NJ ESSA Stakeholder Advisory Focus Group 10/21: New Jersey Department of Education, Trenton, NJ Attendees Representative

Organization

Ariana Fink Betsy Ginsburg Bob Morrison Clinton Connor Coreen Grooms Corinne Orlando Cynthia Rice Deb Bradley Debra Jennings Denise Dersch Donna Custard Donna Siminski Ebony Grace Gina Frasca Gretchen Orsini Helen Muscato Jackie Burke James Keehbler Jessica Hammond JoAnn Doherty Joan Shields Laura Rotella Linda Lam Linda Reid Lisa Fonl Lynette Howard Mary Blackborow Maryellen Moffit Melanie Schulz Melissa Tomlinson Michael Klein Morganne Firmstone Natalie Franzi Patricia Tumulty Phil Brown Rosie Grant Sean Hadley Sol Heckelman Tia Morris William Trusheim Diana Pasculli Tom Monahan Jill Hulnick James Riddlesberger

Aging Out Project, Child Advocacy Clinic Garden State Coalition of School New Jersey Arts Education Partnership Center for Family Services Trenton Chapter NAACP American Heart Association Advocates for Children of New Jersey New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association NJ SPAN Salem County Community College New Jersey Chamber of Commerce New Jersey Charter School Association (NJ CSA) New Jersey School-Age Care Coalition NJAFPA New Jersey Business/Technology Education Association (NJBTEA) NJAEYC NJ Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools Piscataway Public Library National Institute for Early Education Research New Jersey Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in New Jersey Center for Family Resources NJ Council of County Colleges Paterson Education Fund/ Legal Defense Fund ARC of New Jersey New Jersey Parent Teacher Association (NJPTA) New Jersey State School Nurses Association (NJSSNA) NJ Association for the Gifted and Talented (NJAGC) NJ Association of School Administrators (NJASA) Bada** Teachers Association New Jersey Association for State Colleges and Universities New Jersey Campaign for Achievement Now (NJ CAN) NJASCD New Jersey Library Association NJ Alliance for Social, Emotional and Character Development Parent Education Organizing Council New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) NJ Association of School Psychologists Teach for America New Jersey NJ Alliance for Social, Emotional and Character Development NJDOE Supporting Staff NJDOE Supporting Staff NJDOE Supporting Staff NJDOE Supporting Staff

Rebecca Wills Collene O’Reilly Matt Angelo

NJDOE Supporting Staff NJDOE Supporting Staff NJDOE Supporting Staff

Presentation Summary Introductions and Setting Goals and Expectations (Presented by Diana Pasculli, Deputy Chief of External Affairs at NJDOE, who is overseeing NJ ESSA school community outreach) • •

Agenda Review (see PPT presentation): This includes getting input from the focus group for school-level accountability indicators and performance report indicators. Reminders: o The Department promised to email out the presentation, and reminds the group that once the presentation is emailed out, it can be shared. o Reiterated the NJDOE’s intention to reach out to a diverse group of stakeholders through the ESSA Stakeholder Group. The Department will show the focus groups the meeting minutes before they are shared online so we can honor intent of the group’s recommendations. o Stated clarifying questions can be asked, especially for acronyms, but the goal is to get members talking, so policy questions or input were asked to be held. o Stated this meeting is not driving to absolute consensus or unanimous vote. The Department wants to get specific feedback and indicators to be in the performance reports.

9/27 Minutes Amendments: •

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Attendees had opportunity for group to review minutes and mention any changes or corrections that need to be made. Recommended amendments to 9/27 minutes: o School climate should serve as the bucket for which indicators listed can be included under, and should be considered as an indicator in itself in the list. o School counselors as an indicator should be present in the indicator list. o Add physical education and health education requirements Member mentioned chronic absenteeism is already defined; someone mentioned in minutes that it needs to be defined. Group was told they could expand the indicator list today and reiterates that this time is for minutes to be corrected. Amended minutes would be sent following the meeting

Outreach Overview: • Reviewed calendar, reminds all that November is getting filled, and to please reach out if a member would like to schedule a meeting. Diana suggests Technical Assistance Sessions for district-level members who work with funding. Accountability Overview: • James Riddlesperger, Director of Performance Management, presented on the objectives for the day. Urged the focus group to keep in mind all indicators can be phased in. Reviewed statutes and regulations that map out requirements for accountability indicators under ESSA.

Member Pitches for Indicator of School Quality and Student Success: *Note: The following ideas are solely produced by the stakeholders mentioned and presented as talking points for this session. The NJDOE does not officially endorse any ideas put forth by these or any individuals or their organizations in this exercise.

