high fevers and severe respiratory symptoms will be kept out of school, according to a Feb. 28 letter to the community from the acting superintendent.

In West Orange, schools have identified isolated spots where they can send students with flu-like symptoms until they are taken home, according to a Feb. 27 letter from the superintendent. The district is also making sure that school health offices are stocked with face masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer, the letter says.

On Monday, state officials said the public could help prevent the spread of illnesses such as the flu and potentially the coronavirus by washing their hands, avoiding contact with sick people, and staying home when ill. They also pointed residents to a state website with coronavirus information, and a 24-hour hotline at 1-800-222-1222 where experts can answer questions about the virus.

“We understand that the public is concerned,” said state Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli. “But I want to assure you that we are taking all steps available to protect the residents of New Jersey.”

State: Newark is on track to regain full control of its schools in 2020

2019-12-07T00:00:23+00:00

Newark is poised to regain full control of its schools early next year, formally ending a decades-long state takeover, state officials said this week.

The state restored authority to Newark’s elected school board in 2018 under the condition that it meet the requirements of a two-year transition plan. A newly released progress report says the district has so far “fully implemented” those requirements, according to a presentation Wednesday before the state Board of Education. If the district continues on that course, it will exit state monitoring and complete its return to local control in February.

“They are moving exactly as a model school district should be moving,” N.J. Education Commissioner Lamont Repollet said after the board meeting. He also cited the positive feedback from Newark’s “highly skilled professional,” a state monitor overseeing the transition.

“We are very comfortable and confident that if they continue to work with the highly skilled professional,” Repollet added, “they will get to that point where we will gladly hand over the keys for Newark Public Schools.”

The progress report is the second Newark has received and covers six months that ended on July 31, though the results were not released until this week. It tracks whether Newark is carrying out the activities in the transition plan, such as choosing and evaluating a new superintendent, ensuring that school board members attend training sessions, and submitting a balanced budget.

The district received perfect scores on all the measures, according to the report, which was produced by the Bloustein Local Government Research Center at Rutgers University. The center will issue a final report in January, which the state will consider when deciding whether to finalize Newark’s return to local control.

“We’re extremely excited and are waiting to see those reports about the incredible work that we’ve actually done,” Newark Superintendent Roger León said at a school board meeting last month.

Much of the information in the progress report was supplied by Anzella King-Nelms, a former Newark principal and deputy superintendent chosen by the state to serve as the highly skilled professional. In that role, she has alternated between advisor and monitor — helping Newark adhere to the transition plan while also informing the state of its progress.

King-Nelms also submitted a progress report, which points to several signs that Newark’s transition to local control is proceeding smoothly. For instance, no ethics complaints have been filed against the school board, mandatory teacher evaluations were conducted, and León released a strategic plan for the district, she wrote.

The state seized control of Newark’s schools in 1995, citing dismal test scores and corruption within the school board. The board was placed in an advisory role and lost the power to appoint the district’s superintendent.

After a years-long effort by Newark activists and political leaders to regain local control of the schools, the state restored the board’s authority in February 2018 — but kept it under state monitoring until 2020.

In May 2018, the newly empowered board named León as superintendent, making him Newark’s first locally chosen superintendent in nearly 23 years. At this week’s state board meeting, board member Arcelio Aponte offered praise for León.

“I think he’s an amazing leader,” Aponte said. “I certainly wish him well and continued progress for the district.”

Two other districts — Jersey City and Paterson — are also in the final stages of exiting from state control.

Reporting contributed by John Mooney of NJ Spotlight.

As Newark school district looks 10 years into the future, it’s asking community members for advice

2019-11-19T17:49:28+00:00

Just months after unveiling a one-year plan to begin overhauling the Newark school system, officials are already working on a 10-year plan for the district — and they want the public to weigh in.

In June, the district published a nearly 30-page strategic plan to create a “stronger, wiser, and more efficient” school system. It drew on the ideas of hundreds of stakeholders collected at more than 30 meetings this year.

But that one-year roadmap was intended as a precursor to a more expansive vision: a decade-long district plan slated for release next June. So, with the current plan just getting off the ground, the district is reconvening focus groups to gather input for the next plan, which will stretch from 2020 to 2030.

“Everyone and anyone who is interested in educating children in Newark will definitely want to be part of the authoring of that strategic plan,” Superintendent Roger León said at last month’s school board meeting, adding that the district needs to have “a good pulse on what people believe are the necessary strategies” to improve the school system.

The latest round of brainstorming sessions began last month and will continue through December. Each session is geared toward a different set of stakeholders, including students, parents, partner organizations, and experts in early childhood and special education. The district invited select participants to join each group, but León added that “everyone else is also invited to attend.”

A Newark-based consultancy called Creed Strategies, which oversaw the development of the one-year plan, is hosting the focus groups with help from district officials and external partners.

The student sessions earlier this year and this fall have been co-hosted by Kaleena Berryman, the executive director of the Abbott Leadership Institute, a nonprofit at Rutgers University-Newark that trains students and parents on advocating for school improvements.

Berryman said the one-year plan featured strategies that students had called for, including more career-training opportunities and additional mental-health services in schools.

“The district is definitely listening — you can see the changes happening,” she said. “That’s what’s kept us at the table.”

At a recent session, students were asked to envision themselves in 10 years, then consider what the school system must do to help turn their visions into reality, Berryman said. Students used terms like “transformative,” “well traveled,” and “mentally healthy” to describe their future selves. To that end, they recommended that the district provide internships, study abroad opportunities, robust mental health and wellness services, and “culturally responsive” classroom materials that celebrate students’ diverse backgrounds.

Berryman said she was encouraged to see officials continue to seek feedback from a broad array of stakeholders as they chart a new course for the district.

“When you’re planning to transform a school district, the conversations don’t end, so why would the community engagement?” she said. “Hopefully it will go on for years and years to come.”

As the district works on its 10-year plan, tentatively called “The Next Decade,” the one-year plan known as “Clarity 2020” is in effect this school year. That document includes nearly 170 action items that touch on everything from teacher training to student transportation and building renovations.

Observers will be watching closely for evidence that officials are achieving Clarity 2020’s objectives amid the longer-term planning. León appears mindful of those expectations, writing in the introduction to Clarity 2020 that the district’s “greatest weakness” is failing to enact the “brilliant ideas” that people in the district propose.

León has also faced questions about his decision to create a decade-long strategic plan. Most districts map out goals for three to five years into the future, though a few appear to have made 10-year plans.

“We know that in education during the course of a decade things constantly change,” Newark school board member Reginald Bledsoe told León at last month’s meeting. He asked how León’s plan would be responsive to “the changes in the trends in education during that 10-year period.”

“To forecast 10 years is really a difficult task,” León acknowledged. He said one way the district will address that challenge is by incorporating shorter-term goals and “milestones” into the plan, allowing officials to periodically evaluate their progress and make any necessary course corrections.

Just as important, León said, will be regular check-ins with schools stakeholders such as parents, students, and teachers.

“We know that we are relying on the community to have a say on every aspect of the strategic plan,” León said. “Not only on its creation now, but also as it continues.”

The district calendar lists upcoming focus groups for the 10-year plan. The next session, intended for students, is scheduled for Wednesday.

This article tackles a topic raised during our 2019 Listening Tour. Read more about the Listening Tour here, and see more articles inspired by community input here.

What’s the status of your school’s water? Search lead test results that Newark just released

2019-10-22T22:00:31+00:00

Amid widespread concern about the safety of Newark’s water, school officials made public last week test results showing high lead levels in water sources at 10 district buildings out of 32 tested from August 2018 to June 2019.

