##VIDEO ID:UOQ9bB5JeL0## e e good morning like to call meeting to order the New Jersey open public meetings Act was enacted to to ensure the right of the public to have advanced notice of and to attend the meeting of public bodies at which any business affecting their interest is discussed or acted upon in accordance with the provisions of this act the State Board of Education has caused notice of this meeting to be published by having the date time and place thereof posted in Department of Education Secretary of State's office and notice has been given to the State House Press governor's office and the state board agenda subscribes as a quum is present the meeting will come to order I have a motion so thank you motion moved in second whereas in order to protect personal privacy and to avoid situations wherein The public's uh interest might not be uh to serve the open public meetings act permits public paries to exclude the public from that portion of the meeting at which certain matters are discussed now therefore being resolved that consistent with the provisions of njsa 10 col 4-12 B the State Board of Education will now adjourn to Executive session to discuss personnel and legal matters may I have a motion motion second second thank you Motion in second um at this point we will be recessing into intive session thank you e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e whereas consistent with the provision of njs 104-1 12b the State Board of Education will nowour from executive session to resume the opening public session of this meeting I have a motion motion second second thank you all those in [Music] favor I thank you [Music] would you us [Music] ined pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God invisible with liberty and justice for all [Music] okay welcome back good morning and thank everyone for joining us today um I'd like to welcome those of you who are here in person with us in uh Trenton today um as the State Board of Education meeting is uh accessible to public reviewing on the Department's YouTube channel I would like to advise that YouTube provides readily accessible language translation options for closed caption if you are viewing uh this sest now you can use the settings option in YouTube for information about subtitles Auto transation and post captioning and multiple lands this point I'd like to [Music] um as for approval of the minutes uh from January 8th meeting second second having a motion second all those in [Music] favor any extensions I obain thank you the State Board of Education will not receive public testimony as there are no educational topics for discussion for the month of March the state board will receive public testimony on chapter 8 standards and assessment delay Barbara Mar Beth Barry Keenan and Ron butcher are scheduled to sit for testimony for March this point I'd like to move into uh the president's report um start with ucing the uh State Board of Education student representative uh we have with us once again Anna Pas Wiz a senior at Palm High School in Burlington County our advisors are Miss Kelly Jones and Miss Kim Martino I Believe Miss Martino is here with her today thank you for joining [Music] us welcome Anna um I understand you have some remarks that you would like to share with us this morning and we're ready for you to off those remarks thank thank you and good morning everyone last month the New Jersey Association of student councils for njc held their 99th annual winter conference which was a huge success the convention featured the keynote speaker elections for next year's state officers and workshops run by njc member schools over 100 middle and high schools across the state attended helping make this a great event for everyone the convention began with award presentations including middle level and high school student leader of the year as well as recognition of the top 10 projects schools planned and carried out the previous year Carlos Goa Jr a keynot speaker who is a former University administrator and CEO of cool speak a youth engagement company spoke about life learned lessons he also shared how kids can use their voice to empower themselves one of the most memorable things he Shar shared was the following no matter how difficult things are no matter how tough they may seem no matter how big the obstacle in front of you may look I need you to always remember as we move into 2025 that you never ever fight back and you always fight forward the crowd of over, 1600 students loved what he had to say some even remarking that they were brought to tears over his words the conclusion of the keynote signaled the beginning of a variety of Workshop based activities about 30 schools hosted workshops throughout the day this in and presenting the successful activities that the student council sponsored example of these workshops included presentations about public speaking Time Management Mental Health Mr High School which is a beauty pageant featuring 12th grade boys and how to host a family Fe night student L workshops push the idea of not only raising funds but also creating a way to show some school spirit and form a sense of community students who weren't involved in running workshops attended one of their choosing many left feeling inspired to share ideas and start New Traditions at their own school which is the goal of the convention while this was happening elections were held for next year's State officer positions which were chosen through an interview process at the njc's monthly meeting in December the students running for office campaigned earlier in the day as school arrived at the as schools arrived at the convention and came up with creative chance and handed out flyers to students the candidates gave their speeches during session one at the convention where student council presidents or designate for each attending school were invited to cast Val three sessions of workshops were held for students to rotate through as well as eating lunch during one of the sessions njasc also hosted a lunch a lunch on lunch on a meeting for student council advisers in the cross te encouraging the networking and Community spirit that the njasc priz itself upon advisers were also updated about upcoming events for the remainder of the school year such as an advisor Workshop to be held in March the spring Awards conference at Six Flags in May and Leadership training conference to be held in July the day concluded with a farewell address outgoing njc president manga from Kingsway regional high school and then the winners of the election from earlier in the day were announced schools were crowd to cheer on the winning candidates from North Jersey who will represent them for the following year I'm pleased to announce that next year state board student representative taking over my position in July with Ken D Rose from East bronck High School eight other state officers were elected alongsid to keep njc running smoothly in the next year overall the convention was a large success reinforcing the values that the njc strives for such as Community leadership and service the new senior officers will officially take over next week at our transition meeting to be held at BCIT westton campus thank you thank you Anna um it's always interesting to hear your a reports and especially one like like this where students are so actively engaged and invol involved in the process of representing their schools and then convening across the state share ideas about possible opportunities for planning this so thank you once again for presenting that information um any other board members like to add anything yeah just um turn it on turn it on I actually have a really loud voice but I I really I I can't thank you enough for being here and being such a great representative it's always it's amazing how quickly we were just talking how quickly the time goes um it but what an exciting time is for her moving making ahead of her next plans as a senior but having that student voice keeping in touch with what's really important um is so valuable to our board so we can't thank you enough and can you share for us I think you said you wanted his like nature but where are you planning on going do you have PL great well good luck to you I'm we're going to take every single um valuable piece of information you can share with us so thank you acting commissioner so thank you it's always good to see the incredible work of student council still continuing it sounds like an amazing conference I just want to let you know as a former student council member someday keep it up good luck thank you anyone else uh at this point like to continue with our next um item which is state board committee reports and I guess I'll be introducing myself as the instructional policy committee chairperson uh we met on January 27 205 I served as the chair um during the course of that meeting we received an