| State: New Jersey | Number of Students: 26,491 |
| School Type: Public School District | Free and Reduced Lunch: 83.5% |
| Grade Level: PK-12 | English Language Learners: 18.7% |
School Context
All Means All: EPS is driven to shrink the achievement gap by providing a high quality instruction to all students and bypreparing them for success in college and career.
Strengthening the Instructional Core: The instructional core defines the relationship between student, teacher andcontent; Elizabeth Public Schools are working toward strengthening that relationship in order to promote student growth.
Connected Classrooms: Superintendent Hugelmeyer is dedicated to leading the district to build 21st century learningopportunities for students.
State of Technology
Getting Connected to Data: In spring 2014, Elizabeth was one of threeNew Jersey school districts that participated in the edConnect pilot.EdConnect is the New Jersey Department of Education’s version of Pearson’sSchoolNet, a digital assessment system that supports teachers as theycreate their own online assessments and track benchmark data, as well asshare and comment on lesson plans. Elizabeth piloted the tool in order tosupport teachers in differentiating instruction by grouping and re-groupingstudents according to ongoing formative assessments. Now the system willbe implemented in 34 other New Jersey districts as part of the state’s RaceTo the Top grant.
Building New Classrooms: Elizabeth Public Schools has been a leaderin using New Classrooms, a math tool that emerged from New York City’sSchool of One program as a way to differentiate math activities andassignments based on each student’s daily performance. Through an i3grant, Elizabeth has been able to support two of its schools as they teardown classroom walls, creating an open space for math class where over100 math students rotate in small groups between stations for mathpractice and instruction. Both iPrep Academy School Number Eight andJerome Dunn Academy for Math, Technology and the Arts School NumberNine are implementing the program. So far, the district reports MAP scoresthat show how students have advanced two to three grade levels sinceimplementing the program. This year, the district will expand the programto five other schools with help from an additional $3 million i3 grant.
Devices Everywhere: Superintendent Olga Hugelmeyer is involved inInnovateNJ as well as the Future Ready Initiative and has led the district insupporting a 1:1 device initiative. The district has dispatched 16,000 mobiledevices for students in grades 3-12 and has provided touchscreen devicesfor all Pre-K through second grade classrooms. To add in-house support,EPS hired informational technology coaches to guide teachers throughvarious changes related to new tools being used.
Prioritizing Professional Learning: With a major focus on incorporatingnew technologies into the classroom, the district knows that professionallearning for teachers around technology tools is key. EPS realizes that itsstaff members have varying levels of comfort and ability with using techtools in their classrooms, so they structure support for staff members byfocusing on four areas: Leadership and Capacity, Instructional Training of
The SAMR Model Framework, Fostering a Results-Driven Culture and Fast-Track of Innovative Programs that Promote Personalization. A team of instructional technology coaches lead the training sessions and set upSchool-Based Technology Teams (SBTT) of staff members and students tooffer additional on-site support for members of each school community.
Tech Needs & Requirements
Technology tools must be cost efficient. The district needs tools that support personalized learning with real-time assessments that inform what is taught the nextday. It is particularly looking for adaptive learning tools that support this type of instruction in literacy and science.
Initiatives
K-8 New Classroom Implementation: The district plans to implement more pilots for K-8 technology including the “Teachto One” curriculum for Math at five additional schools for the 2015-2016 school year.