tracking progress engaging communities Abbott Indicators Summary Report Trenton new jersey EDUCATION LAW CENTER SPRING 2005 tracking progress engaging communities Abbott Indicators Summary Report Trenton new jersey EDUCATION LAW CENTER TRENTON Contents 1 Introduction 17 3. K-12 Education 33 Student Achievement 2 Trenton Abbott Indicators Project 18 Abbott Overview 39 High School Completion and Report 18 Opportunities for Students to Learn 41 Routes to Graduation 18 Class Size 5 1. The Community and Students 18 Programs for Children with Disabilities 43 4. School Facilities Construction 19 College Preparatory Classes 44 Abbott Overview 9 2. The Preschool Program 20 Student and Family Supports 44 The First-Round Long-Range 10 Abbott Overview 20 Early Literacy Facilities Plans 10 Opportunities for Students to Learn 21 Parent Involvement 45 Leadership 10 Program Enrollment 22 Access to Technology 45 Facilities Advisory Board 11 Programs for Children with Disabilities 22 Alternative Education and Dropout 45 Progress and Challenges 12 Curriculum Prevention 45 Progress 12 Program Quality 23 K-12 Teacher Qualifi cations and 46 Challenges 12 Preschool Teacher Qualifi cations and Supports Supports 23 Highly Qualifi ed Teachers 48 Next Steps for Education Stakeholders 12 Educational Attainment of Preschool 25 Staffi ng Patterns Teachers 26 K-12 Budget 49 Appendices 13 Preschool Teacher Certifi cation 26 General Education Funding 50 Abbott Indicators List 13 Preschool Teacher Salary 27 Supplemental Programs Funding 54 District and Community Reviewer 14 Preschool Budget 28 K-12 Leadership Letters 14 Preschool Leadership 28 School Leadership Councils 55 Acknowledgements 15 Preschool Student Outcomes 29 Abbott Advisory Council 58 About The Education Law Center 29 K-12 Student Outcomes 30 Student Attendance 30 Child and Youth Well-Being 31 School Safety ii TRACKING PROGRESS, ENGAGING COMMUNITIES EDUCATION LAW CENTER TRENTON Introduction Public education helps today’s children prepare for an adulthood when they can take meaningful roles in soci- ety, compete in the labor market, and contribute as members of their communities. All of New Jersey’s chil- dren and youth have a constitutional right to a “thor- ough and effi cient” free public education. This represents our state’s promise to all children and youth that they will receive an education that at least equips students with the knowledge and skills to meet the state’s academic standards. Until all of New Jersey’s chil- dren receive the same high-quality education, this con- stitutional promise is not realized. TRENTON Introduction Several years ago, education stakeholders We wrote this report with Trenton’s edu- recognized that children did not receive the cation stakeholders in mind. The report is a same education throughout our state. Urban tool to help them identify and support what and suburban school districts did not have is working and ensure that remaining chal- the same resources to support their schools. lenges are overcome. The goal of an equally Thanks to the efforts of education profes- sound education for all New Jersey students sionals, parents, and advocates, the state is reachable with their continued support and legislature now provides the lowest income commitment. cities with the same funding as the wealthi- est suburbs to support general education. Trenton Abbott Indicators Project and Report The poorest urban school districts are also required to undergo a series of reforms and Trenton is one of 31 urban school districts in improvements to ensure that the funds are New Jersey known as Abbott districts. The used to fulfi ll the constitutional promise. name comes from a series of lawsuits, col- Who should support these reforms and lectively known as Abbott v. Burke, in which the ensure that the schools continue to improve? New Jersey Supreme Court directed the state Everyone who cares about public education. to implement a series of interlocking remedies Schools belong fi rst to the community and designed to provide children with a thorough everyone in the community has a stake in and effi cient education.1 them. Parents want their children to have the As an Abbott district, Trenton receives best education possible. Homeowners and funding to equalize its per student general businesses support public education through education budget with the most success- taxes. Community members want to be sure ful suburban school districts in the state. that their collective investment is used wisely Trenton’s young people are also entitled to and effectively to educate the children. universal, high-quality preschool; reforms to 2 TRACKING PROGRESS, ENGAGING COMMUNITIES EDUCATION LAW CENTER TRENTON Introduction help them meet the state’s rigorous standards This is a summary version of the full figure A for academic achievement in Kindergarten Trenton Abbott Indicators Report. In it, we through Grade 12; safe, healthy, and educa- fi rst list indicators about Trenton as a com- Abbott v. Burke: New Jersey’s Framework for Urban School Improvement tionally adequate school facilities; and many munity and the students who