overview of the Amendments that the department is proposing as um part of read-option of chapter being standards and assessment we also discussed the Department's goals for propos amendments since this item is on today's agenda at first discussion and the department will be presenting The Proposal limit and goals I will refrain from providing a [Music] home thank you uh next I would like to transition today I would like to ask the state board members to consider a ceremonial resolution designating February as as Career and Technical Education Month of New Jersey as originally designated by the Association for Career and Technical education CTE month is a time to recognize and celebrate the achievements and accomplishments of the entire CTE Community C uh e offers our students across New Jersey a wealth of opportunities including earning college credits obtaining industry recognized credentials and engaging in work based on experiences at this point I would like to ask Beth Barry to read the resolution thank you um it's an honor to read this resolution um resolution in recognition of Career and Technical Education Month in New Jersey where is the month of February 2025 has been designated nationally as Career and Technical Education Month by the associ ation for Career and Technical education and whereas teachers administrators and school counselors involved in career in technical education help more than 143,000 secondary and postsecondary students in New Jersey pursue a range of career Pathways and whereas Career and Technical education programs incorporate a rigorous academic FL coupled with highlevel technical curriculum to to deliver opportunities for students to earn college credit industry value credentials and work-based learning to be College and Career ready and whereas Career and Technical education prepars new jerseyans for the jobs that exists today and equips them with the skills employers need in the future and whereas the New Jersey Department of Education has continued to implement a variety of Career and Technical education and if initiatives including the building capacity for career Pathways exports industry career exploration and expanding career Pathways in artificial intelligence programs and whereas Career and Technical education offers opportunities for student leadership experiences supporting personal and professional growth through seven State Career and Technical student organizations currently serving 46,000 students in New Jersey through membership in future Business Leaders of America FBLA National FFA formerly known as the Future Farmers Association Association family career and Community leaders of America FCCLA Deca and Association for marketing students Health occupation students of America Osa technology Student Association TSA and skills USA now therefore the resolve state board gr of education and the acting Commissioner of Education hereby recognize February 2025 as Career and Technical Education Month in New Jersey and the potential of Career and Technical education to fully prepare students for postsecondary success thank you um board member bar um at this this point I would ask for a motion for approval of the resolution second second thank you motion by board members uh who do we have second from um at this point I would like to um ask Dr James Peterson president of the New Jersey Council of County vocational technical schools to accept the resolution and make a few brief uh remarks also in attendance will be Miss Jackie Burke executive director of the New Jersey Council for County vocational tech technical schools first of all thank you m Miss Barry that was a lot that you got in there and you got you got it all right thank you very much thank you Vice President Johnson uh members of the State Board of Education commissioner de for this resolution in recognition of Career and Technical education mon it is an honor to accept the resolution on behalf of New Jersey's 21 County vocational technical school districts and the larger CTE Community the strong support of the State Board of Education members who also serve as new jerseys State Board of Career and Technical education is one of the reasons New Jersey CTE programs are some of the best in the nation these programs offer students the opportunity learn in Hands-On real world environment taught by professionals from industry giving them a head on Career Success whether they enter the workforce directly or continue their education at a postsecondary level today CTE off CTE offerings are not the same as they were 30 years ago students have access to a wide range of programs that meet the economic needs of the state from biotechnology to Health Science to sustainable construction and thanks to the funding from the securing our children's future Bond act our schools are adding or expanding many programs in response to Industry demand including Advanced manufacturing welding Sports Medicine among many others all with state-of-the-art equipment this February as we celebrate CT month our districts are hosting special events and activities this entire month we welcome all of you to come to any one of our 21 vocational school districts dur this month or anytime you want to and you can see some of the great things that our children are doing and be very very proud uh thank you again for this honor and I also want to make sure I also shout out to our executive director Jackie Burke and our assistant uh director and thank you very [Music] [Applause] much for I'd like to have um offer um board members and commissioner opportunities to make comments just just to add to the Celebration as well I as many members of the board really uh want to S Career Technical education leaders in the state um the commissioner and I and and president Goldenberg had a chance to visit uh actually superintendent Co Diaz here uh had the chance to F visit his program in M6 County uh it's just really outstanding work that's occurring certainly M this County but across the state and it's because of the leadership by cor that we have positioned new church as being a leader in CTV programs and so because of the work that um being done at the schools and the uh graduate instead of going into the workforce that New Jersey will continue to be a leader in economic prosperity for its residents and so uh I just want to take a moment to applaud the entire CTE Community for the outstanding work and I asked uh to uh continue to send the invites because I really enjoy visiting the schools uh and I think it's an eye openening experience when you have the opportunity to sit in the classroom with students and and looking at the the programs and activities that they're engag engag with from robotics to to Theater Arts and just so many different uh uh programs and exciting faces that uh the students have when they're presenting their work so thank you for that we just want to again just take the moment to acknowledge the leadership in the CTE community so thank you thank you any other board [Music] members good morning I'd like to thank uh Dr Peterson and Miss Burke and Dr Peterson and the staff at Donald Payne votch hosted me last year for a half day and it was a wonderful experience I spent time in the culinary arts department I spent time in cosmetology I spent time in uh Woodshop architecture department and the facility is phenomenal students are learning with state-of-the-art equipment and the staff could not have been more proud of showcasing what their students are doing and I think that the CTE component takes the high school experience to a whole another level we know that there's a sequence of courses and credits and CS that students leave with but they leave with an understanding of a career that they could go into with a baseline of knowledge so we thank you and all of the staff that you work with across the state and all that we are presenting to young people that could be an alternative to a high Ed training or can just get them started as they figure out what they want to do next so I thank you for being such a great [Music] host we're going to talk more about this so I don't want to steal the Thunder but uh just two quick notes first I really appreciate this shout out for securing your children's future Bond act it's been a long time coming and starting to see the fruits of that labor it's really really great also you mentioned the col programs that if you need extra enticement to go visit you can't walk away without a stack of cookies so I very much recommend it sure just to piggy back on what's already been said uh I I get myself in trouble all the time for saying college is not for everyone and I think CTE is such an amazing and wonderful opportunity for those students who may not maybe right now have highered in in their line of sight um I also had the opportunity to be hosted by uh superintendent Wes uh at middle sex magnet um schools and I