NEW JERSEY STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

DIVISION OF STUDENT SERVICES

OFFICE OF SPECIALIZED POPULATIONS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMPREHENSIVE EQUITY PLAN

for the Academic Years

2007-2010

 

 

FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS

TO ASSIST SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS IN DEVELOPING

A COMPREHENSIVE EQUITY PLAN TO PROVIDE

EQUALITY AND EQUITY IN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

 

 

 

 

Due Date: On or before Friday, March 30, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“MANAGING FOR EQUALITY AND EQUITY IN EDUCATION”

THREE-YEAR COMPREHENSIVE EQUITY PLAN

 

Academic Years 2007-2008 through 2009-2010

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

Section                                                                                                            Page

 

Members, State Board of Education……………………………………………………………… 2

General Information………………………………………………………………………………. 3

A... Purpose of Comprehensive Equity Plan (CEP) ………………………………….................. 3

...... Federal Law.............................................................................................................................. 3

       State Law................................................................................................................................. 3

 

B.    CEP Submission Requirements …….………………………………….................................. 3

 

C.  Summary Statement for Comprehensive Equity Plans, 2004-2007……………………………5

 

D.   Questions and Technical Assistance………………………………………............................. 6

Instructions for Completion of the Comprehensive Equity Plan ………………………................ 6

.. Step 1 – Formation of the AAO Team…………………………………………………………..6

.. Step 2 - Conducting the Needs Assessment................................................................................. 6

.. Step 3 - Developing the Comprehensive Equity Plan................................................................... 7

.. Step 4 - Completing Information Sheet and Statement of Assurances........................................ 7

.. Step 5 - Board Resolutions........................................................................................................... 8

.. Step 6 - Submission Package........................................................................................................ 8

.. Step 7 – Place and Date for Submission Deadline ...................................................................... 8

  

E.   District/Charter School Information/Statement of Assurances…..………………………….. .9

 

E.   Accountability………………………………………………………………………………..10

 

Appendices

      

Appendix A - CEP Needs Assessment Checklist ……………………………………..... …… ..11

Appendix B – CEP Forms………………………………………………………………………..20

Appendix C -  Desegregation Information………………………………………………………. 29

Appendix D -  Statement of Assurance Annual Reporting Forms………………………………..32

 

 

 

 

 

NEW JERSEY STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

 

 

MEMBERS’ NAMES                                                                         MUNICIPALITY

 

Arnold Hyndman .............................................................................................. Belvidere

President

 

Arcelio Aponte................................................................................................ Piscataway

Vice President

 

Debra Casha ...................................................................................................... Kinnelon

Maud Dahme ................................................................................................. Flemington

Kathleen A. Dietz......................................................................................... Hillsborough

Josephine E. Hernandez..................................................................................... Elizabeth

Rev. Frederick H. Lagarde, Jr. ........................................................................... Paterson

Ernest Lapore…………………………………………………………………Guttenberg

Thelma Napoleon-Smith………………………………………………………..Trenton

Edward Taylor................................................................................................. Somerdale

                

               

               

Lucille E. Davy

Commissioner of Education

Secretary

 

Barbara Gantwerk

Acting Assistant Commissioner

Division of Student Services

 

James F. Curry, Acting Director

Office of Specialized Populations

 

 

 

 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

 

Purpose

 

On May 7, 2003 the State Board of Education adopted N.J.A.C. 6A:7, Managing for Equality and Equity in Education, which outlines responsibilities for achieving and maintaining compliance with all state and federal laws governing equity in educational programs.  As a result, all schools, including charter schools, are mandated to develop a three-year Comprehensive Equity Plan (CEP).  The first CEP covered the school years 2004-2007.  The responsibility of each board of education of every public school district and charter school in New Jersey is to identify and correct all discriminatory and inequitable policies, programs, practices and conditions within or affecting their schools. The role of the New Jersey Department of Education (DOE) is to ensure that each district and charter school complies with equality and equity requirements, and to provide guidelines to accomplish that result.

