Share Your Voice in the Development of NJ’s Next State Assessment! 

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NJDOE seeks School Leader Expertise for Working Groups on Standards and Assessments – Sign up Today!

 

The NJ Department of Education is seeking experienced school leaders to participate in working groups tasked with the job of helping the Department develop New Jersey’s next generation assessment for the 2020-21 school year, as well as working groups to develop instructional units in English Language Arts and Mathematics.  This statewide effort reflects the Department’s commitment to build a coherent system of high-quality academic standards, instructional units and aligned assessments, a direction fully endorsed by NJPSA.

These working groups will focus on three NJDOE initiatives for the 2018-19 school year:

  1. The review and revision of the 2014 New Jersey Learning Standards;
  2. The creation of instructional units in Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA); and
  3. The second phase of outreach regarding the next generation of state assessments.

The Department is seeking educators with diverse educational experience to serve on these working groups, particularly those with experience in:

  • School context (e.g., K-12, higher education, urban/suburban/rural, north/central/south)
  • Content expertise
  • Years of teaching and/or administrative experience
  • Role (teachers, teacher leaders, supervisors, principals, curriculum directors, data analysts, testing coordinators)

The Details

  1. ELA and Mathematics Instructional Units

During the 2018-19 school year, individuals with content expertise in English Language Arts and Mathematics will be invited to work with Department experts to participate in professional learning and then to develop K-12 instructional units based on the 2016 New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS). This work will be done jointly with the Partnership for Collaborative Professional Learning, which will provide training on the Connected Action Roadmap process.

It is anticipated that individuals with teaching experience in English Language Arts and Mathematics will engage in approximately 10 face-to-face sessions, with possible additional time as may be needed for virtual sessions or individual work.

Individuals interested in being considered for the English Language Arts and Mathematics instructional units initiative should request their principal or superintendent complete this Statement of Assurance, answer these survey questions and send a resume to standards@doe.nj.gov by November 6, 2018.

  1. Standards Review Initiatives

Educators with content expertise in K-12 Computer Science, Comprehensive Health and Physical Education, Science, Social Studies, STEM, Technology, Visual and Performing Arts, World Languages and 21st Century Life and Career Skills will be asked to engage in a review of the 2014 NJSLS and to make recommendations. The primary goal of the standards review is to ensure that the NJSLS reflect current research on what students need to know and be able to do for postsecondary success.

Individuals interested in being considered to take part in the review of the 2014 NJSLS should request their principal or superintendent complete this Statement of Assurance, answer these survey questions, and send a resume to standards@doe.nj.gov by November 6, 2018.  All applicants will be notified by email of their selection status.

 

  1. Assessment Practitioner Working Groups: Part of Phase II of Assessment Outreach

The goal of the assessment practitioner working groups is to build upon the Department’s draft framework for the next generation of statewide assessments that was established with the insights gained from conversations in Phase I, to support the development and/or procurement of the next generation assessment for the 2020-21 school year.

These practitioner working groups will focus on assessments in English Language Arts and Mathematics for grades 3-8 and high school, building on the priorities shared by students, parents, educators and content experts from around the state, which were identified in the Summary of Findings Report. For the fall and winter of 2018, participants will join working groups involved in the evaluation of assessment characteristics such as data and reporting, assessment technology, assessment types and formats. This work will occur alongside the policy analysis being done in order to further review New Jersey’s high school graduation requirements and related high school policies.

Those who are interested in participating are encouraged to complete the Practitioner Working Group Application by November 6, 2018. The application will be used to collect background information on each applicant for the purposes of placing participants into groups based on their unique areas of expertise. It is anticipated that individuals will engage in at least two face-to-face half-day sessions, with the potential for follow-up in virtual sessions. All applicants will be notified by email of their selection status. If selected, they will be provided their working group information and additional details regarding meeting times.

These practitioner working groups are just part of the NJDOE’s second phase of outreach occurring throughout the year. Information regarding graduation policy outreach is coming later this fall and the Department will provide periodic public updates on working group recommendations. An initial update is anticipated for early 2019, at the conclusion of the assessment working group meetings.

Contact Information

We hope you will consider participating or alert a colleague to this opportunity. Should you have questions regarding ELA and Mathematics instructional units or the Standards Review initiative, please contact standards@doe.nj.gov. For questions on Assessment Outreach, email assessment.outreach@doe.nj.gov.

 

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