say it was amazing to me what I took away uh was that it wasn't really a classroom it was more like workshops that we went into I particularly enjoyed looking at the the one room where the construction department where they built a house that's remarkable to me and then they would take take it apart at the end and start all over again so just offering those opportunities to student um I I have lived it my husband did go through a community college and he is definitely a person who enjoys working with his hands and for the first seven years of our marriage he made a lot more money than I did um me with my million degrees um so yes this is definitely a viable opportunity for our students and I want to encourage that as much as possible colge Dad it's a ni than thank you on board member Baron just I'm going to payback on everyone else uh to the students to the staff to the parents who were wise enough to think about Career and Technical education as being so important um a big thank you that anytime you've ever visited one of the schools such exciting work you can feel it when you walk in the door um that's what education is supposed to about so um I thank you all for your efforts and this is welld deserved to keep it up there's so much more that we can do it's exciting to see the numbers of young people availing themselves to see te programs growing every year I want to see it continue um and thank you for your efforts thank you and I guess I'll get the last word uh as shared today um but uh I get a chance to get out and visit um our technical education facilities and I just really enjoy uh the the love of learning that you see when those CH when those students are uh you utilizing and putting into practice the skills and technologies that they have been able to go and uh same thing I always am able to leave with something they always invite you for lunch and and serve you deserve which uh is good way to keep people coming back so just continue to do the great work uh you know my only hope is that you know we can continue to expand opportunities I know there are so many more students that would like to Avail themselves their super and not always um you know space available so keep up the great work thank [Music] you at this point we will be moving to um commissioner report thank you vice president um so this morning we're going to continue this theme um uh spend a little bit more time celebrating CTE month um Career and technal educ Technical education plays a pivotal role in preparing our kids for successful careers as well all just mentioned and so right now thank you for joining us dror part ship and and k k who's our director of office of career Readiness and they're going to be joined by some special guests from MX County magnet school and coln high school who will share their stories that are called learn by doing and Me by Example so I'm going to turn it over to that as a really great opportunity program to see just what's going on in these SCS thank you commissioner good morning Vice President Johnson and members of the state forcation it is our pleasure to celebrate with you this morning Career and Technical education we also have a few other um people that we would like to highlight who are present today who are also leaders in the CTE program thank you Jordan um as already recognized we would like to uh additionally recognize uh Dr James Peterson superintendent ess6 County Technical Schools Mr Jorge Diaz superintendent middlex County magnet schools Mr Robert fter principal Woodbridge Academy Magnet School Miss Le nean she's the CTE director at middle sex County magnet schools Miss Allison goui the TSA state director from the College of New Jersey and uh as already mentioned Miss Jackie bur the executive director of the New Jersey Council of County vocational technical schools thank you for joining [Music] us Career and Technical Education Month is a public awareness campaign that takes place in annually in February to celebrate the value of CTE and the achievements and accomplishments of CTE programs across our country CTE is an educational option that allows students to earn industry value credentials college credit and workplace experience all while meeting State High School graduation requirements CTE educates students for a range of career options aligned to the career clusters and Pathways New Jersey there are over 77,000 secondary over 57,000 postsecondary over 4,000 adult vocational and over 4,000 state agency students participating in CTE career Pathways while many align to New Jersey's industries of focus which are construction and engineer and energy Leisure and Hospitality Life Sciences Finance healthc care technology manufacturing retail trade and transportation distribution and Logistics New Jersey students who participate in highquality C CTE programs of study delivered through career Pathways lead to careers in high skill High wage and in demand Industries Career and Technical student organizations or ctsos are an integral component of quality CTE program programs of study New Jersey recognizes and supports seven nationally Affiliated ctsos serving approximately 46,000 student leaders through membership in local chapters ctsos allow students to highlight their academic and occupational skills link learning to real world careers interact with business or industry professionals and become leaders the ctso aligned with New Jersey uh CTE programs are future Business Leaders of America or FBLA National FFA which is formerly Future Farmers of America Family career and Community leaders of America FCCLA distributed education clubs of America now known as Deca future health professionals for HOSA technology student organization TSA and finally skills USA this year the office of career Readiness has chosen the theme learning by doing leading by example to highlight the extraordinary work of CTE programs of study and the students who participate in them the office has put together a video of several students from across the seven ctsos to highlight how CTE has prepared them to be [Music] leaders yes [Music] TF enabl me to use my voice to power around and TSA has enabled me to use my voice to empower those around me in achieving fat of success in diverse fields of stem my journey through this organization at the school and state level has taught me that leadership is more than just guiding decisions but it's about amplifying voices and uplifting others Family career and Community leaders of America Empower students by developing leadership skills through family and consumer Sciences courses reaching beyond the classroom FCCLA members engage in real world CTE skills that boost confidence and prepare students for Success With both personal and professional Development Career and Technical education has been instrumental in shaping me as a leader through Deca I've gained Hands-On experiences that go beyond the classroom like organizing Community initiatives leading Statewide events and collaborating with diverse teams CTE has taught me critical skills like communication problem solving and and decision-making which I've applied to real world challenges but most importantly it's given me the confidence to step up Inspire others and create positive change in my community I'm grateful for how CTE has prepared me to Le today and for the future Career and Technical education prepares students to be leaders by equipping them with practical skills critical thinking abilities and real world experiences through CTE I've learned how to create a strategic plan and lead a team learned how important EMP is to success and developed my own confidence to empower others CTE has made me the leader I am today and so over time CTE has taught me that leadership isn't just about Standing Tall and giving powerful speeches but it's instead a personalized journey through HOSA which is a Career and Technical student organization I've learned to adapt like when the microphone stopped working at a major conference I've learned to communicate like when I stood in front of my congressman's office in DC unscripted but ready to speak from the heart and most of all I've learned to inspire simply put cth has shaped both the student and the leader that I am today as a Career and Technical education student in the culinary arts program at Mercer County Technical Schools I have developed the professional personal and workplace skills needed to succeed in the industry my leadership responsibilities as New Jersey skills USA State officer president have given me the opportunity to share my CTE experiences with students and the community Community making a profound impact on my future as a career ready leader I am currently a senior at the W Academy magnet school where I'm an active participant in the Allied Health and biomedical science program the Career Technical education program I am part of has been a transformative experience