New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the nation, with the exception of the District of Columbia. Its 1.3 million students constitute nearly one-third of the Mid-atlantic Region's students. It has 2,298 schools and 616 districts.
New Jersey's three largest districts are Newark (with 43,000 students), Jersey City (31,000), and Paterson (about 26,000), all of which are located just outside of New York City. A 1998 state Supreme Court decision (Abbott vs. Burke V) led to state takeover of three low-performing districts and the creation of a broad-based educational reform in thirty high-poverty urban districts known as the Abbott Districts.
Eight percent of New Jersey's students (about 100,000) attend rural schools, many of which are very small. Enrollment for the smallest districts ranges from only 33 to 71 students.
Key Resources at NJ DOE
· NJDOE main website
· New Jersey reference for No Child Left Behind
· NCLB statutes, regulations, guidance and reports
· NCLB accountability
· NJ school, district and state NCLB report cards
· NJ academic and professional standards
· NJ department of assessment and evaluation
· NJ office of Title I
· NJ division of Abbott implementation
· NJ Title I accountability-school and district improvement
· NJ burea of bilingual/ESL education
· NJ highly qualified staff
· NJ district improvement initiative (NJ QSAC)
NJ Department of Education (NJDOE) Initiatives to Meet Key NCLB Requirements
· NJ standards, assessments, and curricula
· NJ single accountability system, AYP and AMAO targets
· NJ statewide technical assistance system