The public disclosures follow recent news reports that the district had shut off water sources in several schools this year after finding elevated lead levels but did not post the test results online or notify families. State regulations require districts to publish the results of lead tests within 24 hours of reviewing them, and to inform families and school personnel when lead levels exceed federal thresholds.

“The part that we own is that these results, while they have been occurring, have not been on the web,” Superintendent Roger León said at a school board meeting last week. “The other piece is that any exceedances have not been properly communicated to folks. That stopped today.”

In addition to posting the results online, the district also sent letters to families at schools where elevated lead levels were found, León said.

Exposure to lead can cause serious health problems, including damage to children’s developing brains and nervous systems.

Earlier this month, WNYC/Gothamist and Chalkbeat separately reported on the lead test results, which were obtained through public records requests. The results showed that seven district buildings had one or more water sources with lead levels above 15 parts per billion, which is the federal threshold for taking action. The reports noted that city and district officials insisted the water was safe to drink even as the tests found several school water sources, including drinking fountains, with lead above 15 parts per billion.

The results posted on the district website last week include three additional buildings with elevated lead levels. A district spokesperson did not respond to questions Monday, including why the results provided earlier in response to the public records request appear to have been incomplete.

The buildings with high lead levels in one or more water sources were 13th Avenue, 14th Avenue, Harold Wilson, Ivy Hill, Mount Vernon, Newark Leadership Academy, Park, Peshine Avenue, Ridge Street, and West Side High School.

At three schools — 13th Avenue, 14th Avenue, and Ivy Hill — elevated lead levels were found in water samples taken from one or two drinking fountains. (All the other tested sources at those schools were below the federal lead action level.) The tests were conducted in January at Ivy Hill and in June at the other schools, the results show. In each case, the affected fountains were turned off after the samples were analyzed.

León noted at the board meeting that schools were on summer break when the high lead levels were found in two drinking fountains each at 13th Avenue and 14th Avenue. He did not address whether the affected fountains may have exposed students and staff to high lead levels during the school year.

The water sources with high lead levels at the other seven buildings were not used for drinking, but were located in areas such as kitchens and nurses’ offices. In those cases, filters were installed or signs were posted above sinks saying, “Safe for Handwashing Only.”

Two of those schools — Newark Leadership Academy and Harold Wilson — have been closed for years, but officials plan to reopen both buildings. The district had hoped to relocate a high school to Newark Leadership Academy’s former building at 301 West Kinney this September, but scrapped those plans because renovations were not complete.

León said the district is working to make sure the buildings’ water is clear of lead before reopening them.

“Those two locations we actually want to bring them online,” he told the board. “One definitely during the course of this year.”

Newark has been in the grip of a water crisis for the past year after elevated lead levels were found in some homes, leading the city to distribute water filters and eventually bottled water. Mayor Ras Baraka has defended the city’s response, which includes a long-term plan to replace thousands of lead pipes. But some residents and advocates have accused officials of downplaying the extent of the lead problem.

The district faced similar criticism this month after it was revealed that officials had not disclosed the findings of high lead levels in water sources at a few schools earlier this year. At last week’s board meeting, León accepted responsibility for the delayed disclosures. But he also emphasized that the vast majority of school water sources that have been recently tested show little or no lead.

“The rest of the whole entire district: The filters that we’re using are obviously working,” León said. “We’re extremely excited about that.”

Those filters were installed, and pipes replaced, after high lead levels were found in the water at more than 30 schools in 2016. As León noted, the remediation efforts appear to be working. Of the several hundred district water sources tested since August 2018, fewer than 20 had lead levels above the federal standard for taking action, according to the district’s data.

Whether the rest of schools are also in good shape remains to be seen.

Newark tests some schools for lead each year, which is more often than required by state rules. The most recent tests covered about half of the district’s schools. District officials have not said publicly when the other schools will be tested and their results posted online.

The database below shows the results of school lead tests conducted from August 2018 to June 2019. School water sources in red had lead levels above 15 parts per billion (ppb), the federal action level.

Database: Sam Park/Chalkbeat. Source: Newark Public Schools.

High lead levels found in water at seven Newark schools, spurring calls for greater transparency

2019-10-09T15:35:53+00:00

Elevated levels of lead were found in the water at seven out of 29 Newark schools where tests were conducted since August 2018, according to newly revealed district data.

The district shut off the water sources with high lead levels soon after the samples were analyzed, according to the data, which Chalkbeat obtained through a public records request.

However, the district did not post the test results on its website, as required by state rules.

The rules also mandate that the district inform families and school staffers whenever elevated lead levels are found. However, the district did not send the required written notifications, according to WNYC/Gothamist, which first reported the test results.

The data comes as Newark grapples with an ongoing water crisis that drew national attention this summer when high lead levels were discovered in some homes, forcing the city to temporarily distribute bottled water. City officials have faced criticism in the past for downplaying the lead problem.

Now, some residents are alarmed that district officials are not being fully transparent about the findings of lead in some schools’ water.

“Parents want to know what’s going on with the water so we can know what to do,” said Ronnie Kellam, whose son is a first-grader at McKinley Elementary School, which was not among the 29 recently tested schools.

“They haven’t shared the data with us — all they do is tell us they’re testing the water,” Kellam added, saying it seems district officials are concerned with “protecting themselves and not getting information out to the public.”

Most of the schools tested from August 2018 to June 2019 had no lead in their water samples or concentrations below 15 parts per billion, which is the federal threshold for taking action. But seven schools had at least one water source with lead concentrations above the federal action level, according to the data.

The schools found to have high lead levels were: 13th Avenue, 14th Avenue, Ivy Hill, Mount Vernon, Newark Leadership Academy, Park, and West Side High School.

The contaminated sources included water fountains and sinks used in nurses’ offices and for food preparation. In each case, the district turned off the affected water source or — at West Side — posted a sign saying “hand washing only” above a sink, according to the data.

A district spokeswoman did not respond to emailed questions Tuesday. She also did not respond in August when Chalkbeat asked whether elevated lead levels had been found any schools since 2017.

During a live radio program last month, Superintendent Roger León said “we have information that is clearly indicating that the water sources that our students are being provided is safe for them to drink.” He did not mention that tests conducted after he became superintendent in July 2018 found high lead levels in 10 water sources across the seven schools.

Referring to lead testing, León added that he is “making sure that when we do this, the results are on the web so that everyone can see.” However, the district has not posted the results of any lead tests conducted after 2017.

In an interview with WNYC/Gothamist, the district’s school business administrator said that officials believed they did not have to notify families and staffers about the elevated lead levels because the district was conducting tests more often than is required by state law.

The administrator, Valerie Wilson, added that officials were also concerned about how the public might react if the results were posted online.

“The next piece is now when you have these exceedances, how do you report them responsibly so you don’t create panic for people,” Wilson said.

The district faced its own water crisis in 2016, when nearly half of Newark schools were found to have elevated levels of lead. In response, the district shut off the water at the schools, replaced lead pipes, and installed new water filters.

Soon after, state lawmakers updated regulations to require districts to test for lead every six years and post the results online. In accordance with the rules, Newark school officials notified families and posted the lead results on the district website.

Since then, the district has continued to conduct periodic tests for lead in schools’ water. Most of the recent water samples showed little or no lead, lending credence to officials who say that schools’ water filters are working. Of the nearly 450 water sources tested since August 2018, just 10 had lead levels above the federal standard for taking action.

