Sunday, October 30, 2016

Amid Claims and Assurances of Progress by the Kids First/Reach Higher Hoboken/Forward Together Political Group....Hoboken School District Fails QSAC DPR in INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM for 5th Consecutive Year

Halloween- Hoboken NJ
On July 6, 2016, the Hoboken School District was notified by the New Jersey Department of Education that the district had failed the 2015-16 QSAC DPR in INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM. The system focuses on monitoring and evaluating school districts in five key components (see Figure 1) that, based on research, have been identified to be key factors in effective school districts (Instruction and program; Personnel; Fiscal management; Operations; and Governance). 

 This is the fifth consecutive year the district has failed QSAC (receiving a score below 80) in INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM.  

 Other than the safety and well being of children, there is no other priority more important to a school district than curriculum, instruction and subsequent student learning. Athletics, clubs, facilities, governance, benefits, salaries, budgets while all important take a back seat to safety and well being of the children and of learning, instruction, and curriculum.  

 As many of us know, it is easy to say something is improving. It is much more challenging to see evidence of improvement by independent, 3rd party, objective evaluations by unbiased entities. Multiple years of consecutive failure to pass the DPR in Instruction and Program by earning a score of 80 or better is not necessarily progress...especially in light of the fact that the district scored an 87 under previous Board and district leadership in Curriculum and Instruction. The DPR in INSTRUCTION and PROGRAM did go up 1% this past year with is positive and has shown progress since the 45% in August of 2014 but is still a long way from the 87% received after the first full comprehensive review after completion of the Hoboken Curriculum Project by over 80 teachers and staff under my leadership. Hopefully, the Board will be able to get these scores back to passing sometime in the near future. In the meantime, its important for the public to be aware of these QSAC scores. 

QSAC RESULTS- HOBOKEN SCHOOL DISTRICT 
2011-12 DPR INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM** - FAILED
2012-13 DPR INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM** - FAILED 
2013-14 DPR INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM** - FAILED 
2015-16 DPR INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM** - FAILED 
* First QSAC DPR assessment in INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM after completion of the Hoboken Curriculum Project under the leadership of Dr. Petrosino and the Hoboken Curriculum Committee. QSAC was new to the district in 2007 when I came to the district and in a little over 24 months, the DPR score in INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM went from an initial score of 34 to 87. 
** QSAC DPR assessment in INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM under current Board majority. 
Score >80 = PASSED*
Score <80 b="" failed="">**
  July 7, 2016 QSAC Letter by zz on Scribd


What is most distressing is that it wasn't that long ago, under different Board and District leadership, that the Hoboken School District scored an 87 on the QSAC DPR for INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM. Despite proclamations that the school district is "improving" or statements that Kids First/Reach Higher Hoboken inherited a failing district-- the reality is that much of the gains in instruction and program that were achieved and independently verified by the State of New Jersey have eroded...reaching as low as 45 in the spring of 2014. Poor leadership, 7 superintendents in 6 years, 5 high school principals in the same period of time, multiple district configurations, and numerous other principals and administrators during the Kids First/Reach Higher Hoboken/Forward Progress leadership (2009-present) have taken a toll. 

 The ongoing failure of QSAC DPR in INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM is a contributing factor to the district receiving the designation of a "District in Need of Improvement" in November of 2011. Whether the continued failing scores in INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM are related to the district's violence and vandalism rates, or other factors is open to discussion and interpretation. -Dr. Petrosino 
When we view the entire detailed report (see below) we read some interesting findings: 

1) The district received no points on the criteria of meeting the Annual Measurable Objective (AMO) in language arts literacy (LAL) for the district's total population.

2)  The district received no points on the criteria of meeting the Annual Measurable Objective (AMO) in mathematics for the district's total population.

3) Language Arts: The district received no points on the criteria of meeting at least 95% of the total student population achieved proficiency (proficient plus advanced proficient) in the most recent year assessed (NJDOE goal);

4) Mathematics: The district received no points on the criteria of meeting at least 95% of the total student population achieved proficiency (proficient plus advanced proficient) in the most recent year assessed (NJDOE goal);

5)  The district received no points for meeting the criteria of at least 95%, according to the most recent NJDOE-published high school graduation rate (N.J.S.A. 18A:7E-3  ); 

6)  The district received no points for meeting the criteria at least 90%, according to the most recent NJDOE-published high school graduation rate (N.J.S.A. 18A:7E-3  ); 


To see the full 2015-2016 Interim Review of the QSAC Report on INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM see below: 
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