it is it has offered a Hands-On leing opportunities that have prepared me for a future in the healthcare field through the program I've gained foundational knowledge in subjects such as Anatomy physiology medical terminology and patient care more importantly I've had the opportunity to apply this knowledge through practical experience as a certified EMT for my local Squad as the State president of New Jersey HOSA ctso I have the privilege of representing thousands of students who share a common goal to make a difference in the healthcare industry HOSA is not just a student organization it's a family that Fosters leadership collaboration and a commit to Excellence I began as a leader in 10th Grade when I joined my local host's office as the underclass and representative after taking inspiration from previous leaders serving as a state board I then decided to run for president elect of New Jersey HOSA and then president through HOSA I've been given the opportunity to run countless workshops across New Jersey conferences with thousands of students when I lead I don't just hope to stand tall and deliver a powerful speech I hope to ow every time I stand up on the stage in front of the passionate hostal members and even other leaders from other states I try to emphasize the importance of making an impact on the people around us on embracing the moment I vividly remember two years ago when I stood in front of the tall wooden French doors of my congressman's office on Capital pill and we had prepared for weeks I had my statistics and my objectives and the goal that I wanted to share with my congressman all memorized but when it came to opening the War I froze but I remember my team surrounded around me telling me Arian you can do this we believe in you and this year when I served as a state president I was the one teaching my younger teammates as they open that door knob to believe in themselves to trust the process and to know that they also have the ability to grow and Empower others so in conclusion I would like to thank the board of education for your continued support of Career Technical education and student organization organizations like host as well [Applause] as individual you see before you today today I would like to speak to you about my experience in the technology Student Association as the organizations president for the state of New Jersey when I first joined TSA I was just another student looking to challenge myself with stem activities leadership at that point felt like something far beyond my reach but when I was first elected as State parliamentarian everything changed suddenly I wasn't just representing myself I was representing thousands of students across the state that realization was intimidating at first and I remember questioning if I was ready for such responsibility what I learned though is that leadership isn't about having all the answers it's about listening adapting and growing alongside the people you serve as State president I faced challenges I never could have anticipated coordinating in initiatives with a team of officers and representing over 14,000 students Statewide has pushed me out of my comfort zone whether it was planning conferences or advocating for the importance of stem literacy each experience has taught me that leadership isn't about guiding decisions it's about amplifying voices one moment that stands out is when I stood before an audience of hundreds at a state conference to deliver a keynote public speaking has always been dacing for me but in that moment I wasn't just speaking for myself I was sharing the collective experiences of every TSA member who had ever found their passion through this organization ation the nervousness melted away replaced by a sense of purpose TSA has also begun to shape my vision of the future through my transformative experiences in this organization I recognize my passion for having an impact on others as a leader and innovator as I move forward I will continue to take initiative and causes that inspire me and fight to empower others to the Educators and policy makers in this room I want to thank you your support for ctsos like TSA is what enables students like me to grow into leaders and change makers because of your commitment I've learned not just how to lead but how to lead with purpose thank [Applause] you so impressive so our people live I also want to um to recognize two people here were in the audience who I'm sure has made a tremendous difference not only so please um I believe both of your mothers are here today if you wouldn't mind standing up and being [Applause] recognized so comfortable the future of New Jersey in your hands are in the right hands and so thank you want be your presentations good question what's what's your next step for both of your seniors schools so um I want to go into business economics and public policy um I haven't committed to a college yet I'm still hearing but that's kind of my plan what's your preferred col no pressure just um well I don't want to jinx it but my top school schools are yish and Northwestern University excellent thank you hi so yeah I'm at a similar State I want to right now pursue Health policy and as well as like kind of behavoral economics and understand kind of the backend and the patient decisions that go into deciding Healthcare so that's what I want to pursue in the future and yeah as of right now I think my top choice would be uh UC Berkeley in California we'll see how it goes right schools sure again very impressive congratulations to you both one more round of applause first any other MERS coms well congratulations to both of you you're very articulate very poised and obviously very confident about what you were speaking about we the State Board of Education commend you for the sincerity with which you participated in your CTE programs and how you've taken full advantage of the opportunities to grow to learn to present and represent the other students in your organizations and so whether it's East Coast West Coast all around the town we know wherever you land you will land and do well and we're thankful that the New Jersey uh education that you've received will Propel you on your way [Applause] congratulations I too would just like to say um I am with both of you uh to come here this morning and clearly do an excellent tremendous job really representing not only your programs yourselves your family your school districts uh but once again showing how great the students are here in New Jersey allowing us to say we provide one of the best systems in our country so I wish you best of luck in uh your future governs thank you Mr so I I think you all said it very well and I won't try to say it less well um but one one thing you come well first you're a great public speaker so you've clearly overcome whatever uh hesitation you had um but just a reminder leaders don't know everything and so it's a it's a two-way street my team remember that they remind me all the time um but that's a really important lesson and to have learned it at this at this stage I think is crucial I think you both are your future leaders and that's that's the fact do the matter and uh someday we're all going to be working for you so so the future is in good hands I think you can all agree to that very nice job we know that we would not have exemplary students and Exemplar student leaders without great teachers today we recognize the partnership of the New Jersey Council of community of County vocational and technical schools led by executive director Jackie bur the council is a nonprofit Association created by state law to represent vocational technical school districts in New Jersey's 21 counties the council supports collaboration among its member school districts which offer career programs in high demand field for over 35,000 high school students as well as adults the council is passionate about inspiring industry leaders to become CTE teachers the following video exemplifies how cte's teachers lead by example before we run the video I'd like to express our appreciation to the over 100 school districts and County colleges for their continuous work they do to support our CTE teachers and students like to I'll back if you love what you do it's never work management people's education they're coming into it with nothing and one everything you I always try to recruit come to teach with me if you love what you do it's never worked you're managing people's education they're coming into it with nothing and you want to leave them with everything you can provide for them I always try to recruit come to teach with me come and be part of our team because we truly are a team here and we take such pride and we want the students to always succeed it's nice to have someone that has experience because now we could get like real life scenarios what we should expect the fact that we have someone that just