Yet even as the findings have been mostly reassuring, the district has not posted any lead test results for more than a year. The most recent samplings to be posted online are from tests conducted in 2017 — despite state regulations that say districts must publish the results within 24 hours of viewing them.

Kim Gaddy, who was on the Newark school board from 2016 until this April, said the district did a good job informing the public during the lead crisis three years ago. But, she said, the district has been less forthcoming about water quality since León took charge.

“I don’t know why that process changed when a new superintendent came in,” she said. “I just see that something changed.”

Gaddy said she was not aware of the district notifying families and schools when high lead levels were found in water sources over the past year, as it previously had. She also said her request that the board share the results at its monthly public meetings “fell on deaf ears.”

“It’s always the lack of transparency and communication that cause problems,” Gaddy said. “When you begin to not share information, then parents begin to ask: ‘What are they hiding?’”

On Monday, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced new guidelines that will require districts to test for lead more frequently and submit the results to a public statewide database.

In Newark, Mayor Ras Baraka has repeatedly defended the city’s handling of the water crisis, which has included distributing free water filters and creating a plan to replace thousands of lead pipes.

León has touted the district’s system for filtering and monitoring the water in schools. During last month’s live broadcast of “Newark Today” on WBGO, he added that the district had no reason to hide the results of lead tests.

“We don’t have time to be lying about anything,” he said.

With little fanfare, Newark board finalizes contract deals for Newark teachers, Roger León

2019-08-30T17:52:40+00:00

The Newark school board signed off on two contracts with long-term implications this week.

At its meeting Tuesday, the board formally approved a five-year contract with the Newark Teachers Union and a two-year contract extension for Superintendent Roger León.

Neither contract was on the agenda the board had printed before the meeting. The board had discussed extending León’s contract, which now runs until 2023, at a brief and sparsely attended public hearing before its meeting last week. It had not publicly discussed the teachers union contract, which union members ratified this week. The full cost of the contract, which provides raises and other financial benefits to teachers, has also not been disclosed.

The contracts represent a substantial exercise of the board’s recent empowerment from an advisory board when the district was under state control to one with almost complete authority.

“History was made tonight,” board president Josephine Garcia told her fellow board members after the vote. “This board voted and passed the first [teachers union] contract negotiated, ratified, and passed for the first time as 20 years as a functioning board under local control. You guys should be really proud of yourselves.”

All board members who voted signed off on the contracts. (One member, Asia Norton, said she could not vote because she had a conflict, but added that she is happy that León is leading the school system.)

But one member raised questions about the process.

Instead of voting on a package of items that included the superintendent’s contract extension, Reggie Bledsoe, who was not present for the public hearing about León’s contract, suggested holding two votes.

“Personally, out of respect for our superintendent,” he said, “I think we should separate that item to vote on separately so that we know there’s unanimous support to amend the contract for an additional two years.”

Garcia pushed back against that suggestion, saying that León’s contract had undergone substantial board discussion.

“It’s a discussion we had [last] Tuesday evening, we all unanimously showed our support at our business meeting, but we’re voting on it tonight at the actual board meeting,” she said.

But then another board member, A’dorian Murray-Thomas, formally made a motion to separate the contract vote. It passed, unanimously.

Newark parent activists get a warning: Change your ways or you’ll be barred from school board meetings

2019-08-29T15:37:51+00:00

Yolanda Johnson wasn’t surprised when she got the warning letter from the Newark Board of Education on Tuesday. She said she’d been expecting it.

“Well, this isn’t the first time,” she said.

But when the board previously had cautioned the mother of a University High School student to follow its rules or risk being banned from future meetings, the district had been under state control.

Now, a school board elected by Newark residents had its attorney, Brenda Liss, issue the warning letters. The letters told Johnson and Denise Cole, parent advocates who are both frequent attendees at board meetings and ran for school board positions this year, that further instances of “disregard for the rules of decorum” at board meetings could result in the women’s ban “any and all future meetings of the Board of Education.”

The tactic has precedent in other cities, as well as in Newark. It also is likely to fall within the board’s legal rights, according to multiple attorneys with expertise in New Jersey law.

Still, it suggests that the board could be having difficulties brooking criticism at a time when its members, and the superintendent they hired, say they want parents to have a greater say than ever in Newark schools. One of the arguments against state control was that it was anti-democratic and robbed Newark residents of the opportunity to have meaningful input in school policy.

At Newark school board meetings, each member of the public who signs up has three minutes to speak. Johnson and Cole often stay at the microphone longer than the allotted time.

Johnson’s letter cited her behavior at both the June 25 and Aug. 20 board meetings, and Cole’s cited the meeting on Aug. 20. At that meeting, Cole railed against the board’s intent to possibly ban people from board meetings while she was at the microphone and while in the audience, halting the meeting for several minutes.

“Please let people finish,” Cole said at the meeting. “You need to respect people who come up here.”

“We are, Ms. Cole,” board president Josephine Garcia responded.

Exceeding their allotted time could be legitimate grounds for meeting attendees to face discipline, attorneys familiar with the law said.

“The board is allowed to hold a meeting that is not disrupted in any way,” said Ronald Chen, a Rutgers law professor who specializes in First Amendment law. “If there’s a uniform time limit, they can be held to that.”

One issue, said Alexander Shalom, a senior attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union-New Jersey, is that taking up additional time could cost other meeting attendees the chance to be heard.

“A public body is allowed to ensure that the public access portion of the meeting is indeed public,” Shalom said. “If their allegation, as it sounds here, is that these folks are interfering with the ability of other members of the public to participate in public comment … it’s certainly possible that they could ban someone at least for a short period of time.”

Chicago began banning disruptive school board meeting attendees in 2013. But the first people issued ban letters under the new policy had all been accused of physical or threatening behavior, not just speaking too long or too strenuously. Similarly, a Vermont father barred from his district’s board meetings was alleged to pose a safety threat. (His ban was ultimately overturned by a federal judge.)

Johnson and Cole attended this week’s board meeting to protest against the board’s letters. The board’s “bullying and intimidation tactics must cease and desist immediately,” they read aloud from a letter they had sent the board. They also noted that New Jersey’s Sunshine Law states that all meetings of public bodies in the state must be open to the public.

“This is not about me taking people’s time,” Cole said in an interview to Chalkbeat. “This is about the board not wanting to take the time to listen to the public’s concern.”

Meeting attendees applauded the two women, but board members did not respond publicly to their protest. Some attendees felt the decision to warn the women sends the message that the board, the first elected by Newark voters since the city’s schools returned to local control after more than 20 years, is uninterested in hearing from some concerned parents.

“I don’t think that the board sees that irony,” said Newark NAACP president Deborah Smith-Gregory, who attended Tuesday’s meeting. “If they did, they would say, we have to do this differently.”

She added: “Banning those two community activists is divisive to our community. That is not what we need as we transition into full local control. We need all hands on deck, whether we agree or not.”

Roger León has been Newark’s superintendent for 1 year. The board is already considering a contract extension.

2019-08-23T22:45:57+00:00

Just one year into Superintendent Roger León’s three-year term, the Newark school board is considering extending his contract for an additional two years.

The board hired León last year to steer the schools back to local control. Now, it could soon ink a deal to keep him in charge of the school system until 2023 — rather than 2021, as his contract currently stipulates.

The revelation came at a sparsely attended public hearing, held half an hour before the board’s regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday. The hearing was not listed in advance on the district calendar on the board’s website, although a district official said the board had complied in other ways with laws requiring that the public be alerted.

