The NJSBA Policy Department and Legal Department are finishing up the sunset review of the Critical Policy Reference Manual (CPRM). This is the first of two update announcements that will be released, with the completion of the 6000 Instruction series. In total there were 18 updates, so they will be posted in two groups of nine. NJSBA would like to thank all the administrative assistants, school administrators and board members who have patiently worked to keep up with all the changes we posted in 2016.
Critical Policy Reference Manual (School Districts and Charter Schools)
The 6000 Instruction series has been reviewed. There were several loose ends in the 5000 series and they are posted as well. The following policies were revised:
General Update Note – In 2016 the New Jersey Department of Education updated the curriculum standards and the State Board of Education resolved to change the name of the curriculum standards to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. When updating all the policies below and in your other policy review work, the Core Curriculum Content Standards and the Common Core State Standards may be changed to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.
5119 Transfers – The section titled Intradistrict Transfers in Compliance with No Child Left Behind was changed to Intradistrict Transfers and edited. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) does not mandate that a transfer option be provided to students when the school fails AYP, and leaves it to the state. New Jersey does not have law requiring this yet so the language was softened to provide that a transfer option may be offered.
5141.3 Health Examinations and Immunizations – A section titled Parent/Guardian Notification was added for compliance with the Federal Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA).
6010 Goals and Objectives – The introductory paragraph was updated. The phrase Core Curriculum Content Standards was changed to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards throughout the policy. Bullet “B” was updated to reflect the NJQSAC 95 percent graduation rate goal. Bullets “B,” “C and “D” were updated to reflect current code. Bullet “E” on I-STEAM initiatives was added as a discretionary or optional goal for districts that emphasize I-STEM or I-STEAM in their educational programs. Bullet “F” was added for compliance with the requirements of the Comprehensive Equity Plan Assessment.
6114 Emergency and Disaster Preparedness – There was a minor change to this policy that corrected a grammatical problem in the second paragraph under the section titled Fire Drills and School Security.
6140 Curriculum Adoption – Bullets were added on African-American history and the Holocaust/genocide.
6141 Curriculum Design and Development – The introduction was revised to include the standards from N.J.A.C. 6A:13-2.1 Standards-Based Instructional Priorities. A section header was added titled Criteria for Curriculum Approval. Bullets “C” and “I” were revised.
6142 Subject Fields – There were two term changes: Core Curriculum Content Standards/Common Core State Standards was changed to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards, and the phrase Cross-Content Workplace Readiness Standards was changed to 21st Century Life and Careers Standards.
6142.4 Physical Education and Health – A sentence on equity was added to the introduction and a section regarding suicide education was added.
6142.10 Internet Safety and Technology – A sentence on equity was added to the introduction.
You may directly download these policy updates from the Critical Policy Reference Manual (CPRM) district or charter versions or the Policy Update List on your password protected Policy Resources webpage. You may also contact a policy consultant at (609)278-5268 or email: Jean Harkness, policy consultant, or Steve McGettigan, policy manager.