Quality Public Education for All New Jersey Students

 











The Buzz
GSCS Statement Condemning Violence Motivated by Race, Ethnicity or Sexual Orientation
With the recent spate of violent bias-based crimes and other incidences of hatred based on perceived characteristics of individuals or groups, the Garden State Coalition of Schools wants to reaffirm our support of all those who advocate for the changes that will put an end to those expressions of hatred and promote increased understanding and peaceful resolution of conflict in our communities.
Latest Testimonies and Letters
Testimony on delayed learning from Rachel Goldberg, letter on cessation of SBYSP and more...'
Virtual and In-Person Meeting Calendar for 2024-2025
All Meetings, starting in September 2021...'
4-17-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--What the latest NJ school performance reports show...' Education Week--Inside Trump’s Full-Force Approach to Ban Trans Athletes and DEI in Schools...'

Chalkbeat--New Jersey school segregation case: Plaintiffs ask higher court to step in...'

Education Dive--‘Many, many’ other states next: DOJ sues Maine over transgender athlete policies...'

4-16-25 Education in the News
The Record--What is the 'senior assassins' game and why are police issuing warnings about it...' Asbury Park Press--Lakewood Schools to hire three more state monitors. A critic called it 'a waste of money'...'

NY Times--A.C.L.U. Sues Defense Department Schools Over Book Bans...'

NPR--Families say school civil rights investigations have stalled after federal cuts...'

Education Week--Which States Ban or Restrict Cellphones in Schools?...'

Education Week--What Should Teachers Do When Students—or Parents—Ask for a Better Grade?...'

Education Dive--School’s in session for SCOTUS: 3 K-12 cases to watch in April...'

4-15-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--Time for teens to vote...' Star Ledger--The $35M candidate...'

MyCentralJersey.com--Education Secretary Linda McMahon confuses AI with A1, sauce brand capitalizes on blunder...'

NPR--As special ed students are integrated more at school, teacher training is evolving...'

Education Week--What Might Happen to State Testing Under the Trump Administration?...'

Chalkbeat--Trump’s anti-DEI funding threat hit like an earthquake. This is what’s happened since...'

Education Dive--Bills in Congress detail path to closing the Education Department...'

The Hechinger Report--International students may be among the biggest early beneficiaries of ChatGPT...'

4-14-25 Educationb in the News
NJ Spotlight--Trump administration shutters Head Start regional offices...'
Star Ledger--Trump mocks the disabled, now he threatens disability rights    Opinion...'

Philadelphia Inquirer—Trump’s funding cuts could scuttle work to revive Philly’s beleaguered school libraries...'

NY Times--Teachers Worry About Students Using A.I. But They Love It for Themselves...'

Washington Post—Trump administration to pull Maine K-12 funding over trans athlete dispute...'

NPR--DOGE abruptly cut a program for teens with disabilities. This student is 'devastated'...'

Education Week--See Which States Are Telling Trump Their Schools Don’t Use ‘Illegal’ DEI...'

Chalkbeat--State attorneys general and Gov. Shapiro sue Trump administration for halting COVID school aid...'

Education Dive--Will end to federal Office of Ed Tech mean an end to equity?...'

4-11-25 Education in the News
NY Times--Attorneys General Sue Over Access to $1 Billion in Federal School Aid...' NPR--'What did I say in class today?': Teachers feel watched under Trump's anti-DEI push...'

Education Week--School Leaders Look Out for Students as Trump Steps Up Immigration Enforcement...'

Chalkbeat--Michigan state superintendent signals he won’t sign Trump’s anti-DEI certification...'

Chalkbeat--Colorado won’t comply with Trump anti-DEI demand, state schools chief says...'

Education Dive--Education Department’s DEI order postponed as case pends...'

4-10-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--Op-Ed: New Jersey must continue to lead in climate change education...' The Record--Montclair Board of Education names Ruth Turner its new schools superintendent...'

Philadelphia Inquirer—Pa. tells schools they don’t need to make changes amid Trump’s DEI funding threats...'

NY Times--Kennedy Offers Qualified Support for Measles Vaccination...'

Education Week--Moms for Liberty Has a ‘University.’ What Is It Teaching?...'

Chalkbeat--Illinois schools chief pushes back against Trump administration’s anti-DEI push...'

Education Dive--Teens are embracing AI — but largely not for cheating, survey finds...'

4-9-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--NJ loses herd immunity to measles, now at greater risk...' Philadelphia Inquirer--Gov. Shapiro says he’s still reviewing federal funding threat to schools over DEI, as other states vow to fight Trump...'

Washington Post--Feds end a civil rights agreement on treatment of Native students, citing DEI...'

Education Week-- Defending Ed. Dept. Cuts, Linda McMahon Says It’s Time to ‘Do Something Different’...'