Yolanda Johnson, a parent activist, said she arrived early for the regular meeting — where León’s contract was not discussed — and was surprised to see another meeting taking place. She said she supports León’s leadership but thinks the board would be premature to extend his contract.

“I personally love him, and I see his vision,” Johnson said. However, “the community wasn’t there, and the parents weren’t there. It should have been advertised so we could be in the know.”

A person with knowledge of the situation said the board could vote on the contract extension as soon as next week, when it is scheduled to meet at the district central office on Broad Street on Tuesday. (The board is also holding a retreat, which is open to the public, Saturday morning at its central office.)

The source said the contract extension reflects León’s original request when he agreed to shepherd the Newark district through a period of significant change, after decades of tumultuous state control.

A contract extension would amount to a major vote of confidence in León’s leadership, as the superintendent is just getting started on his plan for elevating achievement in the district. He released a one-year plan this summer and promised that a 10-year plan would follow.

Newark Teachers Union president John Abeigon said he supports the board’s move to guarantee León more time in charge of the district’s schools.

“It takes a while. It took the state eight years to completely destroy and bankrupt the district,” Abeigon said. “I would imagine giving the new superintendent, who is actually an educator in contrast to the two predecessors, time to rebuild the system they destroyed.”

So far, León has started to restructure the district bureaucracy, but many of his school changes haven’t gone into effect yet. And little information about how the district fared under his first year has been made publicly available. State test scores and official graduation rates have not been released, and the district has also not yet released information about attendance and enrollment, two of León’s top early priorities.

Plus, parents in the district haven’t gotten a sufficient chance to influence León’s planning, Johnson said.

“Last year, León had the opportunity to undo some things with a big overhaul of principals,” she said. “But parents want to weigh in more.”

León has indicated at multiple board meetings that promising data is on the way, and the board conducted an official evaluation of him earlier this summer. While it did not make the results available, board members have praised León’s leadership at public meetings.

That continued at this week’s meeting about his contract, Johnson said.

While contract extensions more typically happen closer to the end of their term, school boards sometimes do renegotiate superintendents’ employment contracts earlier. This summer, for example, Randolph Township’s school board extended the local superintendent’s employment until 2023, just one year into her contract. (She had been leading the district since 2016.)

León’s extension also comes amid major changes to New Jersey law governing superintendent contracts. This year, the state removed a cap on superintendent salaries.

Also this year, a state appellate court ruled that boards must give the public 30 days’ notice and hold a public hearing before extending superintendents’ contracts. (One board had tried to evade those requirements by arguing that extensions are similar to contracts with new hires, which are not subject to the same rules.)

Newark parent Shanaya Thomas said she thinks it’s too soon to consider extending León’s contract. If anything, she said doesn’t think it should be extended at all — but as a frequent board meeting attendee, she said she’s mostly disappointed she didn’t know about this week’s hearing.

“I feel like they were trying to keep secrets,” she said. “They don’t want our opinion. Give us a chance to say if we want you back in there. That’s our right as parents.”

Newark parents can now enroll their children at neighborhood schools

2019-08-20T13:19:00+00:00

Starting Monday, Newark families can visit any neighborhood school to enroll their children in schools for the fall, according to information posted on the Newark Board of Education’s website.

Newark schools will now serve as “family support centers” capable of enrolling students in district schools and charter schools that participate in the citywide enrollment system, called Newark Enrolls, the district said.

The update comes after Newark Public Schools announced plans to revamp the city’s online enrollment system to make it easier to use. The new system also will allow families to register in schools via their phones.

The online enrollment system has been down for more than a month while the district transitions to the new system — causing frustration among some parents and school employees. During that time, many families have been visiting the downtown Family Support Center to get enrollment assistance.

As schools now take on the role providing enrollment support, the district will close the downtown enrollment center on Sept. 20, according to the district website. At that point, families will need to visit any district school to get help with enrolling in or transferring schools.

Families should bring their children’s birth certificate or passport, a proof of address, and parent ID, according to the district. Schools can provide assistance from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., or by appointment.

As Newark Enrolls outage stretches on, families and schools start to feel the strain

2019-08-14T18:38:43+00:00

The phone calls picked up this summer at Newark’s KIPP charter network, with frustrated people on both ends of the line.

Parents, left in the dark by the sudden disappearance of Newark’s online enrollment management system, wondered whether their children stood a chance of making it into a KIPP school. And school employees who had a long back-to-school to-do list of their own found themselves checking the waitlist again and again.

“It’s challenging for us,” said Pedro Lebre, KIPP Newark’s enrollment manager. “We’re a pretty lean team. We spend a lot of time answering that question.”

In the recent past, parents could have logged into the city’s universal enrollment system, Newark Enrolls, to check their place on charter school waitlists, add themselves to the list, or enroll immediately in schools with open seats. But this summer, the system has been down since the beginning of July — with no indication of when it might come back online.

Considered a desirable option for Newark families, KIPP maintains a lengthy enrollment waitlist, so it’s unlikely that all schools are experiencing the same call volume. Still, KIPP’s experience suggests that the abrupt shutdown of Newark Enrolls — coming at a time when the district is working with a new vendor to redesign the system — is more disruptive than city officials have let on.

“Enrollment is open and ongoing,” Nancy Deering, acting director of communications for Newark Public Schools, wrote in an email to Chalkbeat last week. “Interested families should visit the Family Support Center at 765 Broad Street.”

It took Newark parent Amiris Rodriguez a while to find that office on Thursday morning. She only succeeded after asking several people to point her in the right direction.

“It was confusing, and I didn’t understand,” she said. “I was just wandering around on Broad Street.”

That center is currently the only way for families seeking new or different school placements to apply for them. Slated to be shut permanently in the near future, it’s open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Rodriguez was on vacation and could spend a few hours on Thursday morning trying to get her children transferred to another school. Many parents can’t.

“We hear from a lot of frustrated parents because those are the exact hours that they work,” Lebre said. “We hear a lot from families who do make it over there and are told we don’t have seats and given a lot of misinformation about enrolling. It’s really difficult to troubleshoot.”

In June, the district announced plans to pay a technology firm to replace the city’s online enrollment system, which families can use to apply to any traditional school and participating charter schools. But officials did not mention that the online enrollment tool would be disabled while the district switches systems.

“Why wouldn’t they continue the old system until the new one’s in place?” asked Wilhelmina Holder, a Newark education activist.

Lebre said district officials offered some answers at a meeting with local charter operators on Friday. There, he said, Newark Public Schools Chief of Staff Havier Nazario said “a safety issue” precluded Newark Enrolls from coming back online. According to Lebre, Nazario offered several examples, including that students could be using the online portal to re-enroll in schools from which they had been expelled.

This spring, the district said a delay in sending admissions letters to families was also due to families being able to use the system to enroll in schools inappropriately.

“It’s an excuse,” Lebre said. “When you use the word safety, how do you argue against that?”

Lebre said his understanding after the meeting was that Newark Enrolls would not get turned back on anytime soon. Officials have not said publicly when they expect the new vendor, SchoolMint, to complete the updated system, but enrollment for the following year usually starts at the beginning of December.

Holder added that the district should keep the downtown Family Support Center open on evenings and weekends in order to ease the burden on working parents.

“A lot of people cannot financially take off from their jobs” in order to visit the enrollment center during business hours, Holder said. “You don’t go to work, you don’t get paid.”

León appoints Newark school district veterans to oversee academics, facilities, and student support

2019-07-12T14:05:01+00:00

A year after forcing out officials hired by his predecessor, Newark superintendent Roger León is staffing up again — promoting principals and other district veterans to fill leadership positions he says are crucial to moving the city’s schools forward.

