Superintendents Message | Jersey City Board of Education

Dear Jersey City Community,

Dr. Marcia V. Lyles

Parents, educators and advocates spoke at the recent Public Testimony sessions on assessments in Jersey City and Jackson, and the comments were informative and thought-provoking. As a member of the Study Commission on the Use of Student Assessments in New Jersey I have already learned a great deal, and look forward to hearing from more members of the community as the Study Commission continues its work. Since we are still “studying” I obviously do not know what the final Report will recommend on the use of assessments, but I continue to be asked why I support the Common Core State Standards and I wanted to briefly highlight some of the reasons.

I support the CCSS because I believe strongly in Excellence and Equity, and if our students are going to be able to compete in a global economy, beyond Jersey City and even New Jersey, they must be provided the same rigorous content with the same level of depth as their counterparts. Two years ago we said we expect our Jersey City graduates to be able to think critically; excel in rigorous content and tackle new subjects; use acquired knowledge; communicate effectively; and compete and negotiate. It is true that our students are not all at the same starting point, but equity means we will do whatever is necessary to get them to the same finish line.

I support the CCSS because our Power Goal states, We will prepare our students for college and career, and we cannot have our students graduate from high school yet need to take remedial courses when they go to college. We cannot have our students drop out of college because they were not prepared for rigorous work. We cannot have our students unable to pass tests or interviews for apprenticeships or entry level positions in the workforce. Two years ago we said we expect our Jersey City graduates to be prepared for success in college, the workforce or whatever productive path they choose for themselves and I believe the CCSS will help us achieve that goal.

I support the CCSS because although they are higher standards, I believe we must and can rise to these standards. The stakes are too high for our children’s future to do anything less. We have a great deal of challenging work to do, together, but I believe together we can achieve excellence and equity for all.

Sincerely,

Dr. Marcia V. Lyles, Superintendent