At its July meeting, the State Board of Education took action and heard updates on the following matters:
Election of State Board Officers – The State Board of Education unanimously elected Kathy Goldenberg as president. She previously served as president of the Moorestown Board of Education in Burlington County and was appointed to the State Board in 2017. Her biography on the State Board website reflects a long history of service:
- President, State Board of Education, 2019-Present
- Vice President, State Board of Education, 2018-2019
- Moorestown Citizen of the Year, 2018
- President, Moorestown Township Public Schools Board of Education, 2015-2017
- Vice President, Moorestown Township Public Schools Board of Education, 2011-2015
- Member, Moorestown Township Public Schools Board of Education, 2007-2017
- New Jersey School Board Association, 2007-2017
- New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, Voting Member, 2015–2017
- New Jersey School Board Association Legislative Committee Member, 2016-2017
- Moorestown Education Foundation, Trustee Member, 2005-2007; 2011-2017
- Garden State Coalition of Schools, 2006-2017
The last time that the State Board selected a former local school board member to serve as its president was in 2003 when Maud Dahme, a long-term member of the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional Board of Education, took the helm. Dahme’s service as a State Board of Education member spanned 1983 to 2007.
Andrew Mulvihill, a state board member from Andover, Sussex County, was elected vice-president. This is the second time he was elected to that position, having also been vice-president in 2017-2018.
Charter Schools Update – Staff of the NJDOE gave an overview of charter school approval and monitoring. The presentation also informed the State Board about the expansion, renewal and closure processes.
Assessment Update – NJDOE staff reviewed with the State Board the status of assessments in NJ. For the graduating classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022 students will need to:
- Demonstrate proficiency on NJSLA/PARCC ELA 10 and/or Algebra I; or
- Demonstrate proficiency in ELA and/or mathematics by meeting the designated cut score on one of the alternative assessments such as other high school-level NJSLA/PARCC assessments, the SAT, ACT, or ACCUPLACER as defined in the Graduation Assessment Requirements chart; or
- Demonstrate proficiency in ELA and/or mathematics by submitting, through the district, a student portfolio appeal to the NJDOE.
Announcement of Statewide Equity Conference – NJDOE staff reminded the State Board that the department will be holding its Statewide Equity Conference at the College of New Jersey on July 31. Nationally-known experts will address the conference. To register for the conference, click here.
Qualifying Scores for Principals, Administrators, Teachers to Obtain Licensure – The State Board passed a resolution updating the minimum scores needed to obtain certification in New Jersey. The updates were needed to reflect changes to the underlying standards that are included as part of the assessments