The new top-level administrators are: Mary Ann Reilly, who will head up teaching and learning; Steve Morlino, the incoming executive director of facilities management; and Maria Ortiz, the new executive director of student life. They join Nicole T. Johnson, a principal who was recently promoted to deputy superintendent, and David Scutari, another principal who will now serve as León’s executive assistant.

All currently work in the district or previously have, a reflection of León’s preference for hiring administrators who are intimately familiar with Newark schools. His immediate predecessors, Christopher Cerf and Cami Anderson, were criticized for filling many top positions with consultants and others from outside the district.

León has also abolished some job titles that his predecessors gave their top lieutenants — including chief strategy officer, chief talent officer, and chief academic officer — and restored departments that were eliminated or renamed, such as human resource services, teaching and learning, and student life. In many ways, León is returning the district bureaucracy to how it looked before Anderson and Cerf arrived.

“Part of what we want to do is take advantage of the fact that I not only know this city, but I also know this organization,” León said at a budget presentation in March where he outlined some of his planned changes.

The school board approved León’s personnel decisions at its June meeting, though León and the board did not discuss the new appointments publicly. Typically, the district posts the agendas of board meetings online so the public can see what items were voted on, including staffing changes. Yet the district has still not posted the June agenda more than two weeks after the meeting.

The latest promotions mean that several more schools will be getting new leaders. Johnson was principal of Elliott Street School in Newark’s North Ward, Scutari was principal of Mount Vernon School in the West Ward, and Ortiz was principal of Luis Muñoz Marin School in the North Ward. And at least six other principals are retiring, resigning, or losing their jobs, according to board documents. No replacements have yet been named publicly.

As the assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, Reilly will have a full plate. The role involves overseeing teacher recruitment, curriculum and textbooks, teaching strategies, school improvement plans, support for principals, and more, according to a district job posting.

“I don’t want to call it the brains of the operation, but it is the critical component of what occurs in classrooms in front of children,” León said about the teaching and learning department at a May board meeting.

The position was vacant last school year. That left the previous deputy superintendent, Gerald Fitzhugh II, who stepped down last month, to take on many of those duties.

Reilly was Newark’s literacy director from 1997 to 2001, which involved overseeing English and social studies across the district, according to her LinkedIn account. Since then, Reilly, who has a doctorate in English education from Columbia University, has worked as an administrator in other districts, a college professor, and an education consultant.

After the board approved her appointment at its June 25 meeting, Reilly said on Twitter that she was “joining a dynamic team dedicated to securing better outcomes for all learners.”

Ortiz’s role as executive director of student life makes her the district’s “leader and expert” in student support services, according to a job posting. The student support services department, which did not have a leader for most of the past year, will oversee school counselors, social workers, and attendance counselors, León said in May.

Ortiz will also write the student support curriculum, lead the committee that chooses textbooks, design staff trainings and parent workshops, and collaborate with the heads of the special education and bilingual departments, according to the posting.

After arriving in Newark from the Dominican Republic as a child, Ortiz graduated from the former Science High School and went on to become the city’s first Dominican principal, according to her biography on the district website. A resident of Newark, she is earning a doctorate from Seton Hall University to add to her two master’s degrees. “Her commitment to education is led by her passion for culturally relevant pedagogy, special education, social justice, and bilingual education,” her biography says.

León brought on Morlino as a consultant earlier this year to advise the district on managing its facilities and help write a five-year building plan to replace one that expired last month. He previously worked in the district for 15 years overseeing facilities and other departments. Most recently, he oversaw the facilities for Paterson Public Schools before he was fired in May; Paterson officials did not disclose the reason for his termination.

Now, he will have his hands full trying to rehabilitate Newark’s aging school buildings. Many are plagued by crumbling roofs and outdated electrical systems; and despite a court order saying New Jersey must repair or replace Newark’s schools, the state has mostly allowed them to deteriorate.

“The majority of our schools are requiring repairs that go from basics to major health and safety issues that are of great concern,” León told state lawmakers in March.

During his first year in charge, Roger León started reshaping Newark’s schools — and promised bigger changes to come

2019-07-02T18:51:54+00:00

Roger León had a very big year.

Last July, the Newark native became the city’s first Hispanic superintendent and, owing to the end of a prolonged state takeover, the first in over two decades to answer to the Newark school board rather than officials in Trenton. In the year since, León has met with thousands of local stakeholders, ordered audits of every facet of the 36,000-student system, and boldly promised to make the district “second to none.”

“Right now, the honeymoon is good,” said Brian Taylor, a Newark Public Schools parent and advocate. “He’s homegrown, he cares, he believes, and he’s got the trust of the people in the community.”

But honeymoons last only so long. As he passed his one-year mark Monday, León was grappling with fiscal uncertainties that he inherited from previous administrations, an expired teachers contract, and aging school buildings in need of major repairs — just to name a few of the urgent challenges.

Also on Monday, León’s master plan for the district took effect. León has said it will spark a renaissance at the city’s struggling traditional high schools and marshal the resources needed to meet students’ emotional and physical needs, as well as their academic ones. Now that Newarkers have heard León’s lofty promises and his assessments of where his predecessors went wrong, they’ll be looking for him to deliver changes.

“We’ve got to give him time,” Taylor said. But, “this time next year, it’ll be different kinds of questions being asked.”

Meet the new boss

Last August, just over a month after starting as superintendent, León wanted everyone to know that change was going to come to Newark schools — and fast.

He summoned all 6,300 or so district employees to a downtown arena, where he catalogued his credentials from a towering stage. He had been a student in Newark, a teacher, an elementary and high school principal, and an assistant superintendent, he told the crowd. Now, it was time for a “reorganization” of the system he knew so well.

In recent years, he had watched state-appointed superintendents — white outsiders in a majority black and brown city — close schools and lay off employees, even as the city’s charter schools mushroomed. The changes led to real gains in student learning, but the intervention also incited fury among Newarkers who resented the suggestion, as León’s chief of staff put it, “that we needed an army from all over the place to come in and fix us.”

Those days were now over. To roaring applause, León told his audience that he had forced out more than 30 central-office workers connected to his predecessors. His strategy, he said, would be to grow the district, not downsize it. He would give educators all the support they needed to improve student achievement, without relying on specialists with little classroom experience — “chief of strategy, chief of talent, chief of data.” The only chief “in this house,” he said, would be his chief of staff, a former teacher in the schools where León was principal.

With León at the helm, the state’s largest district was back under local control, governed by a man who knows the city and its schools intimately — and has strong ideas about where to take them.

“I’m not the chief,” León said, his face beaming down from the arena’s Jumbotron. “I’m the boss.”

León addressing district employees in August 2018.

Undoubtedly, some of León’s boasting was a form of vindication. The Newark school board had picked him as superintendent years earlier, yet the state installed Christopher Cerf — a former New York City schools official and New Jersey education commissioner — instead. But León’s swagger was also strategic, a way of embodying renewed pride in the city’s schools.

Former Superintendent Cami Anderson, who previously worked alongside Cerf in New York, had portrayed the Newark school system as fundamentally broken and in desperate need of an overhaul — which she attempted with the backing of then-Mayor Cory Booker and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. By contrast, León talks about a district “poised for greatness,” with all the talented students and educators necessary to reach new heights.

“It’s a breath of fresh air,” said Isabel Sousa, an Arts High School teacher, at the August convention.

