Jessie Gómez

Jessie Gómez

Reporter, Chalkbeat Newark

Jessie Gomez is a Reporter at Chalkbeat Newark covering Newark Public Schools. She is a proud Latina and first-generation college student with experience covering local communities and Black and Latino communities. Jessie was previously a reporter at The Record/Northjersey.com covering Morris and Bergen County communities in New Jersey. Before that, Jessie had a one-year fellowship at MuckRock, a non-profit news site based in Boston, focused on public records law and FOIA work. Jessie also has experience in political communications, broadcast and digital media.

The school board will consider extending Superintendent Roger León's contract to 2030 at its Aug. 21 meeting, according to a letter sent to Essex County Superintendent Joseph Zarra.

The district settled with ex-school board member Dawn Haynes and her daughter, Chalkbeat has learned, but continues to keep details of the agreement and reasons for Haynes’ departure quiet.

Gov. Phil Murphy signed a new law requiring public schools to provide parents with a written statement of items to be discussed at an annual Individualized Education Program meeting for students with disabilities.

Newark’s public school buildings are among the oldest in the state, with many dating back to the 1920s and in need of major repairs.

El Departamento de Justicia de Biden encontró problemas pendientes en el programa de aprendizaje de inglés de Newark, pero bajo Trump, la supervisión federal se detuvo sin decir si se resolvieron.

The money funds programs that support English language learners, tutoring, STEM education, before- and after-school services, summer school, and teacher training.

Newark Public Schools has appointed district vice principals, two from the outside, to step into a principal role for the first time.

Melissa Reed will fill a seat left empty after a long-serving member abruptly resigned last month.

The Newark school board approved the use of Amira Learning, an AI-powered literacy screener designed to assess student reading challenges as part of the state’s new plan to boost reading skills.

Biden’s Justice Department found outstanding issues in Newark’s English language learner program, but under Trump, federal oversight stopped without saying if they were resolved.