New Jersey Department of Education
Encyclopedia
The New Jersey Department of Education (NJ DOE) 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 local schools comply with state and federal laws and regulations. It also oversees pupil transportation services and directs education programs for adults and for persons who are handicapped, disadvantaged or foreign-born.
The Department employs over 900 persons and had an appropriation of $59.2 million from the state budget in fiscal 2004-05. The budget provided for $25.5 million for education grants-in-aid and $8.9 billion for state aid to education. It also appropriated to educational institutions an anticipated $821.4 million in federal funds.
The Department's agencies include the State Board of Education, the School Ethics Commission and the State Board of Examiners. It is headed by the Commissioner of Education. On January 19, 2010 Bret Schundler
was named the Acting Commissioner, and confirmed by the State Senate on March 11, 2010. After New Jersey was eliminated from the federal Race to the Top
funding program, Schundler was removed by Governor Chris Christie and Assistant Commissioner Rochelle Hendricks was named Acting Commissioner. On January 18, 2011, Chris Cerf was sworn in as Acting Commissioner.
The Department of Education publishes the New Jersey School Report Card
as part of an effort to increase school- and district-level accountability for educational progress by providing relevant data to the public that can be used to monitor and measure the performance of schools. While the format and contents of the reports have changed over time, the New Jersey School Report Card has offered the public information about each and every New Jersey school since 1995 when the Legislature enacted the reporting requirement.
The Department administers assessment tests to public school students to monitor academic progress. The New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge
(NJASK) for students in grades 3-7; the Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment (GEPA) for eighth grade; and the High School Proficiency Assessment
(HSPA) in eleventh grade.
; other facilities in Trenton with DOE offices include 1001 Spruce Street and the Mary Roebling Building, which has the facilities division on the 14th Floor, at 20 W. State Street.
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...
. The department is headquartered in Trenton
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
.
The Department is responsible for ensuring that local schools comply with state and federal laws and regulations. It also oversees pupil transportation services and directs education programs for adults and for persons who are handicapped, disadvantaged or foreign-born.
The Department employs over 900 persons and had an appropriation of $59.2 million from the state budget in fiscal 2004-05. The budget provided for $25.5 million for education grants-in-aid and $8.9 billion for state aid to education. It also appropriated to educational institutions an anticipated $821.4 million in federal funds.
The Department's agencies include the State Board of Education, the School Ethics Commission and the State Board of Examiners. It is headed by the Commissioner of Education. On January 19, 2010 Bret Schundler
Bret Schundler
Bret D. Schundler is an American politician from New Jersey. He served in the Cabinet of Governor Chris Christie as New Jersey Commissioner of Education until he was dismissed on August 27, 2010....
was named the Acting Commissioner, and confirmed by the State Senate on March 11, 2010. After New Jersey was eliminated from the federal Race to the Top
Race to the Top
Race to the Top, abbreviated R2T, RTTT or RTT, is a $4.35 billion United States Department of Education competition designed to spur innovation and reforms in state and local district K-12 education...
funding program, Schundler was removed by Governor Chris Christie and Assistant Commissioner Rochelle Hendricks was named Acting Commissioner. On January 18, 2011, Chris Cerf was sworn in as Acting Commissioner.
The Department of Education publishes the New Jersey School Report Card
New Jersey School Report Card
The New Jersey School Report Card is an annual report produced each year by the New Jersey Department of Education for all school districts and schools in the U.S. state of New Jersey...
as part of an effort to increase school- and district-level accountability for educational progress by providing relevant data to the public that can be used to monitor and measure the performance of schools. While the format and contents of the reports have changed over time, the New Jersey School Report Card has offered the public information about each and every New Jersey school since 1995 when the Legislature enacted the reporting requirement.
The Department administers assessment tests to public school students to monitor academic progress. The New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge
New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge
NJASK or the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge is a standardized test given to all New Jersey public-schooled students in grades 3-8 during March, April, or May, and is administered by the New Jersey Department of Education....
(NJASK) for students in grades 3-7; the Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment (GEPA) for eighth grade; and the High School Proficiency Assessment
High School Proficiency Assessment
The High School Proficiency Assessment is a standardized test administered by the New Jersey Department of Education to all New Jersey high school students in March of their junior year...
(HSPA) in eleventh grade.
DOE offices
The department is headquartered in the Judge Robert L. Carter Building, which has most of the DOE offices, in TrentonTrenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
; other facilities in Trenton with DOE offices include 1001 Spruce Street and the Mary Roebling Building, which has the facilities division on the 14th Floor, at 20 W. State Street.
Teachers
A Star-Ledger study of teacher salaries shows the average pay for N.J. teachers is $63,154; the median salary is $57,467 annually. Administrator salary is much larger than teachers' salaries, with 235 making more than the governor’s $175,000 salary.Sources
- Fitzgerald's Legislative Manual State of New Jersey 2005 (Skinder-Strauss Associates; Newark, New JerseyNewark, New JerseyNewark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
) - 2004 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book (Rutgers UniversityRutgers UniversityRutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
Center for Government Studies)