NEW JERSEY’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS GET HIGH MARKS ONCE AGAIN

New Jersey’s public schools once again received high marks in Education Week’s Quality Counts report, an annual survey of the education systems in all 50 states. New Jersey was ranked 6^th overall, receiving a grade of B-. The state excelled in the following areas:

Chance for Success

This category measures a state’s promotion of beneficial outcomes at three life stages: early childhood, K-12 education, and adult educational outcomes and workforce outcomes. NJ received an A- in this category, ranking second behind Massachusetts. This marks a slight improvement over last year when the state ranked third.

K-12 Achievement

The K-12 Achievement Index measures how well states perform in three dimensions of performance: current state performance, improvements over time, and equity as measured by poverty-based achievement gaps. New Jersey again places 2^nd behind Massachusetts, receiving a B grade. New Jersey is also one of only two states to demonstrate high marks across all three elements in the index. The state’s ranking was unchanged from 2011, but its grade increased from a B- to a B.

School Finance

The Education Week Finance Index includes eight indicators that encompass two dimensions of school finance: school spending and distribution of resources within a state. New Jersey ranks 6^th on this index and is one of seven states sharing the nation’s top grade of B+. Though this is the same grade received in 2011, the state saw a slight decline from its previous 3^rd-place ranking. New Jersey is one of only a handful of states that directs more funding to poorer school districts.

 

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Education Law Center Press Contact: 
Sharon Krengel
Policy and Outreach Coordinator 
skrengel@edlawcenter.org 
voice: 973 624-1815 x24

Press Contact:
Sharon Krengel
Director of Policy, Strategic Partnerships and Communications
skrengel@edlawcenter.org
973-624-1815, x240