On Aug. 28, the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) posted Guidance on Complying with Executive Order 175, along with a new “Statement of Assurance,” which replaces the previously required “Attestation,” a document that NJSBA told the state raised serious concerns.
Executive Order 175 allows school districts to begin the academic year on an all-virtual basis if health standards cannot be met. The guidance document contains links to forms required for the submission of school district reopening plans.
In addition, it addresses the length of the school year and school day, the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program, while noting that student growth data from standardized assessments will not be used for educator evaluations for the 2020-2021 school year.
The NJDOE posted a new “Statement of Assurance,” to be completed by district superintendents as part of the school reopening plan process. The Statement of Assurance replaces the “Attestation,” a previously required document about which the New Jersey School Boards Association and the New Jersey Association of School Administrators raised serious issues.
The documents were posted in NJSBA’s COVID-19/School Restart Center on Aug. 29.