Education Dive--The Education Department’s approach to civil rights enforcement is changing. Here’s how...'

4-8-24 Education in the News
NY Times--Trump Is Threatening School Funding. Here’s What Families Should Know...' Education Week--Trump Admin. Funding Cuts Could Hit Efforts to Restore School Libraries...'

Chalkbeat--Effort to adapt Philly schools to rising temperatures threatened by Trump...'

Education Dive--Do superintendents seem younger? It’s not your imagination...'

The Hechinger Report--Knitting, cheerleading, fishing: This is what a cellphone ban looks like in one school district...'

4-7-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--NJ school districts scramble to close funding gaps...' Star Ledger--These 9 N.J. school districts are taking desperate measures to keep from going broke...'

NJ Monitor--‘Really scared’: Parents of kids with disabilities confront Education Department chaos...'

NY Times--The Pandemic Is Not the Only Reason U.S. Students Are Losing Ground...'

Washington Post—N.Y. tells Trump administration it won’t comply with anti-DEI school order...'

NPR--Supreme Court sides with administration over Education Department grants...'

Education Week--Groups Sue Over Trump’s Cuts to Education Department Research Arm...'

Education Dive--‘New sheriff in town’: DOJ to enforce anti-trans Trump orders...'

The Hechinger Report--NAEP, the Nation’s Report Card, was supposed to be safe. It’s not...'

4-4-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--Feds threaten funding cuts if NJ schools don’t apply Trump’s anti-diversity policies...' NJ Monitor--New Jersey officials reviewing federal threat to pull school funding over DEI...'

NY Times--How the Trump Administration Might Target D.E.I. in Public Schools...'

Wall Street Journal--The Schools Reviving Shop Class Offer a Hedge Against the AI Future...'

Education Week--Will Fired Federal Workers Consider Teaching? Some Schools May Soon Find Out...'

Education Dive—Op-Ed--The value of cybersecurity: How a New Jersey district protects student data...'

4-3-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--Chronic school absenteeism is declining in NJ...' Star Ledger--N.J. just released report cards for 2,500 schools. Here’s how to look up your district...'

Washington Post--Naval Academy removes 400 books after defense leaders’ DEI orders...'

NPR--How the Education Department helps students with disabilities get an education...'

Education Week--What Makes Curriculum ‘High-Quality’?...'

Education Dive--Districts encouraged to use Title I flexibility for school choice...'

Edutopia--What an Award-Winning School Leader Has Learned From Shadowing His Students...'

4-2-25 Education in the News
Star Ledger--Who’s to blame?...' Philadelphia Inquirer—Some Philly-area schools are sticking with DEI, despite Trump’s orders...'

Asbury Park Press--Murphy's education 'COVID slush fund is over, says U.S. education press secretary...'

Wall Street Journal--The Democrats Who Are Fighting—and Winning—Against Trump in Court...'

Education Week--Teacher Burnout Is Real. What’s to Blame—and How to Keep It at Bay...'

Education Week--See Which Schools Trump’s Education Department Is Investigating and Why...'

The Hechinger Report--Special education and Trump: What parents and schools need to know...'

4-1-25 Education in the News
Star Ledger--Trump is trying to ‘claw back’ $85M from 20 N.J. school districts, state says...' NY Times--Trump’s Mantra From Schools to FEMA: ‘Move It Back to the States’...'

Education Week--Trump Admin. Tells States, Schools How to Use Title I for School Choice...'

Education Week--Why Trump’s Move to Shift Special Ed. to HHS Is Rattling Educators...'

Education Dive--School shooting database slashed in Trump downsizing...'

3-31-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--Children may get counseling after domestic violence...' Philadelphia Inquirer—More than a third of all Pa. districts had teacher vacancies amid continuing educator shortage...'

Education Week--Linda McMahon Abruptly Tells States Their Time to Spend COVID Relief Has Passed...'

Education Week--McMahon Says Schools With ‘Gender Plans’ Could Be Violating Federal Privacy Law...'

Chalkbeat--Schools must share child gender identity info with parents, Trump Education Department says...'

3-28-25 Education in the News
Education Week--States Get Antsy as Education Department Layoffs Delay Millions for Schools...' Chalkbeat--‘Pandemic, politics, parents’: She loved teaching, but after COVID lockdowns, she broke up with it...'

InsiderNJ--GOP Lawmakers Push to Ban Woke Curriculum in Public Schools...

Education Dive--What do the massive Education Department layoffs look like? See for yourself...'

Edutopia--AI Tutors Can Work—With the Right Guardrails...'

NY Times--Trump Challenges California on Transgender Parental Notification...'

NPR--NPR speaks to a former Education Secretary about dismantling the department, arrests...'

3-27-25 Education in the News
Education Week--What RFK Jr. Thinks Schools Ought To Do About Cellphones...' Chalkbeat--Newark Public Schools hosts teen mental health summit to give students tools to cope, raise awareness...'