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Phil Brown, NJ Alliance for Social, Emotional and Character Development, offered a presentation on school climate measures in support of using a school climate perception assessment for performance reports. Phil shared research on how positive school climate decreases student absenteeism, lowers rates of suspension, decreases violent behavior and increases academic success. Bob Morrison, NJ Arts Education Partnership, presented on behalf of access to visual and performing arts as an accountability measure and a lower student to art teacher ratio. Bob described the importance of access to the arts and discrepancies in how that access is currently being measured. He suggests that the number of students in high school taking an arts class would be a valuable indicator, because right now schools can comply with arts education mandates by taking an average of access. He continues that access to arts is an equity issue, and all students deserve the opportunity. Sean Hadley, NJEA, spoke on behalf of an indicator index that includes quality staff, academic success, materials and resources, supports and engagements, career readiness, and safe and healthy schools. Sean speaks on how this index would be for later implementation, but that no one indicator can possibly measure the quality of a school when students deserve schools that offer all of these indicators. Sean encourages the State and members to think outside of the box, because such an index is possible. Pat Tumulty, NJ Library Association, spoke on behalf of collecting data for who has access to a school media program and including information literacy in the curriculum. Pat described the importance of access to media professionals and the importance of teaching students how to find and use quality information in the age of the internet. Cynthia Rice, Advocates for Children of New Jersey, spoke on behalf of chronic absenteeism as in accountability indicator. Cynthia described how chronic absenteeism could be a symptom for many issues that schools want to tackle, such as student health and wellness, academic achievement, and student and family engagement. Cynthia noted that chronic absenteeism is already collected and can indicate the need for support in the above mentioned areas. Melissa Tomlinson, Bada** Teachers Association, spoke on behalf of phasing in indicators that will measure the teacher workplace environment. Melissa explains that healthy and productive teachers are one of the most important factors for student success, and school climate should measure teacher and staff wellbeing as well as student wellbeing.

If you would like to share more information about your pitch with the group, please send amendments and additional information to [email protected].

Group Breakout Activity: Prioritizing and Defining Accountability Indicators Indicators are sorted based on individual group decisions. Repeated indicators show different ideas of when and where the indicator belongs for implementation.

Indicators marked with an * show that data is either not collected or can’t be measured as it’s stated. Note, time is reserved at the 11/4 meeting to further clarify this demarcation. This information was compiled from the member-created charts and explanations by their presenters. Lists are sorted by most mentioned from the top. Accountability Indicators: School Year 2016-17 • Chronic absenteeism • High quality staff as defined by certified teachers in their area of certification • Professional development opportunities* (including mentoring) • Early childhood education* • Suspension and expulsion rates • Social emotional development, defined as: • Suspension and expulsion • Referral to law enforcement • Bullying* • School climate (defined as student-teacher ratio)

Performance Report Indicators: School Year 201617 • Access to highly qualified teachers • Any measure of social emotional learning • School climate (defined as survey) • Access to pre-k program • Access to resources, defined as: • Facilities • Supplies • Academic enrichment • Before and after school programs • Access to full-day kindergarten • Breadth of curriculum (including media programs, the arts) • Access to non-academic resources and support services (nurses, social workers) • Family engagement • Teacher attendance • Career and technical education • Dual and concurrent enrollment programs

Accountability Indicators: School Year 2017-18 and beyond • School culture and climate, defined as: • student expulsion • suspension rates • dropout rates • Full day Kindergarten • Access to pre-k program • Access to clean, updated facilities* • Access to before/after/summer school enrichment programs • Adequate funding • Student health and wellness (defined as access to nurses, social workers and counselors) • Indicator index (mentioned by NJEA) • Equitable access to required programs and services • School climate student data Performance Report Indicators: School Year 201718 and beyond • Social Emotional Learning and Development • Materials and resources • School library programs and information literacy curricula • Professional development opportunities • Updated materials • Breadth of curriculum • Access to highly qualified staff • Access to full day kindergarten • Workplace environment • Access to pre-k program • Access to and evaluation for student support services, including gifted and talented students • School climate and culture (defined as engagement and measures of positive student, staff and family interactions) • Adapting Indicator 8 from IDEA

Indicators not specified by year or type: • School climate (ex: assessment) • Chronic absenteeism • Access to pre-k program • Full day kindergarten • Community engagement • Access to and participation in support personnel (ex: certified nurses, counselors, psychologists) • CDC’s school health index • Access to and promotion of physical activities • Student mobility/ community school utilization rates • Suspension and expulsion rates • Breadth of curriculum (including arts, sciences, industrial and home economics, etc)