 

The CEP enables district/charter schools to comply with all applicable laws, codes, and regulations, including, but not limited to, the following:

 

Federal Law

§  Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

§  Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972

§  Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

§  The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 

§  Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (I.D.E.A.) of 1997

§  Equal Pay Act of 1973

 

State Law

§  Article I, Paragraph 5 of the New Jersey State Constitution

§  N.J.S.A.18A:36‑20,  Equality in Educational Programs

§  N.J.S.A.10:5  New Jersey Law Against Discrimination

§  New Jersey Administrative Code (N.J.A.C.) 6A:7

§  N.J.S.A. 18A:35-1, History of the United States and New Jersey

§  N.J.S.A. 18A:36-20, Prohibition of Discrimination

 

Submission Requirements

 

Districts and charter schools must submit one (1) original Comprehensive Equity Plan to its County Office of Education and one (1) copy to the Office of Specialized Populations in Trenton.    The address is:

           

                        Office of Specialized Populations/Equity

                        New Jersey Department of Education

                        P.O.  Box 500

                        Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0500

 

The deadline for submission is on or before Friday, March 30, 2007.  

 

Implementation of the 2007-2010 Plan begins in all districts and charter schools on July 1, 2007.  

 

 

Questions and Technical Assistance

 

Questions regarding the development, submission, and implementation of the Comprehensive Equity Plan may be directed to the county office of education serving the district/charter school, as listed below:

 

COUNTY	COUNTY EDUCATION SPECIALIST	OFFICE MAILING ADDRESS	COUNTY	COUNTY EDUCATION SPECIALIST	OFFICE MAILING ADDRESS
Atlantic	Mr. Michael Ryan 609-625-0004 fax #625-6539	Atlantic County Office 6260 Old Harding Highway Mays Landing, NJ 08330-1599	Middlesex	Ms. Suzanne Miskiewicz 732-745-3422 fax # 732-296-0683	Middlesex County Office 1501 Livingston Ave. North Brunswick, NJ 08902
Bergen	Dr. Geraldine O’Connor 201-336-6875 fax #336-6880	Bergen County Office One Bergen County Plaza 3rd Floor, Room 350 Hackensack, NJ  07601	Monmouth	Ms. Marie Gdula Ms. Geo-Anne Dillman 732-431-7813 fax # 732-577-0679	Monmouth County Office 3680 State Highway 9 4th floor, PO Box 1264 Freehold, NJ 07728-1264
Burlington	Ms. Joan Lake 609-265-5938 fax # 609-265-5932 .	Burlington County Office 2 Academy Drive Westampton, NJ 08060-	Morris	Ms. Ruth Anne Estler 973-285-8334 fax # 973-285-8341	Morris County Office Court House, PO Box 900 Morristown, NJ 07963-0900 Office Location: Cult. Ctr, 300 Mendham Rd. Morris Twp., NJ  07960
Camden	Ms. Genevieve Lumia 856-401-2400 fax # 856-401-2410 .	Camden County Office Forrest Hall 509 Lakeland Road Blackwood, NJ 08012	Ocean	Mr. Eddie Alvarez 732-929-2078 fax # 732-506-5336	Ocean County Office 212 Washington St. Toms River, NJ 08753
Cape May	Mr. Michael McKnight 609-465-1281 fax # 609-465-2094	Cape May County Office 4 Moore Road Cape May Court House, NJ 08210	Passaic	Ms. Diane Mosley-Whitt 973-569-2110 fax # 973-754-0241	Passaic County Office 501 River Street Paterson, NJ  07524
Cumberland	Ms. Janet Sfaelos 856-451-0211 x6018 fax # 856-455-9523 .	Cumberland County Office of Education 19 Landis Avenue Bridgeton, NJ 08302	Salem	Ms. Carol Mizrahi 856-339-8611 fax # 856-935-6290	Salem County Office 94 Market Street Salem, NJ 08079
Essex	Ms. Eileen Gavin 973-395-4677 fax # 973-395-4696	Essex County Office 7 Glenwood Ave., Suite 404 East Orange, NJ  07018	Somerset	Ms. Beverly Hetrick 908-231-7171 fax # 908-722-6902	Somerset County Office P.O. Box 3000 Somerville, NJ  08876 Office Location: 92 E. Main Street Somerville, NJ  08876
Gloucester	Carla Spates 856-468-6500- ex. 6018 fax # 856-468-9115	Gloucester County Office 1492 Tanyard Rd. Sewell, NJ 08080-4222	Sussex	Vacant 973-579-6996 fax # 973-579-6476	Sussex County Office 262 White Lake Road Sparta, NJ  07871
Hudson	Ms. Monica A. Tone 201-319-3850 fax #201-319-3650   .	Hudson County Office 595 Newark Ave., Jersey City, NJ 07306 Office Location: 595 County Ave., Bldg. 3 Secaucus, NJ  07094	Union	Vacant 908-654-9860 x2223 fax # 908-654-9869	Union County Office 300 No. Avenue, East Westfield, NJ 07090
Hunterdon	Ms. Christine Harttraft 908-788-1414 fax # 908-788-1457	Hunterdon County Office PO Box 2900 Flemington, NJ 08822-2900 Office Location: 10 Court St., Flemington	Warren	Ms. Mary Jane Tanner 908-475-6327 fax # 908-475-6394	Warren County Office 537 Oxford St. Belvidere, NJ 07823