to guide and support us it's really nice I still do work actively in the nursing field Feld to make sure that I'm retaining my skills speaking with the students learning from them learning with them it really truly is a rewarding [Music] experience if you love what you do it's never worked you're managing people's education they're coming into it with nothing and you want to leave them with everything you can provide for them I always try to recruit come to teach with me come and be part of our team because we truly are a team here and we take such pride and we want the students to always agencies operating an approved CTE program of study are eligible to participate in this program the legislation outlines specific criteria for recognition eligibility the department has developed guidelines upcoming information sessions and resources ources to support leas with the application submission process a due broadcast containing information for leas to participate in this award program will be released later today throughout February the department will post CTE month information on doe social media platforms including Facebook Instagram and or X we encourage secondary and postsecondary CTE districts and colleges to tag the new Jersey Department of Education in their posts for recognition the department supports CTE through various initiatives that include the building capacity for career Pathways and comprehensive schools Grant work-based learning coordinate coordinator training expanding career Pathways in artificial intelligence Grant Esports industry career exploration Grant the professional learning Workshop series which is going to be announced relatively soon on our calendar of events uh the workshops will uh be provided by one of our vendors and it was a datadriven strategies to close opportunity gaps in Career and Technical education and then finally industry valued credentials we have been working very closely with the Department of Labor to uh developing process uh for new industry value credentials to be offered in our SE secondary CTE programs we will continue to support the Strategic goals identified in the New Jersey Perkins 5 state plan to implement and maintain quality programs work-based learning career advisement and development CTE teacher Recruitment and Retention and promote opportunity and access for all Learners through collaboration and Innovation thank you so much this now concludes our presentation let's give one more round Round of Applause to all any questions um yes I had a question so I'm looking at our num so exciting 143,000 secondary and postsecondary students involved in CT in New Jersey do we have a projection where are we going next year when we read this resolution what are we projecting for CTE programs um certainly we need outstanding teachers but this opportunity is too awesome for our students all students not to be able to take advantage of with with the work-based learning initiative with um option two for kids to do internships where what is the Department's projection of where you think we're we're going within the next year annually we do make projections about enrollment increases um each year however I think it's much more important to ensure that we continue to develop greater demand through communication throughout our districts we have in each one of our counties superintendent County roundtables where the county superintendent for the votex sit at that meeting and they discuss share um help others to understand all of the offerings the work of the office of career Readiness is also supportive of expanding all sorts of different program opportunities the amount of programs that are available in New Jersey is very impressive as you know but we're looking at continuing to expand it especially through um into industry sectors that the Department of Labor tells us are burgeoning areas of fields where the demand for um for the workforce is greatest and remember our Perkins five um state plan requires that these programs of study that are approved through Kathy's office are high skill High wage in demand careers at least out of the the three of those so I think with a combination of making predictions but also much more importantly at communicating well throughout the state what are the available offerings and encouraging all those that are currently receiving perent sponsors the federal fund that support CTE programs but even those that don't and are interested in providing these programs that they have the will of all to do so and the supports from the state in order to those programs Dr Rick I your hand is up thank you vice president and and thanks uh to to everybody particularly the students who who presented this morning outstanding presentation and I think very very impression uh you know when we talk about Career Technical education we talk about the opportunities that we're trying to offer and thank you for for drawing attention uh Dr Schiff to the fact that this is a great shared service opportunity for local school districts who are willing to partner to perhaps offer these types of opportunities that might be separate apart from what can be experienced at the traditional Vocational Technical School experience as well um the market is absolutely right for opportunity and partnership and bringing students forward who are interested in progressing into VOC um it also provides an opportunity for credit acquisition at community colleges as you mentioned and I think New Jersey is at the tip of the sphere in many ways and being able to look for innovative ways to break down red tape and get students into these opportunities as quickly as possible um so I just want to commend the department and thank you everybody again for all the work that you're doing um it is unfortunate that uh we dismantled Career Technical education in public schools probably 20 25 years ago and and and made a shift there um but the truth is uh the and the reality is the careers that are available now um would have required a rebuilding anyway so I think it's a great opportunity and I just want to again thanks thanks to you and thanks to the department for putting it on everybody's radar and continuing to make these opportunities available at the local level too thank you board member or content um thank you for the presentation it's really exciting work um at our previous board meeting our student representative and presented thoughts from students on the um development of AI within instruction and within programs and um it'd be exciting to know how AI is being integrated particularly within the CTE programs I'm sure you don't have the answer in your back pocket but maybe in the future presentation it be important it'll be exciting as should say to to learn more how AI is being integrating again across the various programs particularly particularly related to CTE program and we actually do have two notice and grant opportunities that um we we recently put out to the field one was for Innovation where districts uh were encouraged to really stretch the ideas and become um a center of excellence in the area of AI integration uh in classroom exper that's one and the other is for a Workforce Development in CTE programs for AI in particular and in C yes absolutely so we had two vocational school districts that received an award uh which we call AI and CTE which uh they will develop program working with a institution of higher education alongside an industry partner that has a specialization in uh artificial intelligence uh so they going to develop a three course uh sequence of curriculum U for expanding uh this program into other schools and middle sex County magnet school is here today is one of the recipients of very exciting and when um the programs for develop um superintendent D is look forward to some updates in the future so thank you and thank you so just to to wrap it up I not only do we have these two grants just talk about AI um I mentioned previously that the securing our children's future Bond act and I I kind of made a joke about this this past I think 2018 um but now we are literally we're talking about the expansion of programs in our in our schools those schools are being built and they're coming online and it's giving capacity to our County location ational technical schools to increase and the the the design of this was actually to increase those high demand areas and so this was laser focused on expanding opportunities for our kids in those key areas so um it's really exciting to start to see these things come online and continue to grow these programs Dr I think you made a good point about how these jobs are changing and we need to evolve with them so that our students are coming out of our schools ready did the ground running on day one that includes AI Etc so this is a this is an ongoing thing and we will continue to improve as we so thanks again we're ready to move