Education Dive--Schools earn a ‘D+’ for infrastructure...'

NY Times--Trump Asks Supreme Court to Let Him Cancel Grants to Teachers...'

3-26-25 Education in the News
Star Ledger--Free toothbrush, shampoo and deodorant? N.J. school gets new hygiene closet...' Philadelphia Inquirer—Camden schools’ superintendent is leaving—for a state role...'

New Jersey Mmonitor--Federal cuts squeeze already-struggling food banks, school lunch programs...'

Education Week--Religious Charters, LGBTQ+ Books, and More: A Winter Legal Roundup...'

Chalkbeat--NY blames U.S. Education Department changes for $363 million reimbursement delay...'

Education Dive--10 Trump changes education leaders need to know about...'

3-25-25 Education in the News
Philadelphia Inquirer—Most schools in Pa. have passed on ‘somewhat controversial’ cell phone pouch program...' MyCentralJersey.com--School bus safety bill focused on special education students clears NJ Senate...'

Insidernj--Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin Continues the Fight to Stop Trump from Shutting Down the U.S. Department of Education...'

NY Times--As Crises Grip Colleges, More Students Than Ever Are Set to Enroll...'

NPR--How the Education Department cuts could hurt low-income and rural schools...'

Education Week--Teacher Shortages Are Improving—With Two Big Exceptions...'

Chalkbeat--‘We’re not changing our policies’: NYC school officials stand firm after Trump executive order...'

Education Dive--OCR to Maine: Define sex by reproductive systems or lose funding...'

The Hechinger Report--Students try using AI to write scholarship essays — with little luck...'

3-24-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--Trump ‘playing with fire’ by trying to dismantle Department of Education...' Star Ledger--Do N.J. kids need to learn cursive? Yes, yes, yes, state lawmakers say...'

The Redord--NJ school principals fear Trump bid to end Education Department...'

NJ Monitor--Only Congress can close the Department of Education, and Republicans are going to try...'

NPR--Trump says Education Department will no longer oversee student loans, 'special needs'...'

Education Week--Reading Comprehension Teaching Has Improved—But Not Nearly Enough...'

Chalkbeat--A big change for kids with disabilities is underway, Trump says. Critics say it’s against the law...'

3-21-25 Education in the News
The Record--What happens to special education programs in NJ if Trump shuts the Education Department?...' The Record--New Jersey politicians react to Trump's order to dismantle Department of Education...'

Education Week--Op-Ed: ‘Diversity’ Isn’t a Dirty Word: Why Politicians Are Scapegoating DEI...'

NY Times--‘It Sounds Strange, Doesn’t It?’ Trump Muses About Gutting the Education Dept...'

3-20-25 Education in the News
Star Ledger--Biggest losers in N.J.’s new school funding plan — including one district with a 27% cut...' Star Ledger--N.J. school cancels 2nd grade trip to ‘gender justice’ center after online backlash...'

Education Week--Trump Admin. Gives Maine 10 Days to Bar Trans Athletes—or Risk School Funding...'

Chalkbeat--Op-Ed: COVID changed the class of 2025. It changed their teachers, too...'

Washington Post--Trump to sign order aimed at closing Education Department...'

Education Dive--More than 8 in 10 districts to keep or expand summer learning...'

3-19-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--NJ may tweak pension rules for teachers, state police...' Education Week--The Ed. Dept. Axed Its Office of Ed Tech. What That Means for Schools...'

NY Times--Judge Orders Education Dept. to Restore Some Grants to Schools...'

Chalkbeat--10 ways COVID changed American schools...'

Education Dive--What will NCES layoffs mean for the Nation’s Report Card?...'

3-18-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--Will school choice help integrate NJ schools? After mediation fails in segregation lawsuit, advocates push to expand school choice program...'

Star Ledger--Mother of autistic teen who died on school bus urges lawmakers to pass ‘common-sense’ safety bill...'

The Record--Federal Education Department layoffs include civil rights lawyers for NJ...'

NJ Monitor--Panel clears bill that would require schools to buy anti-choking devices...'

NY Times--Op-Ed: For So Many Children, This Is What Reading Feels Like...'

Education Week—OP-Ed: The Wrong People Are Driving Our Education Policy...'

Education Dive--Democrats demand details on Education Department layoffs...'

The Hechinger Report--How Trump is disrupting efforts by schools and colleges to combat climate change...'

3-17-25 Education in the News
The Record--93,000 New Jersey kids may lose free school meals in Congress, Project 2025 cuts; see list...' Philadelphia Inquirer—Should cursive writing make a comeback in New Jersey schools? A lawmaker believes all students should learn it...'

NJ Globe—Op-Ed: Gopal: Changes to School Funding Formula Explained...'

