Funding Alert

On June 20, members of the OurChildren/OurSchools campaign joined representatives from more than 20 other NJ groups to discuss the recently released proposals of the High School Redesign Steering Committee. The HS Redesign Committee, whose recommendations have been endorsed by Governor Jon Corzine and Education Commissioner Lucille Davy, has proposed major changes in high school graduation requirements, including six high-stakes end-of-course exams that would be required to earn a high school diploma.

The meeting was convened jointly by Education Law Center (ELC) and the NJ Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools to promote awareness and discussion of the plan and to share a number of concerns about its potential impact. Educators and administrators from K-12 and college programs, professional associations of NJ’s math and science teachers, adult and alternative education programs, as well as parent, community, and advocacy groups like the League of Women Voters and the NAACP were represented.

A wide range of issues was raised about the proposals outlined in the Redesign Committee’s report, NJ Steps. Vo-Tech schools are concerned that some of the plan’s standardized requirements will squeeze out the career-related activities and electives that attract students to vocational programs. Other recommendations, like a mandate that all students pass an Algebra II exam to earn a diploma, were challenged as educationally inappropriate. See Algebra II + all high schoolers = overkill.

Urban advocates raised concerns about "capacity issues" that are inadequately addressed in the HS Redesign Committee’s report and recommendations. Currently only 35% of all NJ districts require Chemistry, less than 45% require Algebra II, and less than 70% require Algebra I, Geometry, and Biology. Moving these numbers up to 100% within eight years, as NJ Steps proposes, would require major increases in educational investment, teacher recruitment and retention. Yet the Committee proposed no new resources to support its proposals. (See NJ Missteps On Secondary Reform Plan.)

Others argued that the plan’s heavy reliance on high-stakes end-of-course testing would have negative effects on NJ’s graduation and dropout rates. According to Education Week, NJ’s high school graduation rate is now the second highest in the US. Graduation rates for African American and Hispanic students are also among the highest, despite significant gaps with white students. By contrast New York, which adopted a similar policy of high stakes testing several years ago, is ranked #40.

Concerns were also expressed about the top-down process and limited representation that has marked the HS Redesign process to date. The effort has been dominated by the participation and concerns of business and university leaders. Parent and community groups, school-based educators and others have largely been limited to asking questions at a series of public meetings designed to win support for the plan.

Besides raising concerns about the plan’s recommendations, there was considerable discussion about alternatives. Support was expressed for a broader reform effort that would include "multiple pathways" to high school graduation, performance assessment alternatives to standardized testing, and linking higher standards to the resources/programs needed to achieve them, including credible studies of their cost/impact.

The group agreed to meet again and began planning a series of activities to expand outreach, build awareness about the plan and develop alternatives to the recommendations, which are expected to go to the State Board of Education and possibly the NJ legislature this fall.