State Board of Education Adopts Resolution Recognizing CTE Month and Acts on Other Items

At its February meeting, the New Jersey State Board of Education heard updates and took action on the following items:

• Resolution in Recognition of Career and Technical Education Month in New Jersey: The board adopted a resolution recognizing February as CTE month and honoring  the teachers, administrators, and school counselors involved in career and technical education that help more than 143,000 secondary and postsecondary students in New Jersey.  The commissioner also reported out on various CTE programs around the state.

• Accepting Donated Funds: The State Board passed a  resolution accepting donated funds for the benefit of the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf to use for student activity funds, which are for the sole use of supporting student activities such as field trips, yearbooks and student clubs.

• School District Operations: The State Board proposed new rules to include participation in a civic event, up to one day per year for students in grades six through 12, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:36- 33.2, in the list of state-excused absences. The proposed amendment will permit a state-excused absence once per year for students in grades six through 12 who attend a civic event.

• Standards and Assessment: The State Board began discussions on proposed amendments to streamline and clarify rules, procedures, and operations, and update terminology concerning standards and assessment. These rules describe a statewide system of education that prepares students for college, career, and life in an information-driven economy, with a focus beyond basic skills to critical thinking, problem solving and creativity. The rules describe the several mechanisms that have been created to advance this purpose, including the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in the nine content areas, benchmarked indicators that clarify student achievement goals, and 21st-century themes and skills integrated across all subjects. The statewide assessment system measures progress toward meeting the NJSLS in English language arts, mathematics, and science.