León began his tenure with an ambitious listening tour, an effort to build consensus for his agenda rather than impose it from above. He sat down with students and college presidents, community activists and union leaders, and held breakfast meet-and-greets with parents. He showcased his fierce pride and protectiveness of Newark, often calling students “babies” and promising to restore the names of schools that had been changed under state control.

“It’s disrespect,” he said at a budget hearing about such tampering with the city’s history, “and we’re not allowing that, in whatever shade.”

But if anyone thought León planned simply to celebrate the system’s strengths, and overlook any deficits, he quickly disabused them of that notion. At the August convention, he called out schools with the lowest test scores by name. In later meetings, he called the student achievement data “ugly” and “atrocious,” and the curriculum used by many schools “horrible.”

Despite the recent academic progress in Newark, León suggested that many of his predecessors’ policies had failed. He mocked Anderson’s “Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow” attendance campaign. “You can see they don’t attend today, so they don’t achieve tomorrow,” he said in August. Later, he declared that her and Cerf’s efforts to give principals more authority had backfired: “This whole autonomy concept went buckwild,” he said.

His solution has been to impose new mandates meant to create consistency across schools, and to tell everyone — from students and parents to teachers and central-office staff — that he expects to see results. “It’s all about accountability,” he said at an August school board meeting.

In some ways, his no-excuses style is not so different from his recent predecessors. But whereas their message could sound shaming or condescending coming from outsiders, it’s accepted as tough love when delivered by a lifelong Newarker — the son of Cuban immigrants, León still lives in the same neighborhood where he grew up and went to school.

“Roger is known to the district,” said Nitia Preston, who was the parent liaison at Peshine Avenue School before deciding to leave at the end of this school year. She said she appreciated León’s demanding approach, which she said spurred her colleagues to up their game.

“People were basically saying, ‘Get your stuff together,’” Preston said. “Because Roger is not playing.”

Echoes of the past

With a quarter-century of experience working in the district, León started as superintendent with firm convictions about which policies worked — and which didn’t.

Just as the school year was starting, León began to eliminate those he deemed failures. He ended a program that gave struggling schools longer days, forcing the schools to quickly adjust their hours and bus schedules. He discontinued an online math curriculum, leaving some high schools to use years-old textbooks while the district sought replacements. And after personally reviewing hundreds of student transcripts, he mandated changes to the way high school courses are scheduled. For instance, he ordered schools to split up block schedules that offered extra-long periods of English and math, requiring schools to revamp students’ course loads mid-year.

Even when educators agreed that certain policies were flawed, some felt the changes were rushed and imposed with little warning — a disruptive approach that had galled Newarkers when adopted by Anderson.

León “doesn’t seem to think through the human cost of these decisions,” said a high school teacher who left the district in October, speaking on the condition of anonymity to avoid retaliation. “All of those changes led to me leaving — I had a full-on breakdown.”

León at a school board meeting in November 2018.

At the same time, León moved to restore past practices that his predecessors had abandoned. He began to reboot vocational programs that high schools had in the early 2000s and rehire attendance workers who were laid off six years ago. He revived a reading program the district used when he was principal, and brought back a requirement that students take an entrance exam if they want to attend one of the city’s elite magnet schools.

Many district veterans cheered the moves, believing that past superintendents had discarded the policies before giving them a chance to succeed. But the approach has also left León open to the charge that he is simply resurrecting pet programs without evidence of their success.

“Some people will assume we’ll just do something from the past that didn’t work,” he said during a state hearing in June. In fact, he said, “What we’re doing is taking something that worked. We’re saying, ‘We learned over the years what were some issues,’ and we’re kind of upgrading it.”

But, to the surprise of some observers, León has embraced a more recent policy: school choice. Both Anderson and Cerf had endorsed the growth of Newark’s charter schools, whose enrollment more than tripled over the past decade. Charter critics, who accused the previous superintendents of trying to shrink or even privatize the traditional school district, expected León to take a tougher stance on charters.

Instead, he has praised the work of some charter school networks and sent district employees to be trained by them. More significantly, he convinced the school board to retain an online enrollment system that allows families to apply to charter and traditional schools in one place — despite calls by community activists and some board members to dismantle the system, which they say funnels students into the charter sector.

“There were people warning me that he would be terrible for charter schools — and that has not been the case,” said Kyle Rosenkrans, a former charter school official who heads a new group promoting district-charter cooperation. “He’s been a willing collaborator and an open-minded, pragmatic, enthusiastic partner. In that sense, he defied the expectations that many had of him.”

Long road ahead

For most of the school year, few people were privy to León’s full agenda. ”He articulates his plan from his head,” a former board member said in November.

Last month, he unveiled a district roadmap for all to see. The plan for next school year touches on nearly every aspect of the school system — from teacher training to student support services to school budgets and buildings. The plan “will help us change the course of history,” León wrote in a newsletter to families.

Yet the document provides scant details about the dozens of new initiatives it lists — a point made even by people who support the superintendent’s vision.

“The overall premise is a good one,” said John Abeigon, president of the Newark Teachers Union. “We’re still waiting to see more details on how it’s going to be effectuated.”

León at an event for his “Clarity 2020” plan in January 2019.

The plan also does not include student achievement goals for next year, making it hard to judge if his program is a success even by its own lights. Officials said such goals will be included in a 10-year plan to be released in June 2020.

Some Newark residents do not want to wait that long to know if León’s reforms are working or to see improvements.

Kanileah Anderson commended León for inviting parents like her to offer suggestions for his district plan. Yet her daughter still had a permanent substitute for most of the school year, and the high school Anderson applied to for the fall said it does not offer the special-education services her child needs.

“I was able to talk to them,” Anderson said of officials in León’s administration. “But I still don’t think anything changed.”

León also has other pressing matters to attend to. He must reach a deal with the teachers union to replace the contract that expired last month. And he must find funds to upgrade the district’s aging infrastructure. Last week, the Newark NAACP sent León a letter requesting that school buildings in disrepair receive any urgent upgrades — including to air conditioners, lights, and bathrooms — before classes resume in September.

At a meeting in Trenton last month where León presented his plan, members of the state board of education praised León’s vision and his efforts to improve student attendance, which appear to be bearing fruit. But they also pressed him for details about his plan, called Clarity 2020. “There’s no good way to say this,” one board member said, “I’m confused on Clarity.”

Another member, Ronald Butcher, said he was “very, very encouraged” by León’s presentation, which included a graph of Newark students’ test scores. But he left León with a challenge.

“Come back to us next year,” Butcher said, “and demonstrate that what you did made a difference in that graph.”

Superintendent León unveils long-awaited plan to build ‘stronger, wiser’ school system

2019-06-14T20:29:40+00:00

After nearly one year on the job, Newark’s superintendent unveiled a long-awaited district plan Thursday that hints at new initiatives while leaving most of the details to be filled in later.

The plan, which Superintendent Roger León crafted with the help of a consulting firm, sets forth a broad theory of change for New Jersey’s largest school district. It is designed to guide the district back to full local governance and set the stage for a more-detailed 10-year plan.

The theory posits that the school system must simultaneously address students’ academic and personal needs, which can only happen through increased cooperation among schools and closer partnership with the community and outside organizations. And it says the district must begin supporting future students while they are still in the womb and continue until they finish college or start careers.

The one-year plan offers a rough sketch of how the district will put that theory into action. Mainly, it lays out a long to-do list focused on analyzing current practices and data and developing new programs and policies.

