In Need of Improvement: New Jersey's Race to the Top Application

New Jersey’s grade on its application for the federal Race to the Top grants garnered 387 of 500 points – a lackluster 77 percent.

New Jersey’s application was ranked 18th out of 40 states and the District of Columbia. Sixteen states were named finalists, but only two – Delaware and Tennessee – were awarded grants in Phase 1 of the competition. However, even the winners did not win a perfect score: Delaware scored 454.6 (91 percent), while Tennessee earned 444.2 points (89 percent).

According to the review, one concern in New Jersey’s application was the “overwhelming lack of support among labor,” which has “the real and credible possibility to weaken the state’s reform agenda.”

Other areas that were criticized included the state’s longitudinal data system for improving teacher and principal effectiveness based on performance, and equitably distributing effective teachers in troubled schools. 

Strengths Noted The state received high marks for developing common standards, intervening in low-achieving schools, implementing high-quality assessments, and making education funding a priority.

Reviews of New Jersey’s application are available at the U.S. Department of Education Web site.

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