into um items for consideration and the the first item are standing uh item for appointments uh we do not have any appointments this month the second item is a certification of school districts and there are no certific on toy and this is a resolution to accept donate so to uh we're pleased to announce that the Renaissance Women's Club has donated $500 to support the health and safety needs of the students at the can SCH for the death um so we have a resolution to any questions for Dr may I have a motion for appr second Mo second vote all those in favor signify by saying I I any oppos say nay any [Music] exensions motion Carri thank you thank you thank you m president uh moving on to item D School District operation proposal today I present a proposal level the Amendments of chapter 32 School District operation this chapter is intended to assist Boards of education and School District administrators and the daily operation schools and school districts Mr Ducket and Mr R Gregory are joining us now to walk through um the latest Mr thank you commissioner good morning Mr Vice President esteemed members of the State Board just as a reminder Department proposed amendments uh and chap 32 School District operation is driven by Statute 18a 36 33.2 which allows a public school student in grades 6 through 12 have one state excused absence each year to attend the Civic event the department proposed its definition for civic events M what's in 18a Harman also proposed to add number seven to the list of state excuse advances to allow for participation in Civic events once a year for students in grades and six through 12 Harman received comments for four commenters since second discussion that are summarized in a comment and response form available on today's agenda two in support and two against one commenter and support is a student that benefited from participating in Civic engagement events and Community was happy to see that students will provided the same opportunity while there were two comments in opposition only one provided a reason why in which the commenter stated that there is already room for students to participate and Civic events should their parents desire thus they felt that this amendment was unnecessary just to reinforc this is to align the chapter to the state statute adopted in January of 2024 therefore the amendments are necessitated and at this point um executive director Gregory and I are here to answer any questions that you may have any questions [Music] from call for motion a [Music] second is there any discussion all those in favor signify say I I oppose n exensions okay thank you motion carries thank you thank you moving on to agenda item E standard assessments today I present the retion of amendments to the rules of chapter 8 which is called standards and assessment this chapter is a Cornerstone of our educational framework and ensures there's alignment between local curriculum instruction and the New Jersey student learning standards along with our state assessment system these rules are set to expire May 2025 so we've been hard of work looking at all the opportunities we have to find its impact and Provisions to make sure that it's responsive to the needs of our students today and our Educators the goal of this is clear to continue providing a strong cohesive framework that supports high quality education while maintaining a Statewide assessment system that measures student achievement effectiv so thank you for joining us again Dr shiff and Lisa AB the executive director they're going to walk you through the the Amendments that we have today and answer any questions you may have thank you commissioner Bo again Vice President John members of the State Board of Education we are pleased to join you this morning to share with you the Department's proposals for amendments to New Jersey Administrative Code chapter 68 colum 8 this chapter which implements the New Jersey student learning standards and the Statewide assessment system is scheduled to expire on May 3rd 202 we would like to Center our discussion today on the introduction and purpose of the chapter then speak broadly about the larger goals intended to be met proposed amendments we will then walk through each sub chapter and explore the proposals in Greater detail providing justification for the changes we will preserve time at the end to ensure we can respond to any questions you may have chapter 8 is designed broadly to set guidelines for the design and delivery of curriculum and instruction in New Jersey Public Schools it outlines expectations for academic content across subjects with a strong focus on developing College and Career readiness the chapter emphasizes critical thinking problem solving and Technology integration and teaching it mandates districts align curriculum assessment and instruction ensuring high quality academic opportunities and experiences for all students regulations also Define how State assessments are used to measure progress and evaluate school performance as part of this re adoption of chapter 8 the department proposes amendments to streamline and clarify rules procedures and operations and update terminology and rules to align to Provisions throughout title 6A of the New Jersey Administrative Code title 18a of the New Jersey statutes the elementary and secondary Education Act and the individuals with disabilities Education Act the department also proposes Throughout the chapter to delete rules that were effective during a limited time frame or reference defun programs this revision also highlights a focus on enhancing the alignment of instruction to student needs ensuring educate instructional programs are designed and delivered to serve all students and meet their unique needs there's a proposed emphasis on increasing access to Advanced coursework and underscoring the development of civic responsibility and informational accuracy additional overarching goals for the proposed amendments include a sharper focus on preparing students for the modern workplace the proposed revision strengthen career Readiness through a focus on Career counseling work-based learning and dual enrollment programs the proposed amendments also provide Clarity of around authentic learning experiences and individual student learning opportunities posted amendments Throughout the chapter highlight continuous Improvement this includes the introduction of accountability measures like corrective action plans for non-compliance with the New Jersey student learning standards which we will discuss in a few moments we include professional development focusing on evidence-based instructional practice uh and meeting the diverse needs of our Learners there is also a proposed focus on using disaggregated data to Monitor and improve student outcomes across various student groups in alignment with the elementary and secondary Education Act requirement we would like to transition now into specific revisions to each of the sub chapters you begin with sub chapter one General Provisions there are updates to both priorities and to terminology for example you will note a shift from the language of 21st century skills to postsecondary success as the 21st century implies future Readiness but we are well into the 21st century and these skills are current and essential maintaining the phrase may suggest that these skills are novel or aspirational rather than foundational skills that are immediately necessary for postsecondary Success similarly there are a number of terminology updates where we placed outdated terms such as indicators to Performance expectations for clarity in alignment with our current standards and guidance we are pleased to propose a stronger focus on Civic engagement ensuring students develop an understanding of their roles and responsibilities in a Democratic Society and lastly information literacy which captures the Knowledge and Skills for locating evaluating and using information effectively recent State legislation required the development of academic standards and instruction on this close to critical topic new terms have been introduced to the chapter While others have been amended or deleted we will highlight a few of the most significant proposals now the department proposes to add the term contextual learning as an update to the phrase century skills contextual learning develops skills similar to previously identified as 21st century skills such as problem solving collaboration and Technical proficiency but highlights the importance of providing learning experiences that are relevant and meaningful to students corrective action plan was added as the term is proposed in sub chapter 3 which we'll explore in a few moments and evidencebased science courses will be used in sub chapter 5 to replace laboratory inquiry based science courses which is proposed for deletion this change in turn reflects the signif the significant