2016-17 QSAC Results: Hoboken District Does Not Satisfy INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM DPR for 7th Straight Year

PATH Taxi Stand- Hoboken, NJ
November, 2017 

Summary: The Hoboken School District failed the 2016-17 QSAC DPR in INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM for the 7th straight year. The district passed the four other QSAC DPRs. 

Background: Traditional New Jersey school districts must all undergo the Quality Single Accountability Continuum (QSAC). NJDOE staff review documents and analyze district performance against critical indicators in 5 QSAC areas. One of those areas, and I argue the most important, is INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM. A score of 80% is seen as satisfying specific weighted indicators. 

Previous Success: While I was Assistant Superintendent, we were able to raise the QSAC score in INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM from an initial score of 34% (a few months after we took over) to a high of 87%* in 2010 after the HBOE approved the revised curriculum and the results of the 2009 state test scores were analyzed.  
* 2010 QSAC scores were based largely on academic year 2008-09 while I was Assistant Superintendent 

Seven Years of Failing Scores: Unfortunately, after the 87% score in April of 2010, the Hoboken School District has scored below 80% each year in the QSAC INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM DPR for 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017.

Failure to Report 2016-17 QSAC Results: If you read the June 20, 2017 placement letter (below) you will find the following instructions to the District: 

“Please be advised that QSAC regulations require your board of education to report these placement results at the next regularly scheduled board meeting.”  -June 20, 2017 NJDOE letter to the Board

A review of meeting agendas and televised meetings indicate the following: 

June 27, 2017- QSAC Results Not Presented to the Public as required  
July 25, 2017- QSAC Results Not Presented to the Public as required   
August 22, 2017- QSAC Results Not Presented to the Public as required  
September 12, 2017- QSAC Results Not Presented to the Public as required   
October 10, 2017- QSAC Results Not Presented to the Public as required 

2016-17 QSAC Placement- Hoboken School District
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Assurances:: The QSAC DPR for INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM contains the following assurances a school district in New Jersey must meet (list is not exhaustive): 

• Reports to the district BOE and the public the performance of all students on the NJ standardized testing system 
• Communicates district graduation requirements 
• Implements board-approved new and/or revised curricula aligned to the most recent State Board adopted version of the NJCCCS and CCSS and within the timeline for implementation 
• Aligns career and technical education programs with the State Plan for Career and Technical Education 

Going Forward: Hopefully, the QSAC results will be discussed at an upcoming Board of Education Meeting as required and a plan better than the ones previously proposed will be articulated that will assure the children, parents and community that the Hoboken School District will satisfy criteria for the QSAC DPR INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM and will end the 7 consecutive years of failure and return to at least the 87% numbers of 2010.