Camden City Public Schools
Encyclopedia
Camden City Public Schools is a comprehensive community public school district
that serves students in prekindergarten through twelfth grade from the city of Camden
, New Jersey
, United States
. The district is one of 31 Abbott District
s statewide.
In 2003, Bonsall Family School, Camden High School and East Camden High School were identified as three of the seven "persistently dangerous" high schools in New Jersey.
As of the 2007-08 school year, the district's 33 schools had an enrollment of 13,102 students and 1,027.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.8.
The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education
as being in District Factor Group "A", the lowest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.
in 2003 as one of 25 schools selected statewide for the First Annual Governor's School of Excellence award.
) are:
Preschool
Elementary schools
Middle schools
High schools
. The editorial, titled "Children of Camden get short end of the pencil," asserts that Camden school officials obtain unjustified bonuses while Camden schoolchildren have few resources.
In early 2006, allegations were also made that school officials had altered standardized test scores to improve Camden's national school ratings. "We know that, with respect to the test scores, those scores were not legitimately achieved," says Lucille Davy, New Jersey's acting commissioner of education. "There was manipulation of the process."
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
that serves students in prekindergarten through twelfth grade from the city of Camden
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The district is one of 31 Abbott District
Abbott District
Abbott districts are school districts in New Jersey that are provided remedies to ensure that their students receive public education in accordance with New Jersey’s state constitution. They were created in 1985 as a result of the first ruling of Abbott v. Burke, a case filed by the Education Law...
s statewide.
In 2003, Bonsall Family School, Camden High School and East Camden High School were identified as three of the seven "persistently dangerous" high schools in New Jersey.
As of the 2007-08 school year, the district's 33 schools had an enrollment of 13,102 students and 1,027.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE
Full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent , is a unit to measure employed persons or students in a way that makes them comparable although they may work or study a different number of hours per week. FTE is often used to measure a worker's involvement in a project, or to track cost reductions in an organization...
basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.8.
The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education
New Jersey Department of Education
The New Jersey Department of Education administers state and federal aid programs affecting more than 1.4 million public and non-public elementary and secondary school children in the state of New Jersey. The department is headquartered in Trenton.The Department is responsible for ensuring that...
as being in District Factor Group "A", the lowest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.
Awards and recognition
George Washington School was recognized by Governor Jim McGreeveyJim McGreevey
James Edward "Jim" McGreevey is an American Democratic politician. He served as the 52nd Governor of New Jersey from January 15, 2002, until he resigned from office at 11:59 pm on November 15, 2004. His term was set to expire on January 17, 2006...
in 2003 as one of 25 schools selected statewide for the First Annual Governor's School of Excellence award.
Schools
Schools in the district (with 2007-08 enrollment data from the National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
) are:
Preschool
- Early Childhood Development Center (156 students)
Elementary schools
- Bonsall Elementary School (597)
- Catto Elementary School (443)
- Cooper's Poynt Elementary School (578)
- Cramer Elementary School (568)
- Forest Hill Elementary School (350)
- R.T. Cream Family School (589)
- Davis Elementary School (566)
- Dudley Elementary School (309)
- Lanning Square Elementary School (275)
- McGraw Elementary School (336)
- R.C. Molina Elementary School (578)
- Parkside Elementary School (195)
- W.F. Powell Elementary School (186)
- H.C. Sharp Elementary School (358)
- Sumner Elementary School (459)
- Washington Elementary School (314)
- J.G. Whittier Elementary School (222)
- U.S. Wiggins Elementary School (450)
- H.B. Wilson Elementary School (263)
- Yorkship Family School (598)
Middle schools
- East Camden Middle School (359)
- Hatch Middle School (501)
- Morgan Village Middle School (423)
- Pyne Poynt Middle School (381)
- South Camden Alternative Middle School (55)
- Veterans Middle School (403)
High schools
- Brimm Medical Arts High SchoolBrimm Medical Arts High SchoolDr. Charles E. Brimm Medical Arts High School is a four-year magnet public high school with a "break the mold" vision focused directly on medicine, dentistry, nursing, allied health professions and other ancillary health care areas...
(260) - Camden High SchoolCamden High School (New Jersey)Camden High School is a four-year comprehensive community public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from the city of Camden, New Jersey, United States. The school is part of the Camden City Public Schools, which is classified as an Abbott District. The school,...
(1,339) - Creative Arts High School http://www.creativeartshs.org/ (153)
- Woodrow Wilson High SchoolWoodrow Wilson High School (New Jersey)Woodrow Wilson High School is a four-year public high school in Camden, in Camden County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades as part of the Camden City Public Schools....
(1,117) - MetEast High School http://www.camden.k12.nj.us/apps/temp.jsp?rn=7536 (79)
Criticism
In the 2000s, the Camden school system was labeled as corrupt by some individuals; a July 6, 2006 editorial written by Sherry Wolkoff appeared in The Philadelphia InquirerThe Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer is a morning daily newspaper that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area of the United States. The newspaper was founded by John R. Walker and John Norvell in June 1829 as The Pennsylvania Inquirer and is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the...
. The editorial, titled "Children of Camden get short end of the pencil," asserts that Camden school officials obtain unjustified bonuses while Camden schoolchildren have few resources.
In early 2006, allegations were also made that school officials had altered standardized test scores to improve Camden's national school ratings. "We know that, with respect to the test scores, those scores were not legitimately achieved," says Lucille Davy, New Jersey's acting commissioner of education. "There was manipulation of the process."
Administration
Core members of the district's administration are:- Dr. Bessie LeFra Young, Superintendent
- David Shafter, Interim Business Administrator / Board Secretary
External links
- Camden City Public Schools
- Data for the Camden City Public Schools, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...