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Board certifies 44 school districts after CUSAC reviews; members press for supports for near‑threshold districts
Summary
The State Board voted unanimously to certify 44 school districts after CUSAC evaluations; members questioned supports for districts near but below the 80% threshold and discussed interim reviews, improvement plans and alignment of interim assessments.
The New Jersey State Board of Education on Oct. 8 approved certification for 44 school districts that met department criteria following 85 CUSAC evaluations.
Department presenters said executive county superintendents completed 85 evaluations; 44 districts met the certification threshold and were recommended in the packet and posted materials. The board moved to accept the certifications; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously with no abstentions.
Board members pressed department staff for detail about districts that narrowly missed the 80% benchmark and asked what supports are provided. Department staff explained two review paths: comprehensive reviews every three years and six‑month interim reviews for districts scoring below 80% in one of five areas. Interim reviews include collaborative work with county offices, targeted professional development, and district improvement plans (DIFs) that specify strategies such as math or ELA specialists and aligned interim assessments.
A board member noted roughly half of the 85 reviewed cohorts did not meet the 80% mark and expressed concern that students may be underserved; another speaker apologized for having earlier used the phrase "failure" and said "not earning certification" is the preferred term. Department officials emphasized the review cycle is a continuum intended to identify growth areas and deliver supports rather than to label districts.
The board president asked for a motion to accept the 44 certifications; the motion carried unanimously.
Department materials listing the certified districts are posted on the DOE website and will be shown on a PowerPoint at the next meeting for public readability, the department said.