are enrolled in other programs and services to ensure that the public schools. The remaining fi ndings they come to school ready to learn. Through are organized by Abbott remedy: preschool, orm Parity a series of indicators, the Trenton Abbott K-12 education (including standards-based Ref Fu d nd se in Indicators Report presents the status of these reform and supports for students and fami- Ba g s rd reforms and student progress to date. lies), and school facilities construction. All of a d n a S The Trenton Abbott Indicators Report the remedies we have in place in New Jersey t t S u d 2 e and three others we are releasing this year in are intended to work together to ensure a 1 n - t K a Camden, Newark, and Union City are prod- seamless plan for school improvement. They n d F a ucts of the Abbott Indicators Project at the are presented separately because they have m i l y Education Law Center. The report is written distinctive logics and requirements. S P r u e p for a wide audience: everyone with a stake in The indicators cover a broad range of s p c o h r o t o s public education in Trenton. The project goals topics about school practices and a number l n are to: of student outcomes. We break down school io ct 1. Inform people in Trenton about the status of tru practices into six “elements of effective Sc ons school improvement efforts and student out- hool Facilities C 2 comes. schooling.” Ultimately, maximizing op- 2. Engage people in Trenton in exploring and portunities for students to learn is the main discussing what is working and what still needs focus of school improvement efforts. Other to be done. elements of effective schooling are needed 3. Develop and put a plan into action that sup- ports school improvement. to provide students with these opportunities. 4. Establish a system of accountability practices These are: student and family supports, teacher that local education stakeholders can use in years to come. EDUCATION LAW CENTER TRENTON ABBOTT INDICATORS SUMMARY REPORT 3 TRENTON Introduction qualifi cations and supports, budget, leadership, figure B and school facilities. Elements of Effective Schooling Academic progress and student well-be- ing are the end products of all of the elements ACCOUNTABILITY of effective schooling. We encourage readers to view student outcomes in light of how well School Facilities all of the elements of effective schooling have been implemented. COMMUNITY CONTEXT In the full technical report (available at www.edlawcenter.org), the fi ndings from the Budget full set of more than one hundred fi fty indica- tors are presented with fi gures and more detailed discussion. We also refer readers of Teachers and Opportunities Student Teachers for Students this report to the technical report appendices Outcomes Supports to Learn for data sources and defi nitions, data collec- tion and analysis methodology, and a glossary of terms. Student and Family Supports Endnotes 1. More information about 2. We thank Fred Frelow of the Leadership Abbott v. Burke is available at Rockefeller Foundation for sug- www.edlawcenter.org. gesting this approach. 4 TRACKING PROGRESS, ENGAGING COMMUNITIES EDUCATION LAW CENTER TRENTON The Community and Students Research shows that living in concentrated poverty neg- atively affects the well-being and academic performance of children and youth. If our schools are to help all stu- dents meet the state’s academic standards and grow up to take meaningful roles in their communities, these effects will need to be countered. 1 TRENTON 1 The Community and Students Here, we present indicators of community figure 1.1 distress that inform the elements of effective Conditions of Living and Learning in Trenton schooling: At 11 percent in 2000, the unemployment rate is almost twice as high in Trenton as it was New statewide. Municipal Characteristics Trenton Jersey In 2000, more than one in fi ve Trenton residents Population 85,258 lived below the poverty level compared to eight Female Head of Household Families With Children 17 and Under 45% 18% percent of residents statewide. That same year, Highest Educational Attainment of Adults 25 and Over more than one quarter of Trenton’s children were from families earning below the poverty Less Than High School Diploma 38% 18% level compared to 11 percent throughout New Diploma or GED 32% 29% Jersey. Some College 21% 23% In 2002, the violent crime rate was more Bachelor’s Degree 6% 19% than four times higher in Trenton than it was throughout the state. Graduate or Professional Degree 3% 11% Labor Force Participation 57% 64% The students who attend the public schools Unemployment Rate 11% 6% refl ect the families who live in Trenton. Median Household Income $31,074 $55,146 Their unique characteristics inform the Population Below Poverty Level 21% 8% educational content, the staff needed to teach Population 17 and Under Below Poverty Level 27% 11% and support teaching, the space and facilities Rent-income Ratio 28% 26% in which teaching and learning occur, and the Renter-occupied Housing 55% 34% leadership that guides the whole educational Vacant Housing 13% 7% process.