Mercer

Ms. Jackee Reuther 609-588-5883 fax # 609-588-5849

Mercer County Office 1075 Old Trenton Rd. Trenton, NJ 08690

For additional information regarding Charter Schools, contact

 Donna Best, phone:  (609)-292-5850

 

SUMMARY STATEMENT

COMPREHENSIVE EQUITY PLAN ACHIEVEMENTS & BARRIERS - FY 2004-2007

 

School Code:	050
District/Charter Name:	Hampton Township School District
City:	Newton
County:	Sussex

 

DIRECTIONS: Review the implementation strategies listed in your 2004-2007 Comprehensive Equity Plan (Please refer to pages 17 through 22 of the 2004-2007 plan) to bring the district/charter school into compliance and indicate whether these strategies were implemented and the accomplishments achieved.  In addition, please outline any barriers to the implementation or success of these strategies.

  

BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES:

                N/A

 

 

 

STAFF DEVELOPMENT:

• Affirmative Action information shared with staff at staff and faculty meetings
• Assemblies/presentations/counseling scheduled based on identification of inappropriate acts of prejudice  
• Information on Affirmative Action and equity issue workshops and written informational resources distributed to staff
• There have been no barriers in implementing these strategies

 

 

SCHOOL AND CLASSROOM PRACTICES:

          EQUALITY AND EQUITY IN CURRICULUM

                N/A

 

 

 

–         EQUALITY AND EQUITY IN STUDENT ACCESS

                N/A

 

 

 

–         EQUALITY AND EQUITY IN GUIDANCE PROGRAM SERVICES

                N/A

 

 

 

–         EQUALITY IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND ATHLETIC PROGRAMS

                N/A

 

 

 

EMPLOYMENT AND CONTRACT PRACTICES:

                N/A

 

 

 

 

Strategies:  Each year, schools should collect documentation that can help them analyze and refine their implemented strategies based upon their desired impact. Good evaluation starts with a set of important questions that can be answered about the corrective action.  In large part, those questions may be determined through a careful analysis of the goals of the CEP.

 

     

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE EQUITY PLAN

 

Step 1:  Complete the Summary Statement for the Comprehensive Equity Plan 2004-2007 (page 5)

 

Step  2:  Formation of the Affirmation Action Team

 

Appointment of Affirmative Action Officer and Affirmative Action Team– (N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.5)

Each district board of education and charter school shall annually designate a member of its staff as the affirmative action officer (AAO) and form an affirmative action team (AAT) – a minimum of three individuals – of whom the AAO is a member, to conduct a needs assessment and to develop the CEP. The Department encourages districts to ensure a diverse stakeholder group and to invite a member of the community as part of the team.  The members of the AAT must be identified on the form provided on page 21—Affirmative Action Team Membership Form.     

 

Step 3:  Conduct Needs Assessment

 

Each district and charter school board shall use the Appendix A entitled, “District/Charter School Needs Assessment Checklist,” to conduct a needs assessment of their individual schools.  This document is intended to be used as a checklist to help the AAO and the AAT identify problem areas.  It must be submitted as part of the documentation that accompanies the Comprehensive Equity Plan.  When citing documentation, you MUST included the document title, date of adoption and page number, as applicable.

The district/charter school needs assessment checklist contains four sections:

 

I.  Board Responsibility --  This section sets forth the types of policies and resolutions that the Board must adopt (create if nonexistent, revise if existing but deficient) in order to comply with applicable law.  This section outlines specific areas that must be addressed in these policies and resolutions. 

