Governor Names NJPSA Board Member Nicole Moore to Commission On Use of Student Assessments in New Jersey

Governor Chris Christie named the members of the Commission On Use of Student Assessments in New Jersey November 10.  Board Member Nicole Moore Samson was named NJPSA’s respresentative to the commission.   The Commission was established as part of EO#159 that not only reduced the weight of testing in teacher and principal evaluations but also established a Commission to examine the use of testing in New Jersey.

The Commission is tasked with presenting recommendations to the Governor regarding the quality and effectiveness of student assessments administered to K-12 students. The body is specifically tasked with ‘considering and making recommendations on the volume, frequency, and impact of student assessments occurring throughout New Jersey school districts, and on the Core Curriculum Content Standards, including the Common Core State Standards.”  The body was to include a “broad range of education practitioners.”  

The group was established after negotiations during the summer that were spurred by Legislative efforts, S-2154 (Van Drew/Gordon) / A-3081/A-990/A-2091 (Jasey/Eustace/Andrzejczak) to delay the use of PARCC in educator educator evaluation.   That legislation would have also established a taskforce, Education Reform Review Task Force, to examine the impact of the implementation of the common core and the new PARCC assessments as well as the impact of these new assessments on students and educators. 

Members Named to the Taskforce Include:

·         Commisioner David C. Hespe, Esq.;

·         Principal of Indian Mills School, Shamong School District Nicole Moore Samson;

·         Camden County College President Raymond A. Yannuzzi, Ph.D.;

·         NJ Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President of Workforce Development Dana Elizabeth Egreczky;

·         NJ School Board Association Executive Director Lawrence S. Feinsod, Ed.D.;

·         NJPTA Vice President of Advocacy Catherine M. Lindenbaum;

·         Superintendent of Jersey City Public Schools Marcia V. Lyles, Ed.D.;

·         Camden County Vocational District Educator Matthew Stagliano; and

·         Freehold Township Teacher Tracie Yostpille 

The Study Commission must issue an initial report containing its recommendations to the Governor no later than December 31, 2014. The Study Commission shall issue a final report to the Governor by July 31, 2015.