Hot Topics, Standards, Testing, and More

The following is a listing of popular sites which feature electronic versions of popular pamphlets and brochures designed to address parents' concerns about their children's education.

New Jersey Department of Education has links to "Hot Topics" (i.e. funding, curriculum frameworks), Technology in our Schools (with links to N.J. Educational Technology Web Resources, County Technology Plans, Office of Technology Newsletter), and a Parents Guide to the Internet.

New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards describes what all students should know and be able to do upon completion of a thirteen-year public education.

Parents' Guide to New Jersey's Core Curriculum Standards
This guide was developed to assist parents/guardians in understanding what the standards are and why they were developed. It should also help parents to learn about New Jersey's assessment program and what is expected of students by the time they reach fourth, eighth, and twelfth grades.

HSPT The New Jersey Grade 11 High School Proficiency Test (HSPT11) consists of three sections-Reading, Mathematics, and Writing—and must be passed as one of the requirements for a high school diploma. Students who do not pass all three sections will receive additional instruction and will be retested on the section or sections they did not pass. The total HSPT 11 Reading, Math, and Writing scores are reported as scale scores with a range of 100 to 500. The passing score is 300.

New Jersey Grade 8 Early Warning Test (EWT)  consists of three sections-Reading, Math, and Writing—and is used as a primary indicator for identifying those students who may need instruction intervention in the three content areas. The EWT is designed to give an indication of the progress students are making in mastering the skills they will need to pass the Grade 11 High School Proficiency Test.

ESPA Elementary School Proficiency Assessment for Grade Four—Anticipated Four Year Schedule

School Report Cards 1998 School Report Cards Released  The School Report Card presents an excellent  statistical picture of every school in the state," Commissioner of Education Leo Klagholz said. "Parents and community members make a substantial investment in education. Through these reports, parents and community members can chart the progress made by the schools and discuss future activities." The School Report Card contains five main section: A school narrative that enables parents and community members to see the school through the eyes of those who work there; school-level demographic and organizational data; school-level student achievement results for state tests administered to eighth and eleventh graders, and results of the Scholastic Assessment test (SAT) and Advance Placement (AP) examinations; information about high school graduates for schools that reported Grade 12 enrollments in October 1996; district level personnel and fiscal information.

In 1994, President Clinton signed the School-To-Work  Opportunities Act which provides that states create school to work systems that contain three core elements (1) School-based learning-classroom instruction based on high academic and business defined occupational skill standards; (2) Work-based learning-career exploration, work experience, structured training and mentoring at job sites; (3) Connecting activities-courses integrating classroom and on-the-job instruction, matching students with participating employers, training of mentors and the building of other bridges between school and work.

Learn about the latest on career and employment opportunities in the Garden State and the educational preparation required for various careers and jobs. Gain a better understanding of the new vision of education in New Jersey as it relates to career development.