 

II.  Staff Development – Please note that staff development and training on equity matters is required annually for all staff, certificated and non-certificated.

 

            III.  School and Classroom Practices --  This section sets forth the equity requirements for

                  four categories: curriculum, student access, guidance, and physical education/athletics.

 

IV. Employment/Contract Practices – This section outlines the basic practices that must be observed             to comply with equity requirements in this area.

 

In conducting the needs assessment, the AAT will ascertain whether their charter school or district (and each school within the district) is in compliance with each requirement in the checklist and whether there are internal monitoring procedures in place to ensure continuing compliance.  Those items needing correction or requiring an internal monitoring procedure or system will form the basis for the improvement strategies that will be proposed in the CEP.

 

Note that at the beginning of each section of the needs assessment, the laws and codes that specifically apply to the section have been provided for your convenience.  Our office encourages the AAT preparing the CEP to refer to these sources of legal authority and become acquainted with the mandates they contain.

 

Step 4:  Developing the Comprehensive Equity Plan (CEP)

 

After identifying the items that need correction, improvement strategies covering the next three years must be developed for each one of these identified items.  For this purpose, forms specific to each assessment area are provided with this packet:

 

·         Board Responsibilities (one form)

·         Staff Development (one form)

·         School and Classroom Practices (Four forms, one for each sub-area: Equality and Equity in Curriculum, Equality and Equity in Student Access, Equality and Equity in Guidance Programs, and Equality and Equity in Physical Ed/Athletic Programs)

·         Employment and Contract Practices (one form)

 

The plan to correct/address each item that needs correction must be written in the form covering the corresponding topic area (Board Responsibilities, Staff Development, Equality and Equity in Student Access, etc).  Use the needs assessment categories and sub-categories as your guide.

 

Each form contains space to include each of the elements of the plan.  For each form:

 

Identify Needs as Compliant or Non-Compliant – for ease of reference and agreement, the identified needs may mirror the language contained in the requirements in the needs assessment.  Please note:  A school within a district may NOT be compliant; please identify the school(s) by name if this is the case.  If the district itself is not compliant, please say “district wide.”  REMEMBER, if one school is out of compliance, the entire district is out of compliance. 

 

Develop Improvement Strategies – List each identified need from the corresponding number in the needs assessment (e.g., I.D.1) together with the strategies/activities you will use to improve or correct the deficiency. 

 

Assign Staff Responsible – List the names and titles of the personnel that will implement the proposed strategies/activities.

 

Plan the Implementation Timeline -  Fill in the triangle(s) to indicate the year that the strategy or activity will take place, i.e. 07 is the 2007-2008 school year; 08 is 2008-2009 school year, etc.

 

Identify Indicator of Accomplishment – List the indicator(s) and/or documentation that will be made available for review, if requested, which will verify that the identified need is being or was corrected.  Use qualitative or quantitative methods depending on the type of problem that is being corrected.  This is VERY important and will set forth the basis for approval of the CEP.

 

You may include more than one “identified need as deficient or non-compliant” and accompanying strategies to correct the problem in one form, or you may make copies of the form and submit a separate form for each.

 

Step 5:  Complete the Statement of Assurances

 

Complete the required information about the district/charter school.   Have the Chief School Administrator sign and date the Statement of Assurances in the space indicated at the bottom of the page.

 

 

 

Step 6:  Obtain the following required Board Resolutions and attach them to the CEP:

 

The following Board resolutions must be attached to the CEP:

1.      Resolution appointing the Affirmative Action Officer

2.      Resolution authorizing the Affirmative Action Team to conduct the needs assessment and develop a comprehensive equity plan;

3.      Resolution authorizing the submission of the proposed Comprehensive Equity Plan. 

 

Step 7:  Assemble the Submission Package in this order:

 

1.   Summary Page of 2004-2007 Implementation    

2.   Statement of Assurances

      3.   Resolution appointing the Affirmative Action Officer

4.      Resolution authorizing the Affirmative Action Team to conduct the needs assessment and develop a comprehensive equity plan;

