New Jersey

While choices for parents most in need are growing, special-interest-influenced groups have stood as barriers to widespread choices across the state. Combined with a low teacher quality index, and little power to affect school boards, power is just a word for parents in this otherwise Garden State.

The state permits parents some public school choices within their districts and between districts, but only in choice districts, limiting their options.

SOURCE: The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice

New Jersey has an average charter school law. Its biggest problem is that only the state can approve charter school applications. While New Jersey initially approved many charter school applications, many of these schools never opened because of district opposition and the state chose not to step in to advocate for the schools it had authorized.

SOURCE: The Essential Guide to Charter School Law 2013 National Ranking and Scorecard

New Jersey’s first statewide virtual charter opened in the 2012-13 year. Restrictions on enrollment and barriers to student access keep this state’s overall grade from Digital Learning Now an F.

SOURCE: Digital Learning Now!

New Jersey requires annual evaluations of all its teachers, including student growth, although value-added growth is prohibited from being the dominant factor. Teachers and principals hired after 2012 are eligible for tenure after four years. Ineffective classroom performance can be a ground for dismissal in New Jersey, however, seniority still applies when making layoff decisions.

Except for a minimum state salary, New Jersey school districts can develop policies to increase pay for teachers based on other measures besides years served through negotiations with local collective bargaining units.

SOURCE: National Council on Teacher Quality

Information is parent-friendly and accessible on the state’s website. Report cards are easy to read and understand, and charter school options are also provided. New Jersey’s local school boards are typically elected in the 3rd week of April. But there are major variances among the 551 districts that appoint or elect their boards, making it cumbersome for parents to know who’s really in control and when/how to hold them accountable at election time.