“This strategic plan is designed to set the foundation for everyone and set the ball rolling,” León wrote in an introduction to the plan, titled NPS Clarity 2020. “We will rebuild a stronger, wiser, and more efficient organization.”

The plan does not include goals for student achievement or timelines for the rollout of new initiatives — both of which are featured in the district’s current three-year plan, which expires this month.

León has previously faced calls from board members to share clear goals for the district. And a document governing the district’s release from state control says the superintendent’s plan should be used to hold the district accountable “for achieving measurable goals that will drive student success.” (A district spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.)

León’s plan references several specific efforts without going into detail. They include hiring more black and Latino male teachers, training current employees to respect students’ cultures and screening new hires for biases, embedding staffers in every school to coordinate support services for students, sending principals to other schools to get ideas and give feedback, and connecting every student with a mentor and internship opportunities.

But many of the strategies mapped out in the plan are broader and call for redesigning every aspect of the school system — from teacher training and evaluation to student transportation, special education, and the district’s management structure. Léon has promised to release a longer-term roadmap for the district a year from now.

“From work defined in NPS Clarity 2020, we will build and launch a ten-year strategic plan that will reform education in Newark beyond the next decade and for generations to come,” he wrote.

León’s blueprint arrives at a pivotal moment for Newark. Last year, the state began the process of ending its decades-long takeover of the district and the newly empowered city school board chose León — a veteran Newark educator — as superintendent. If the district meets the state’s requirements during the current probationary period, the elected board will gain final control over the schools next February.

León, who started in his new role last July, appears to be guiding the district in that direction. A state report, which was completed in March but made public Thursday, found that the district is so far meeting all of the requirements to transition back to full local control. And during a state school board meeting last week, several board members said they were impressed by León’s leadership and the preview he gave of his plan.

“We have a leader who is as good as any superintendent who has ever come before us,” said state board president Arcelio Aponte, adding that he has known León since they were children. “Superintendent León is well-positioned to lead this district forward.”

León’s tenure follows a recent period of upheaval in Newark that began in 2011 under state-appointed superintendent Cami Anderson, who was brought in from New York to overhaul the district. With support from U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and national philanthropists including Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Anderson closed some schools, revamped the enrollment system, and laid off many district employees. Some of the policies were driven by the explosive growth of the city’s charter schools, which now educate a third of Newark students.

León’s plan takes stock of some of those changes. It says the state’s operation of the district showed that “the absence of knowledgeable and skilled voices” from the local schools and community made it difficult to “solve complex problems.” And it asserts that “unchecked competition” between traditional and charter schools “destabilizes the infrastructure and resources of the District while promoting division and discord in our communities.”

Yet the plan also calls for collaboration between the district and charter and private schools. And León said Thursday his plan is not an indictment of previous change efforts.

“It is not a critique of reform practices — the most aggressive that we’ve had over the last seven years,” León said at a launch event for his plan.

León hosted a celebration Thursday, complete with cake, to mark the release of his plan.

The policies of the past decade sparked bitter protests, while the charter expansion strained the district’s budget. Yet student achievement also greatly improved during that period, as highlighted by a new report published Thursday. The district’s test scores and graduation rate have climbed steadily in recent years, and its enrollment has stabilized after years of contraction while the charter sector expanded.

But challenges remain. More than 11,500 students are enrolled in chronically low-performing district schools, according to the report produced by MarGrady Research and funded by the New Jersey Children’s Foundation. District officials have warned of budget shortfalls if the charter sector reaches the full size approved by the state. And the district is still grappling with legal settlements and federal investigations that began under previous administrations, León has said.

“We applaud Superintendent Leon and his team for unveiling a strategic plan to continue the improvement of the Newark public school system,” said Kyle Rosenkrans, executive director of the New Jersey Children’s Foundation, in a statement. He added that “much work remains until we can guarantee every child in the city access to a great public school.”

León’s plan draws on substantial input from local stakeholders — including 2,000 personal conversations he said he had last year and a series of focus groups and forums this spring with educators, students, parents, and community partners.

The planning process was led by a Newark-based consultancy called Creed Strategies that is headed by Lauren Wells. Wells, a former teacher with a doctorate in urban schooling, previously advised Mayor Ras Baraka and helped spearhead an effort to improve several Central Ward schools and infuse them with extra services for students and their families.

After León presented his plan Thursday at Science Park High School, he hosted a celebratory dinner at the school complete with a cake that said “NPS Clarity 2020” in red icing. One of the attendees, Rev. Louise Scott-Rountree, said it is now up to the community to help bring the plan to life.

“We all have to play our part,” said Scott-Rountree, who directs clergy relations for the mayor’s office. “The superintendent can’t do it alone.”

High-ranking Newark schools official leaves to run Orange Public Schools

2019-06-07T23:18:40+00:00

A top Newark schools official is stepping down, leaving the superintendent to find a new deputy just as he prepares to roll out a long-awaited plan for the district.

Deputy Superintendent Gerald Fitzhugh II is exiting his post after less than a year to become superintendent of Orange Public Schools, a small district adjacent to Newark, according to an announcement by the Orange school board. He starts July 1.

Fitzhugh, who completed his doctoral studies in education leadership at Seton Hall University this year, sits near the top of the Newark superintendent’s leadership team. He manages the assistant superintendents and oversees the office that directs the work inside schools. Most recently, he helped lead the process of selecting new textbooks for all district schools.

“He is really, really good,” said Superintendent Roger León during a board meeting last month.

The news of Fitzhugh’s departure comes days before León is set to unveil his strategic plan for the district on June 13. León’s leadership team will be tasked with bringing his vision to life. Now, León will have to hire a new deputy to help lead that work.

Fitzhugh’s exit also leaves a vacancy at the top of the Office of Teaching and Learning, which guides schools in areas such as math, English, science, and the arts. Fitzhugh has been filling in as the head of that office while León searches for a permanent leader, which he promised to present to the board at its June meeting.

On Thursday, the district posted an opening for the deputy superintendent position on its jobs website. The posting says the new official will help lead efforts related to special education, student enrollment, and teacher evaluation; help create school goals; and supervise the district’s management team.

The Orange school board also announced Fitzhugh’s hiring on Thursday. Fitzhugh, who began his career as a teacher and principal in Newark, was chosen as superintendent after a national search that attracted nearly 50 applicants, the board said in a press release.

“Dr. Fitzhugh joins our school district after 19 years as an accomplished leader in the education sector,” said Orange Board of Education President E. Lydell Carter.

Fitzhugh and a district spokeswoman did not respond to requests for comment.

Big staffing changes coming to Newark schools, as top-to-bottom overhaul begins

2019-05-21T16:02:11+00:00

Major staffing changes are in store for the Newark school system.

As part of a long-planned district overhaul, Superintendent Roger León is cutting the positions held by dozens of vice principals and other administrators, while also bringing back a school management role that his predecessor eliminated. He is also hiring directors to lead more than a dozen central-office departments, including math, social studies, and bilingual education.

At the same time, hundreds of school employees will see their official job titles change, which could spell pay cuts for some workers, their union warned. Those changes are the result of a 2017 ruling by the state’s Civil Service Commission, which found that previous superintendents had placed 485 employees in non-unionized positions without the agency’s approval.

Now that their titles are shifting, some of the employees will have to reapply for their jobs.

“We can migrate them in there, but they still have to apply officially,” León said at a school board meeting Saturday where he detailed the staffing changes. “Since this is a new title, people don’t have a right to it.”

León added that “good staff” would be retained — but warned that some employees might not make the cut.