5.      Resolution authorizing the submission of the proposed Comprehensive Equity Plan. 

6.      List of Affirmative Action Team members

7.      District/Charter School Needs Assessment Checklist

8.      Comprehensive Equity Plan forms.

 

Step 8:  Submit one (1) original to your County Office of Education and one (1) copy to the Office of Specialized Populations on or before Friday, March 30, 2007. For your convenience, a list of addresses of the County Offices of Education is on page 4 of this document.  The Department of Education address is:

Office of Specialized Populations/Equity

NJ Department of Education

P.O. Box 500

Trenton, NJ 08625-0500

 

AFTER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE EQUITY PLAN, EACH DISTRICT/CHARTER SCHOOL IS REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THE ANNUAL YEARLY ASSURANCE TO THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION AND THE OFFICE OF SPECIALIZED POPULATIONS AS NOTED ABOVE. (SEE APPENDIX D, PAGE 32).

 

 

 

 

 

COMPREHENSIVE EQUITY PLAN

for Academic Years 2007-2008 through 2009-2010

District/Charter School Information: (please type or print)

 

Hampton Township School District                   1980              ______Sussex_____                        _37_  

Legal Name of District/Charter School                  Code                           County                             Code

 

Address:        One School Road                                   Telephone #: (973)383-5300

 

City:         Newton                            NJ        Zip:   07860       FAX #: (973)383-3835

 

Affirmative Action Officer:    Bryan Hensz                                    Telephone #: (973)383-5300        

                                                               

AAO Email___hensz@mckeown.org

Contact Person:            Bryan Hensz                                                      Telephone #: (973)383-5300      Ext._224_

 

STATEMENT OF ASSURANCES

 

1.   The district/charter school will achieve and maintain compliance with all applicable laws, codes, regulations, and guidelines governing equity in education including, but not limited to: N.J.S.A.18A:36‑20; N.J.S.A.10:5;  N.J.A.C. 6A:7; Guidelines for the Desegregation of Public Schools in New Jersey (1989); Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (I.D.E.A.) of 1997.

 

2.    The district/charter school has conducted a comprehensive needs assessment of its equality and equity needs at each school within the district, if applicable. The attached Comprehensive Equity Plan is designed to meet the assessed equality and equity needs at each site, if applicable.

 

3.    The local Board has authorized the submission of the Comprehensive Equity Plan, and will support full implementation of the plan on July 1, 2007 upon approval by the New Jersey State Department of Education.

 

4.   The district/charter school will also correct any form of discrimination or non-compliance identified by     the New Jersey State Department of Education.

 

CERTIFICATION:

By signing below, the Chief School Administrator certifies that all statements above are true and correct:

 

Name: ___Everett C. Burns                                    Title: Chief School Administrator

                (Print or  type  name and title)

 

Signature:                                                                                                      Date:                                            

 

COMPREHENSIVE EQUITY PLAN

 

A.  ACCOUNTABILITY:

 

1.  Each district will review their approved comprehensive equity plan on an annual basis and submit a statement of assurance of its implementation to their respective county office of education and the Office of Specialized Populations no later than June 30 of each year.  Statements of Assurance forms for each academic year are attached as Appendix D.   Districts will also complete the District Performance Review in the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum (NJ QSAC).    For charter schools, annual progress will be reported in the Charter School Annual Report.

2.  A sampling of district/charter schools may be reviewed on an annual basis for compliance of the approved Comprehensive Equity Plan.

B.  SANCTIONS

 

1.   As noted in 6A:7-1.9(f), “If the district board of education or charter school does not implement the comprehensive equity plan within 180 days of the approval date of the plan, or fails to report its progress annually,   sanctions deemed to be appropriate by the Commissioner of Education or his/her designee shall be imposed, and may include action to suspend, terminate or refuse to award continued federal or state financial assistance, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:55-2.”

 

 

APPENDIX A

 

COMPREHENSIVE EQUITY PLAN

DISTRICT/CHARTER SCHOOL

NEEDS ASSESSMENT

 CHECKLIST

DISTRICT/CHARTER SCHOOL NEEDS ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST

 TO ACHIEVE EQUALITY AND EQUITY IN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

Directions:  Indicate compliance by checkmark.  When a district is non-compliant, list the name of the school(s) not in compliance; specific areas identified as non-compliant MUST be addressed on the Comprehensive Equity Plan forms.