At its October meeting, the State Board of Education announced the 2020-2021 Teacher of the Year. A separate story on the announcement was published in School Board Notes here.  

The State Board also took action and heard updates on the following items:  

Update on Paterson Return to Local Control—The State Board heard an update on Paterson’s transition to local control. Paterson first began its transition to local control in October 2018. On Jan. 9, 2020, the New Jersey Department of Education presented the first of three transition reports to the State Board regarding Paterson Public Schools implementation of the approved transition plan under N.J.A.C. 6A:30-7.2.

The report expressed optimism that the district was making sustainable progress in its efforts to regain full local control.  

Report of the Permanent Student Representative, Sabrina Capoli—The student representative spoke about the importance of peer anti-bias training that she received through the Anti-Defamation League. More information on the anti-bias training programs may be found here.

Resolution in Recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month—The State Board passed a resolution recognizing the lasting impact that Latinx New Jerseyans have had on our state, including participating in public service, making innovations in our economy, revolutionizing STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) pathways, excelling in education, enriching the arts and humanities, and calling for social change. The full text of the resolution can be found here.