changes in the discipline evidence-based science courses emphasize the use of empirical evidence and the practices of science which can occur in various settings Beyond just Laboratories such as field studies computational modeling or classroom experiments laboratory based science courses may suggest and eror focus on traditional lab environments and activities potentially excluding other valuable science scientific practices modern science often relies on Technologies and methodologies that extend beyond physical Laboratories such as data analysis virtual simulations and Community Based research evidence base aligns with the Contemporary practices while laboratory base is slightly outdated and somewhat restrictive we propose to add the term information literacy pursu it to an information literacy education while it was p in 2023 the department proposes to amend the definition of portfolio appeals process by expanding the techniques and instruments to include but not be limited to the armed services vocational aptitude battery Armed Force qualifying test the asab and Q commissioner identified industry valued credential attainment and work-based learning experiences the department proposes to include the instruments and experiences as examples for students to demonstrate proficiency for graduation through this provision the department will allow students with a qualified asab score to complete a streamline portfolio appeals process to qualify for graduation please note that the traditional portfolio appeals process will also still be available the department also proposes to amend the definition of substitute confidency test by removing the phrase quote for students in the classes of 2018 through 2022 to ensure the pathway remains for students we also propose to delete the aspat because it is proposed as a component of a new pathway within the portfolio heeld process as was noted on the previous slide we also seek to replace the term structured learning experience with work-based learning to align the chapter with the New Jersey Perkin 5 state plan in section two the New Jersey student learning standards the department seeks to cify the practice of integrating statutorily mandated New Jersey student learning standards based requirements adopted between revision Cycles into the next scheduled standards revision sub chapter 3 has several proposals we would like to explore with you the first is the introduction of transparency requirements this require districts to make their curricula publicly accessible to families and communities we also wanted to increase student access to Advanced coursework this involves a greater emphasis on providing diverse educational programs including advanced placement dual enrollment and Career and Technical education program programs in the district's course offerings there is a highlight on developing curriculum which includes adjustments to address the needs of all Learners including multilingual Learners students with disabilities and gifted students attention is also given to professional learning in the training offered to Educators related to the standards we seek a strong focus on evidence-based instruction datadriven instructional practices and supporting diverse leers needs lastly the department is introduced in corrective action plan this is a new process which ensures districts must address non-compliance the implementations required in collaboration with and support from the Department we introduced a new definition in sub chapter one and now highlight two-way bilingual immersion as an allowable standards Mind program in sub chapter 3 these are programs where all students not only multilingual Learners develop World language skills through immersive instruction such models throughout New Jersey have been designated as Exemplar World Language programs based on feedback from District's attempting to start these programs the department has highlighted this option in chapter 8 to clarify that they can be implemented separately from bilingual education program requirements that are found in chapter 15 which are designated for multilingual Learners in sub chapter 4 we would like to reframe the purpose of our Statewide assessment system the purpose is to measure student progress towards the New Jersey student learning standards and ensure accountability the updated provision include alignment with Federal requirements like Esa and the inclusion of alternative assessments for students with significant intellectual disabilities we added language to provide Clarity regarding great level assessment requirements in alignment with federal and state laws we also wanted to highlight data utilization and the requirement for districts to complete disaggregated data analysis to monitor ethicacy of the programs and informed [Music] curriculums the department has proposed increased flexibility within the science crit graduation requirements to include courses that address all of the science disciplines found within the standards this confers many benefits to our students including more well-rounded understanding of how these fields interconnect reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of real world science shifting to this model will encourage students to apply their knowledge to real world phenomena and challenges fostering critical thinking problem solving and Innovation this approach prepares students for the current demand of higher education and careers particularly in stem fields in addition the explicit emphasis on Technology and Engineering and Science Education not only aligns with the standards but also ensur students are prepared for Industries increasingly driven by technological advancements and design thinking processes this more closely mirrors how scientists engineers and technologists actually work in real world and help students see the connections between different areas of science while districts may continue to offer their traditional science courses this proposal seeks to encourage and support districts to design more relevant and authentic coursework to better engage and compare students districts may elect design courses that are based on phenomenon in their local communities such as a course exploring the r Bay and its entire Watershed a course like this may be designed to meet select Earth and space science standards addressing the hydrogeology of the region physical science standards through the chemistry of oceanid ification and life science standards exploring R ecosystems in the current model this content would likely exist in three separate and distinct courses this proposed revision en encourages districts to consider taking steps to more strategically assembled the science standards into new course permutations that allow students to see the standards in the context of the real world and not in isolation we do acknowledge that this will involve close collaboration with our higher education Partners to ensure that students are not excluded from College Programs due to misconceptions about course content and titles we have strong University Partners invol the many of our grant programs that we believe can continue to offer us insights to prepare for smooth transition into college programs if our students app that sub chapter 5 features the implementation of graduation requirements a significant proposal includes the addition of rules around the individualized student learning opportunities commonly known as option two despite its inclusion in code over for over a decade its use is not well documented and the department regularly receiv receives inquiries often reflecting conflicts and local interpretations of the rules the proposed revisions include clarifications around most commonly posed questions and reference requirements across other Administrative Code chapters such as the requirement for certified staff and maintaining student safety some flexibilities such as internships apprenticeship Service Learning Career and Technical education and ESL courses are made explicit with clear requirements for implementation to assure alignment with the ground UC additional proposals to sub chapter 5 include language that require students in the graduating classes of 2025 2026 and 2027 to complete a financial aid application for high school graduation in a form prescribed by the higher education students assistance Authority this form includes but is not limited to the free application for financial student for federal student aid the FAFSA or the New Jersey alternative financial aid application or be Exempted from the requirement in important with the procedures set forth at PL 2023 CH 295 the proposed rule will align the section with the recent law the chapter was also revised through an outdated graduation Cort references and the specific assessment requirements for each another proposed revision makes the substitute competency assessment