“I want the people who aren’t good to go — we don’t need people that are going to delay us,” he said. “This school district, we need people who are going to run forward.”

Key to León’s top-to-bottom reorganization of the district is reversing changes made by his two immediate predecessors, Cami Anderson and Christopher Cerf, state-appointed superintendents who sought to streamline the district’s bureaucracy and give school-level leaders more decision-making power. The prior superintendents pursued those ends by undermining local labor unions and recruiting some school and district leaders with limited classroom experience — methods that rankled León, a career educator whom the local school board named superintendent last year.

“If I have a certificate, people working below me must also have certificates,” León said Saturday, referring to teaching certifications. He added: “This whole autonomy concept went buck wild — and it went buck wild in the central office too.”

León’s overhaul will shake up the corps of administrators who help run the district’s more than 60 schools.

He is reducing the number of vice principals and eliminating the position of chief innovation officer in schools, an Anderson creation that critics considered a tactic to install relatively inexperienced educators as school administrators. At the same time, he is restoring the department chairperson position in schools, which Anderson cut, whose job is to oversee teachers of specific subjects like English and math.

Overall, the cuts will remove 66 administrative positions, saving the district more than $7 million, León said. As the district begins layoffs, more than 100 current administrators will be spared because they have earned tenure.

“This is a scary problem because some of those 101 people may not be worthy of being saved, but they’re protected by the law,” León told the board.

In that regard, he said, he agrees with one of the justifications that Anderson and Cerf gave for their controversial staffing policies — that bureaucracy and union rules can sometimes protect incompetence.

“This is Cami’s argument, and I agreed with her,” León said. “It’s not fair that someone who isn’t good stays in a position because they have more years of experience than somebody who is better.”

One chief innovation officer who has worked in Newark schools for nine years told Chalkbeat that the district recently sent her a termination letter that provided no explanation for her removal. In her role, she helped evaluate and coach teachers, plan staff trainings, and organize workshops for parents, among other duties, said the employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because she is considering appealing her dismissal.

“To be discarded this way, it’s humiliating,” she said. “I have lost all respect for this district.”

Some vice principals who are losing their positions will apply for one of the 55 new department chair spots, which could shrink their paychecks by thousands of dollars, one principal said. The principal, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said León’s downsizing makes sense: Vice principals proliferated under Anderson, yet many held specialized roles that were not much different than department chairs.

“Now some people are going to lose money, but they probably shouldn’t have been vice principals,” the school leader said. “There’s no other way to fix that than demoting them.”

The nearly 500 staffers affected by the title change include school operations managers and community engagement specialists — roles Anderson established that were originally not affiliated with any union. Union leaders, who criticized the move as a ploy to weaken organized labor and circumvent seniority rules, filed grievances with the Civil Service Commission.

The employees eventually joined the Newark Teachers Union, but the district did not make changes required by the commission until now, said Newark Teachers Union President John Abeigon. As the district reclassifies and eliminates certain job titles, it will match employees with the new positions based on their years of experience in the system, said Abeigon, whose union negotiated the salaries of the new roles with the district.

“We’re going to monitor each and every decision they make,” he said, referring to district officials. “If we come across a decision that has been reached in violation of civil service or seniority rules, we’ll definitely bring it to the board’s attention.”

In the coming weeks, León also plans to hire several top officials, including a head of teaching and learning and a new safety director.

He also is looking for directors to oversee 15 academic departments. Some of the departments are currently run by special assistants who lack the proper qualifications, León told the board. His new hires, which the board must approve, will be required to hold teaching certifications, he added.

“The director is supposed to be able to teach the content that they’re directing over,” León said. “These people must be my very, very best.”

How can Newark’s superintendent improve the city’s schools? Stakeholders weigh in.

2019-05-03T16:47:49+00:00

Now that the state has ended its decades-long takeover of Newark’s schools, residents have a few thoughts about what should change.

New employees should be screened for biases and trained in cultural sensitivity. Parents should have access to GED programs and language classes. And students should have a say in policy decisions.

Those were just a few of the ideas that parents, students, and community partners presented this week to Roger León, Newark’s first locally chosen superintendent since the elected school board regained control of the district last year.

The recommendations emerged from a series of community meetings and focus groups that the district hosted over the past few months. León said they will inform the master plan he is set to unveil next month — the product of a nearly yearlong process of analyzing the current state of the school system and plotting its future.

While it remains to be seen how many of the suggestions make it into León’s final plan, the outreach was meant to signal a break from the past, when state-appointed officials devised sweeping changes to the schools without always consulting local stakeholders.

“Newark is a city that doesn’t want people to tell them what to do,” León said Wednesday during a four-hour presentation of stakeholders’ recommendations. “We don’t like that.”

As part of his planning process, León also ordered extensive audits of the district’s school buildings, textbooks, and teaching practices. The findings revealed some bright spots — but also urgent needs.

Newark’s school buildings, many of which have been in use for a century or longer, have leaking roofs, peeling paint, and student bathrooms with missing sinks and toilets, the auditors said Wednesday. The district has just one mechanical lift for cleaning the gutters at more than 60 schools, the auditors added.

Another audit focused on students still learning English, who account for about 11 percent of the district’s enrollment. The audit found that those students “grew linguistically” from 2017 to 2018, but that the growth was “insufficient to achieve the district’s goals.” It also revealed “significant and long-term gaps” in support for those students and the programs that serve them.

A third audit, conducted by external consultants, looked at the academics and culture in 30 district schools. (The remaining schools will be visited this fall.) Based partly on surveys of parents, students, and staff, the review concluded that most of the schools do a good job managing student behavior, forming partnerships with the community, and establishing “positive, professional, and collegial” cultures.

But the auditors also determined that many principals do not give teachers enough feedback on their craft, teachers mostly ask students “low-level” questions, and students are often unclear about what they are supposed to take away from lessons. Many schools also struggle to recruit and retain staff, the reviewers found.

A Newark-based consultancy called Creed Strategies led the planning process that resulted in the recommendations. The consultants convened nine advisory groups that focused on such issues as community engagement, student supports, and special education. (Creed has not released the names of the group members, but they included representatives of local philanthropies, businesses, and universities.) The consultants also hosted public feedback sessions in each of the city’s five wards, where community members and school employees reviewed student data and proposed ways to achieve better outcomes.

Among the other recommendations presented on Wednesday: let teachers help revamp the way they are evaluated, create a parent resource center, better integrate students with disabilities into general-education classes, design an app to help the district communicate with families, and improve relationships between students and school safety agents.

“Walking into that building, I need to know that I’m going to be safe,” said Yamin Reddick, a student at Central High School. “And if I don’t know you as I security guard, then what are you there for?”

The district’s previous superintendent, Christopher Cerf, who was appointed by the state, also convened a series of public forums to gather feedback for his three-year plan, which expires this year. His predecessor, Cami Anderson, sparked outrage when she announced a district overhaul developed without public input, which called for the closure of multiple schools.

León said he will incorporate the stakeholders’ ideas into his one-year plan, called Clarity 2020, which he is set to release June 13, and into a subsequent 10-year district roadmap. Before receiving the recommendations, he has already launched a number of initiatives, which some critics have said came with few details or stated goals.

But Linda Carter, a Newark education activist and professor at Essex County College, commended León for seeking input for his forthcoming plans from people with a wide range of backgrounds and opinions. Carter, who was a member of one of the advisory groups, said the process should be a model for districts across the country.

“That was an example of valuing the community,” she said. When it comes to making decisions about their schools, Newarkers “haven’t felt in a very long time that they were valued.”