Newark Trust Takes Part in Parent Advocacy Training

On Saturday, October 25, Newark Trust CEO Ross Danis presented a overview of Newark’s education history including State Takeover, the Abbott decisions, the rise of charter schools, and the recent roll out of One Newark, to a group of Newark parents participating in Parent Advocacy Training led by Education Reform Now, and organized by director of programs, Shannel Dunns.

Newark Trust Historical Tour Draws Dozens from Broad Spectrum of City Stakeholders

On October 17, more than 50 residents, teachers, policy makers and other city officials took part in the Newark Trust’s citywide historical bus tour. The fourth-annual excursion, led by Dr. Clement Price, director of the Institute on Ethnicity, Culture and the Modern Experience at Rutgers-Newark, has become a tradition to individuals new to the city, as well as to life-long residents.

Straight Talk with Chair of NPS Advisory Board

The Newark Trust for Education is back with another season of Straight Talk, a series of insightful interviews focused on education in the city of Newark. This season's Straight Talk series will focus on educational leadership—essential components for high performance, support needed, and benefits to children and the community.

Our first installment of Straight Talk features Rashon K. Hasan, chairperson of the Newark Public Schools Advisory Board, who discussed a path to district local control and fostering community involvement. Watch it now and stay tuned for future installments featuring policy makers in education, thought leaders, parents, students and more.

Newark Trust Welcomes Mayor Ras J. Baraka to its Board of Trustees

The Newark Trust formally installed Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka to its Board of Trustees this month, filling a position specifically reserved for the mayor of Newark.

Baraka, along with NPS Advisory Board President Rashon K. Hasan, serve in an ex- officio capacity, filling the seats reserved for the mayor and school advisory board president. Baraka named Dr. Lauren Wells, the mayor's education advisor, as his official board designee. Dr. Wells was in attendance at the Trust's September 24 board meeting.

Newark-Montclair Urban Teacher Residency Program Receives $6.2M in Federal Funding

The US Department of Education announced that Montclair State University will receive $6.2 million in federal funding to continue the Newark-Montclair Urban Teacher Residency Program, an apprenticeship-based study program for educators interested in urban teaching.

A Tale of Two Cities: Education Reform in Newark and Paterson

In September 2014 the Newark Trust hosted its first-ever Local Education Fund (LEF) conference, attracting LEF leaders from around the country to share insights and see first-hand the challenges and successes happening on the ground in both Newark and Paterson.

PEF Director on One Newark Protests: Intensify the Efforts, Get the Point Across

Rosie Grant, executive director of the Paterson Education Fund, offers something of a rejoinder to Reginald Lewis of the Chad School Foundation who argued that the protests and boycotts surronding the One Newark plan "ultimately harmed a population of children who on average already miss too many days of school and lag tremendously behind their peers throughout the state in reading proficiency."

What Was the Effect of the NPS on the Students?

Reginald Lewis, executive director of the Newark-based Chad School Foundation, writes in NJ Spotlight about the potential impact of the protests that centered around Newark Superintendent Cami Anderson's "One Newark Plan," a system-wide school reorganization effort. While he acknowledges "legitimate concerns" about the plan, he also points to fundamental challenges that continue to affect a significant number of students.