TRENTON – Legislation, sponsored by Senator Ronald L. Rice which would establish a new State monitoring system to ensure student proficiency in the core curriculum, was approved by the full Assembly today.
According to Senator Rice, “The New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum (QSAC) is the only system that can rewrite the present school takeover laws and ensure that children are learning what the State requires.”
“The QSAC bill would help schools like those in Newark, Paterson and Jersey City where years ago children were not making the grade and the district needed to be completely taken over by the State,” said Senator Rice, D-Essex. “Fortunately, these schools have made improvements in their performances and are ready to regain some independence.”
Senator Rice stated that, “There is no need to have schools completely taken over by the State, but without the QSAC bill other failing schools could find themselves in the same predicament that Newark has been in for years.”
The Senate bill, S-1431, and its Assembly companion sponsored by Assemblyman Craig A Stanley, A-2643, would determine the support given to a district through an evaluation that would establish where a district falls along a performance continuum. At one end of the continuum are those school districts that have demonstrated effective practices and would not need any intervention. At the opposite end are the districts that have consistently not met state standards. These schools warrant substantial improvement and require intervention, said Senator Rice.
“The present take over law in New Jersey is failing our students,” said Senator Rice. “Many of our children, especially those in urban school districts, simply do not receive the quality education they need. I know that we can do better and the QSAC system will help us identify the struggling schools early on and help us improve student achievement.”
“The Department of Education currently uses multiple accountability systems to evaluate the progress of students,” said Senator Rice. “The QSAC bill will create one single comprehensive accountability system to ensure quality. QSAC focuses on getting results.”
The bill would require each school district to be evaluated and ranked in the areas of instruction, personnel, fiscal management, and operations.
The bill now heads to the Governor’s office for enactment.
