Could NJ seize control of Paterson's schools again? Low test scores stoke fears
PATERSON — Recent student test scores were so low the school district had to submit an improvement plan to the state Education Department, officials revealed Wednesday night.
The poor test scores were the primary reason Paterson Public Schools fell short of the passing grade in the “instructional and program” category in the first state evaluation conducted after city officials regain control of the district five years ago.
Education advocates warned that Paterson could be at risk of going through another school district takeover by the state if local officials don’t make improvements in student performance. The last time the state Education Department took control in Paterson, in the early 1990s, it stuck around for more than three decades before leaving.
“We need to make changes,” said Rosie Grant, executive director of the Paterson Education Fund advocacy group. “We need to do something different if we want different results.”
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How does the state view Paterson's schools?
At Wednesday night’s school board meeting, Assistant Superintendent Joanna Tsimpedes gave a presentation about the state evaluation of the district conducted earlier this year. The state conducts such an assessment of every school district in New Jersey about once every three years.
Tsimpedes said Paterson topped the “passing” score of 80 in four of the five evaluation categories: a 100 in fiscal management, 95 in governance, 93 in personnel and 89 in operations. But the district’s score in instruction and program was 72, which she attributed to the student test scores.
In 2018, when the Education Department approved the return to local control for Paterson schools, the district got a score of 80 in instruction and program. But that score was based on a negotiated waiver from the state that gave the district credit in certain evaluation categories despite the poor student test numbers.
Grant, the head of the advocacy group, said she didn’t think the state would impose another takeover solely based on a failing score in one category in one evaluation. But she said Paterson could end up getting a limited state intervention if the district doesn’t improve in instruction.
“This puts us on a watch list,” she said.
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What did members of the school board say?
School board member Kenneth Simmons said he expects a limited state reaction to the recent evaluation in Paterson because the student test scores came after a lengthy virtual learning period when schools were closed because of the pandemic. Educators have said Paterson and other urban districts were hit harder in terms of pandemic “learning loss” because of the lack of technology in the district and in city homes.
The district’s improvement plan submitted to the state included the use of various electronic operating systems to give Paterson students extra instruction in math and language arts.
But school board member Manny Martinez said too often the academic interventions used in Paterson and other places are put in place in belatedly, when classes have already moved on to other lessons.
“We’re not seeing the bar move,” Martinez said in frustration.
Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press. Email: editor@patersonpress.com
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson NJ schools low test scores stoke fears of takeover
