Every Student Succeeds Act New Jersey State Plan Draft Proposed February 15, 2017 New Jersey DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Table of Contents From the Commissioner ............................................................................................. 3 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 4 Section 1: Long-term Goals ....................................................................................... 8 Section 2: Consultation and Performance Management ..........................................18 2.1 Consultation ................................................................................................................... 18 2.2 System of Performance Management ............................................................................ 24 Section 3: Academic Assessments ...........................................................................36 Section 4: Accountability, Support, and Improvement for Schools ........................40 4.1 Accountability Systems ................................................................................................. 42 4.2 Identification of Schools ................................................................................................ 68 4.3 State Support and Improvement for Low-performing Schools...................................... 72 Section 5: Supporting Excellent Educators .............................................................79 5.1 Educator Development, Retention and Advancement ................................................... 79 5.2 Support for Educators .................................................................................................... 81 5.3 Educator Equity ............................................................................................................. 87 Section 6: Supporting All Students ........................................................................104 6.1 Well-Rounded and Supportive Education for Students ............................................... 104 6.2 Program-Specific Requirements .................................................................................. 116 Appendices: A. Interim Goals B. Stakeholder Feedback Index C. Educator Equity Data D. PARCC Results E. AchieveNJ Standard Setting Report F. English Learner Entry and Exit Criteria 2 New Jersey DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION From the Commissioner Dear students, parents, educators, policy makers and broader school community members, With this letter, I am encouraging you to review and provide feedback on New Jersey's draft state plan under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) staff and I deeply appreciate and hope to continue the meaningful conversations we have had with you and your fellow stakeholders about what type of schools each and every one of our students deserves. As you consider the draft, which will be finalized and submitted by April 3, 2017, please recognize that the policies included here are just pieces, albeit important pieces, of our broader education work in New Jersey. The following themes emerge throughout the plan, as they align with our overall efforts to ensure all of our students have access to the high-quality schools we envision for them. Students and their well-being are at the center of all of NJDOE’s work. The policies already in place in New Jersey and those set forth in this state plan recognize it is NJDOE’s role to set high standards for all of our students, identify gaps and, with data, policies and flexible federal funding mechanisms, empower school districts and school communities to identify the unique needs of their students and help them achieve and excel beyond the high standards. NJDOE recognizes that school district and school communities are best positioned to identify the unique needs of students. When stakeholders were asked what aspects of schools are most important, the answers were varied, but important themes emerged. For instance, stakeholders throughout the state indicated they want all students to have educational experiences that challenge them to reach their greatest potential. Stakeholders said they also expect schools to provide welcoming, safe, healthy and captivating learning experiences that support the whole child’s development. Recognizing the tremendous diversity of student populations and priorities in the state’s 2,500 schools, NJDOE set forth policies in the state plan that provide schools and districts the flexibility to prioritize what their unique student populations need to be provided with well-rounded educational experiences. There must be a relentless focus on ensuring all students, particularly those in historically disadvantaged subgroups, have equal access to high-quality educators and educational experiences. Despite the many changes enacted in ESSA, the law still requires all state agencies, school districts and schools to identify gaps or places where historically disadvantaged students are not making the progress they need to graduate high school ready for college and careers and to use ESSA funds for the explicit purpose of closing the identified gaps. This aligns perfectly with New Jersey’s collective expectation that all students, regardless of race, economic status, zip code, language or disability, have access to challenging educational opportunities that encourage students to reach their greatest potential. In closing, I would like to reiterate how important it is for NJDOE to ensure your voices and perspectives are reflected in this plan and throughout our work because we must continuously strive to improve current and future opportunities for all of our students. I sincerely appreciate the collaboration we have experienced thus far and will continue moving forward. Sincerely, Kimberley Harrington 3 New Jersey DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Introduction I. Overview of the Every Student Succeeds Act The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was passed in December 2015 with bipartisan congressional support. It replaced the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2002 and reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965. Despite some key changes in the law, the purpose remains the same: to ensure all students have equitable access to high-quality educational resources and opportunities, and to close educational achievement gaps. New Jersey’s Consolidated State ESSA Implementation Plan (state plan) under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) - hereafter referred to as ESSA - describes some of the New Jersey Department of Education’s (NJDOE) broader work to ensure all students are able to graduate high school ready for college and career. In fact, funding from ESSA is intended to support programs, services and activities that are supplemental to the work states are already doing on behalf of students. The following pages reflect only the elements required in the ESSA state plan and are not representative of all NJDOE initiatives. II. From NCLB to ESSA While ESSA provides states greater discretion in a few key areas, the law maintains many of NCLB’s requirements. The chart below provides a brief description of some of the major requirements in NCLB and ESSA. NCLB Requirements ESSA Requirements Required states to set rigorous No change. Student standards for all students aligned Standards with college and career skills. ELA/Math: ELA/Math: Each in grades 3-8; and Each in grades 3-8; and Once in grades 10-12 Once in grades 9-12 Assessment Science: Science: Once in elementary; Once in elementary; Once in middle; and Once in middle; and Once in high school Once in high school Federal government set universal States set long-term goals for academic Long-Term long-term academic proficiency proficiency, high school graduation rate and Goals goals; states set high school English language proficiency. graduation rate goals. NCLB focused primarily on ESSA adds some discretion for states to academic proficiency rates. develop their school accountability systems. Secondary indicators included States are required to incorporate all of the graduation rates for high schools and following indicators: attendance for elementary/middle 1. Academic proficiency; School schools. Indicators were established 2. Graduation rates for high school; Accountability by federal government. 3. Academic growth or another statewide indicator of academic progress for K-8; 4. Progress toward English language proficiency; and 5. At least one other state-determined indicator of school quality or student success. 4 New Jersey DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION NCLB Requirements ESSA Requirements States annually identified schools in Changes were made to the identification need of improvement. A school was criteria, timeline and associated labels. States Identification designated as such if it failed to now identify schools in need of of Low make its annual yearly progress “comprehensive support and improvement” Performing (AYP) for two consecutive years. (overall low performance) and “targeted Schools support and improvement” (short-term low subgroup performance). Support for Federally established consequences States establish a system of support for Low each year a school remained “in need schools identified in need of comprehensive or Performing of improvement”; interventions were targeted support and improvement; districts Schools very school centered. play a more significant role in the process.