Annual Report of Progress

The Public Schools of Jersey CityDr. Charles T. Epps, Jr.

State District Superintendent of Schools

January 4, 2006

Priority Area 1:Accountability and Compliance

Goals: 1.1 Meet Student Performance Standards 1.2 Improvement in Lowest Performing

Schools 1.3 Reduce “Achievement Gap” for ELL

and Special Education Students

1.1 Performance for Total Students, 2004-05

GRADE/AREA 2004 2005 DIFFERENCE

Gr. 3 LAL 63.6 73.8 +10.2

Gr. 3 Math 52.9 68.8 +15.9

Gr. 4 LAL 66.1 71.7 +5.6

Gr. 4 Math 55.8 63.2 +7.4

Gr. 8 LAL 49.9 56.0 +6.1

Gr. 8 Math 42.7 42.9 +0.2

Gr. 8 Science 46.7 53.3 +6.6

Gr. 11 LAL 64.0 63.1 -0.9

Gr. 11 Math 42.7 49.6 +6.9

Student Performance, 2002-2005 4th Grade

LAL +10.4%; Math + 21.3%

8th Grade LAL +7.4%; Math + 3.7%

12th Grade LAL + 4.3% Math +10.5%

Continue to Exceed State Standards in Student Attendance at 93.3% for 2005

Continue to Exceed State Standards in Student Dropout Rate at 8.3% for 2005

1.2 Improvement in Lowest Performing Schools, 2004 to 2005

Students in Lowest Performing Schools improved in…

4th Grade LAL, by an average of 8.5% vs 5.6% for the District

4th Grade Math, by an average of 15.0% vs 7.4% for the District

8th Grade LAL, by an average of 11.3% vs 6.1% for the District

8th Grade Math, by an average of 3.4% vs .2% for the District

8th Grade Science, by an average of 7.6% vs 6.6% for the District

1.3 Closing the Achievement Gap with General Education for SPED and ELL Students, 2002-05

Special Education Grade 4 LAL, 51.0%

to 43.0% Grade 4 Math, 31.9%

to 25.7% Grade 8 LAL, 56.8%

to 56.1% Grade 8 Math, 50.1%

to 44.3%

ELL Grade 4 LAL, 34.6%

to 31.0% Grade 4 Math, 27.5%

to 20.6% Grade 8 LAL, 52.5%

to 63.5% Grade 8 Math, 31.9%

to 40.4%

Priority Area 2:Professional Effectiveness

Goals: 2.1 Implement “Job-Embedded” Staff

Development Program 2.2 Recruit, Retain, Support Highly Qualified

Staff 2.3 Identify, Mentor, Train School Leaders

2.1 Job-Embedded Staff Development“Every Teacher a Specialist”

Focus on Teacher Mastery of Content in Literacy, Math and Science

Continuous and High Quality Training for Staff at All Levels

From August Anticipation to September Survival to Faceoff and Project PREP

Minimize Loss of Student Instructional Time

“Coaching” in Real Time: Every Day An Occasion to Learn

Language Arts, K-3: 1,444 Days of Aussie Coaching, Plus 900 Days for Reading First and 2,366 Days by District Coaches

Math: 120 Days of Aussie Coaching, K-2, Plus 2236 Days by LL Teach in Grades 3-6

Integrated Curriculum: 238 Days of Co-Nect coaching in Grades 4-5

IDE: 72 Days by District Coaches in Grade 9

2.2 Recruit, Retain, Support Highly Qualified Staff

90% of Teaching Staff is Highly Qualified

98% of Teachers Completed 100 Hours of Cycle I Professional Development

Of Concern: Recruitment of Math, Science and Special Education Teachers

Of Concern: Retention of New Teachers

2.3 Identify, Mentor, Train School Leaders ECLIPSE: Educational

and Collaborative Leadership Institute for Principals and Supervisors

Over 188 Completions Since 2002

72 Alumni Placed in Administrative Positions

I LEAD: Institute of Legal Education for Administrators

Advances Equity and Achievement in Schools

40% Reduction in Cases Filed (From an average of 118.5 /Yr to 72)

Priority Area 3:Foundations for Learning

Goals: 3.1 Provide a Well-Planned, High Quality

Pre-School Program 3.2 Implement Intensive Early Literacy

Program and Mathematics Initiative 3.3 Establish Smaller Learning

Communities at Secondary Level

3.1 Pre-School Program, 2004-05 Ongoing Community Outreach and Family

Support

2183 Three Year Olds and 1848 Four Year Olds Served, for a Total of 4031 Students

Services Provided at 93 Locations, Including 27 District Sites and 66 Provider Sites

Follows High/Scope Educational Model

Provides Inclusion, ELL, and Transition Services

3.2 Intensive Early Literacy Program and Math Initiative

Early Literacy “Balanced Blocks”

Instructional Framework

Individualized Assessment Practices

Extensive Staff Training and Support

Move to MG Literacy

Mathematics Standards Based,

Inquiry Focused Now 60 Minutes for

Grades K-2, and 90 for Grades 3-5

Restructured Middle Grades Curriculum

Algebra in Grade 8

3.3 Smaller Learning Communities Participate in NJDOE Secondary Initiative Already Moving Toward SLC; Freshman

Academies in all 4 Comprehensive HS Currently, 20 Magnet Programs Serve

1,965 Enrolled Students at 4 High Schools Academic Program in Each Comprehensive

HS; Enrollment Now at 101; All Taking Honors Courses

Priority Area 4:Student Support

Goals: 4.1 Increase Student 4-Year Retention

Rate in Grades 9 Through 12 4.2 Provide an Integrated

Social/Behavioral Support System to Address Issues that Impact Student Learning and Adjustment to School

4.3 Develop “All Inclusive” Schools

4.1 Student 4-Year Retention Rate in Grades 9 Through 12 Rises from 49% to 69%

40.0%45.0%50.0%

55.0%60.0%65.0%70.0%

93-97

94-98

95-99

96-00

97-01

98-02

99-03

00-04

01-05

4.2 Integrated Social/Behavioral Student Support System

School Uniform Policy at 98% Compliance 15 Together , Jumpstart , Carpe Diem

and STARS Provide Transition and Support Services

Character Ed National Demonstration Site Diversity as Strength: 75 Different

Language Groups…Each with Something Important to Say

4.3 “All Inclusive” Schools All District Schools are AIS 1661 Special Ed Students - 35.3% -Spend 80%

+ of Time in General Ed Classes 1363 Special Ed Students - 30.4% - Spend 40-

80% of Time in General Ed Classes Out-of-District Placements Reduced by 38

Students 21 Students Returned From OOD Placements

Since 2004

Priority Area 5:Systems and Operations

Increase Capacity of District and All Schools in Data-Driven Decision Making

Develop and Implement a Facilities Master Plan Based Upon Identified Student Need and School/Community Vision

5.1 Capacity to Access, Use Data The Co-Nect Data Project: Tools and Training

for the Analysis and Use of Data to Inform Instruction in the Classroom; “Data Teams” in all schools, with 206 Days of On-Site Coaching Provided

The Data Warehouse: Collection and Storage of Student/Staff/District Information in a “Relational Database”

Application of Web-Based “Business Intelligence” Solutions to Support the Educational Enterprise

5.3 Facilities Master Plan, 2005-10 Five New High Schools: Liberty, Medical

Arts, Construction Trades, Visual/Performing Arts, SLC Comprehensive; Renovate Five

Six New Middle Schools; Renovate Three Replace Seven Elementary Schools;

Renovate Twenty Thirteen New Early Childhood Centers