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O
FFICE OF THE
S
TATE
D
ISTRICT
S
UPERINTENDENT
Response to Information Request from The Joint Committee on the Public Schools
February 13, 2015
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Contents
Context of Challenges ............................................................................................................................... 3 Student Outcomes from 2011-2014 ......................................................................................................... 4 Educator Quality Improvements ............................................................................................................... 4 Systems Reform ........................................................................................................................................ 5
District Staffing Levels ............................................................................................................................... 7 Employees Eliminated in Last 24 Months ................................................................................................. 7 Educators without Placement ................................................................................................................... 8 Barringer Campus ..................................................................................................................................... 8 Superintendent Attendance at School Advisory Board Meetings ............................................................ 9
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Summary of Key Accomplishments
Context of Challenges
Every assessment of NPS prior to the current administration pointed to stark facts that demanded a bold
response. For example, “Great Expectations”, the strategic plan created by the previous administration and “PENN Newark”, a community engagement effort to survey families about the needs
within their schools each detailed the following challenges:
NPS was chronically underperforming
Graduation rates were just above 50% In 22 elementary schools, primarily in the South and West Ward, only 1/3 of students were reading at grade level with no discernible growth over a decade Students with disabilities were being served in the most restrictive environments, at double the national average
Families were leaving the system for charter schools
Charters were slated to grow from serving approximately 5% of students in 2008 to approximately 40% by 2016, even if no new charters were granted Ten thousand students attended charters and over 10,000 were on waiting lists District schools were serving an increasingly disproportionate percentage of poor students, English Language Learners, and students with disabilities
Facilities were literally crumbling
Newark has some of the oldest schools in the country and underinvestment had created unsafe and unconscionable conditions
NPS’ deficit was mushr
ooming as a result of charter growth and antiquated labor practices
Approximately $30 million each year was exiting the district to charters, a sum equivalent to over 300 jobs NPS is the second largest employer in Newark, with 95% of staff belonging to a collective bargaining unit. Therefore, decisions about right-sizing are made solely based on seniority
Progress
These issues were real and they existed well before the current administration assumed leadership.
Under Cami Anderson’s 3.5
-year tenure, NPS has experienced significant improvements in student outcomes. The summary that follows provides insight into major strides, organized according to the following categories: Student Outcomes from SY 2011 to SY 2014 Educator Quality Improvements Systems Reform