menu for example the Act and the and the SAT permanent by removing references to the specific graduating classes several proposals are also introduced regard ing the state sealing by literacy which ensure the inclusion of the seal on student transcripts for those students who have attained this designation there's also flexibility added for the assessments that can be used to demonstrate Proficiency in languages expanding options for both students and schools lastly we would like to call your attention to the proposed extraction of content from sub chapter three for inclusion of a new sub chapter six Pathways to post secondary success inclusion of guidance and govern Counseling in the existing section about the implementation of the New Jersey student learning standards limited the complimentary but distinct role of counseling in the school setting the creation of a new sub chapter will highlight the unique aspects of School counseling within a student's educational experience and develop as much of the work off as in development as much of this work lives outside of the impementation of New Jersey state this now concludes our presentation and we are available to answer questions that you uh I apologize if this was covered but I it wasn't clear so I just want to go back to page 14 with the science credit graduation requirements um would CTE courses you knew I was going to ask keep asking that so will any CTE cources have the opportunity to get covered by science I'm just thinking somebody who's doing pling week physics in there chemistry um this was actually design not only for CTE programs that technically are really looking at flexibility and Innovation but other schools as well so a lot of this is driven by what how complex and inter connected scien Diss and by providing additional flexibility you feel that districts can be even more innovated that some of the courses that in CTE superintendents and guidance you know directors are questioning does this fulfill the those requirements um it provides them with with the cover and with the flexibility work to do so the challeng is going to looking over higher artners and ensuring that some of these new courses that are going to be develop fulfill certain pre weers and requirements because not everyone's going to be taking the traditional biology chemistry courses now they'll have we'll have additional flexibilities short answer is yes any other questions comments thank you Mr Vice President and thanks again Dr Schiff and and the team um the first thing I need to do is seriously offer a lot of gratitude I was screaming and yelling about the arms Services Pathway to graduation for students who wish to serve in the military and to see that uh the Department of Education has called that out as as a pathway and and actually I think strengthen the the road map for those students who this is um their their goal um and and the mission that they see uh in in their professional career um I think is is really something that we should all applaud um I I really also appreciate all of the advocacy that came from the field including uh superintendent of schools guidance counselors classroom teachers parents and Guardians so thank you very much for bringing that forward as as well as creating a robust system where now students will be able to to with with in conjunction with their parents and Guardians in conjunction with their counselors um really map out a pathway to success um that that is far more varied and and really does bring a great deal more opportunity um that existed for instance I'm a dinosaur when I went to school um so thanks for that thanks for all that hard work I know it wasn't a heavy lift I know how much you had to go back and forth with the federal government I know how much you had to to really figure out a new way and just wanted to express my appreciation there as well just want to and thank you Dr R that your leadership on this as well kept this squarely planted and our re are you've been extremely helpful along the way um I think that's one of the first things that that landed on my desk so to speak when I when I came into this role and um we've been hard to work at it I think we've got a really solid uh proposal here and I think it works at tier Point not only uh is this a workable solution I think it strengthens what we had PR so I think now seeing this come come into per is is is a sign of all the collaborative that into this thank you for your leadership as well bar yes and thank you um I'm excited about the ASAT piece as well um I I'd like to talk a little bit about the um option two I I think that's um been underutilized is there any data on how many schools Avail themselves of option to um how we grow that because today we saw these exciting young people with their CTE background um that opportunity for young people to do in just to find out things that they really are committed to how are we growing option two within our school districts we did have a study a few years ago on option two and it was voluntary that dist would share and we didn't really receive a great deal of information and but what we hear from the field are particular questions about can this teacher be part of this you know how does this interact and intersect with the standards um our intent here was to put some very clear Pathways into this is how you can Implement option to and um we think that that as we continue to talk about these type of options an option thing for for um the public is um it's a different way of earning college credits it's kind of outside of the more um independent study has been option to kind of identify it and uh and there's been other creative ways to provide concernes for students but um but by how finding it in code the way that we're doing it rather than the very brief um uh citation that's currently in the code I think will provide the necessary guard rails and flexibilities for a district to be able to implement it without a lot of concern but I think you know to your to your general point about how do we how do we of advertise and say this is available this is here this is what's going on we can we can talk about um that type of uh that type of public push that we can do once we have code that ised by theate contct just also want to recognize and uh show appreciation for all the great work they've done here uh this some really comprehension review of Assessments and so congratulations on great work I'm particularly excited about sub chapter 3 and the inclusion of these opportunities for dual enrollment learning it's particular in dual enrollment and giv students our opportunities to earn college credits and hopefully more students opportunities to go to college and keep their cost down so congratulations all thank you we continue to work with our partners at at the office of Secretary of higher education to try to provide opportunities for colleges universities to engage in these agreements so that dual enrollment can be be available as broadly as possible one of the things that we talked about at the committee level was um you know option two and the um conversations from that first proposed way back um talked about a possible shift from just SE time to actual um activity Mi any feedback is that be some ask it's intended to provide additional flexibilities can direct addition Dr shiff mentioned the study that was conducted and we have very little visability into these programs so I do believe that if these if these rules are adopted that we really wouldn't be working closely with stakeholders to see what this looks like and to see how than imagining these programs to get a more accurate CL year before we develop kinds and thank you any other questions see none uh I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge that February is Black History Month and that our schools throughout the state are celebrating uh I've been personally invited to several schools to uh share in those celebrations and I also uh commend our Amad commission as well as all of our other commissions that have worked on Amad in particular since uh 20 2002 to actually Infuse the history of Africans and African-Americans into uh the day-to-day curriculum not just in history and social studies but across the curriculum to give um you know reverence and due diligence to uh the contributions that people's color have made over the course of our history year in the United States I'm not going to say too much I'm not going to say anything more because I don't want it to go into anything be but um I'm going to enjoy those visits always do being a former history teacher that is something that um you know is passion for me so thank you any other comments seeing n at this point um may I please have a motion motion second thank you for work uh morning working with me and my first go around at this thank everyone for attending see you next month thank [Applause] you e e