Education Week--Ed. Dept. Says SEL Can 'Veil' Discrimination. What Does This Mean for Schools?...'

Education Dive--How to help students overcome ‘learned helplessness’...'

The Hechinger Report--Chaos and confusion as the statistics arm of the Education Department is reduced to a skeletal staff of 3...'

3-14-25 Education in the News
The Record--Is FAFSA site still down? Did Trump end student financial aid?...' Asbury Park Press--'Extremely concerning': Recession fears could upend New Jersey's next state budget...'

NY Times--Teenagers Say Girls Are Equal to Boys in School, or Are Ahead...'

NY Times--Democratic Attorneys General Sue Over Gutting of Education Department...'

Washington Post—How Education Department layoffs hit student loans, testing, civil rights...'

Education Week--Political Divides Shape Educators’ Views on English Learners’ Rights...'

Chalkbeat--Education Department layoffs gut its civil rights office, leaving discrimination cases in limbo...'

Education Dive--Teacher training grants temporarily reinstated in 8 states...'

3-13-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--What to expect from Trump education cuts...' NY Times--Are Schools Succeeding? Trump Education Department Cuts Could Make It Hard to Know...'

NPR--What parents, teachers and school choice groups think of Education Department cuts...'

Education Week--Can Trump Do That? Which Actions on Education Are Legal, and Which Ones Aren’t...'

Chalkbeat--How a Republican plan to cut universal free school meals could affect 12 million students...'

Education Dive--AASA chief: Assessments need to reflect the world students live in now...'

The Hechinger Report--Reading comprehension loses out in the classroom...'

3-12-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--NJ will spend more on vaccination programs, Murphy pledged...' Star Ledger--Judge blocks Trump cuts to teacher training funding after N.J. sues...'

NY Times--Education Department Fires 1,300 Workers, Gutting Its Staff...'

Education Week--Trump Admin. Cuts Program That Brought Local Food to School Cafeterias...'

Education Dive--Republican lawmakers tout proposal for national private school choice...'

The Hechinger Report--Schools are surveilling kids to prevent gun violence or suicide. The lack of privacy comes at a cost...'

3-11-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--New ‘End DEI’ website raises fears...' Philadelphia Inquirer—Can Trump dismantle the department o Education with an executive order? Here’s what we know...'

NJ Monitor--Bill advances to restrict students’ use of cellphones in school...'

Education Week--Trump’s Cuts to Ed. Spending Will Hit Efforts to Improve Reading and Math. Here’s How...'

Education Dive--Trump’s Education Department changes could lead to systemic ‘chaos’...'

The Hechinger Report--10 lives, 5 years later: How the pandemic altered the futures of these parents, kids and educators...'

3-5-25 Educaiton in the News
Philadelphia Inquirer—In Philly, and across the country, educators sound the alarm about how possible federal cuts would hurt kids...' NJ Monitor--New Secretary Linda McMahon unveils ‘final mission’ for U.S. Department of Education...'

Asbury Park Press--Asbury Park schools: This is a 'safe space' in wake of President Donald Trump's orders...'

The Atlantic--When America Persecutes Its Teachers...'

Education Week--Teacher-Prep Programs Sue Trump to Get Their Funding Restored...'

Chalkbeat-- ‘Stop the cuts!’: Educators, school activists rally to protect federal funding for public education...'

Education Dive--Half of young children own a cell phone or tablet...'

3-4-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--Many NJ school districts ignore Trump administration’s DEI directive...' NJ Spotlight--School districts want more changes to funding formula...'

NY Times--A Black Studies Curriculum Is (Defiantly) Rolling Out in New York City...'

Washington Post--Senate blocks ban on transgender athletes, as Trump pushes forward...'

NPR--Linda McMahon has been confirmed as Trump's secretary of education...'

Education Week--Trump Admin. Says Race-Based Classes Don’t Automatically Break the Law...'

Education Dive--Are schools ‘soft censoring’ books out of fear?...'

The Hechinger Report--Former Trump commissioner blasts DOGE education data cuts...'

2-3-25 Education in the News
Philadelphia Inquirer—Op-Ed: A eulogy for the U.S. Department of Education...' Asbury Park Press--High percentage of Americans support cell phone ban in schools: survey...'

Washington Post—Education Dept. softens controversial guidance on race and schools...'

Wall Street Journal--The Schools Reviving Shop Class Offer a Hedge Against the AI Future...'

Education Week--A Formula for Better Teacher Recruitment and Retention...'

Chalkbeat--With an ally in the White House, Moms for Liberty renews its fight against a longtime target...'

Education Dive--Concerns mount over potential loss of Medicaid funds for schools...'

2-28-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--Most school districts set to receive increased state funding...' NY Times--Defense Dept. Schools Pause STEM Club for Girls and Pride Clubs...'

NPR--Rollback of diversity efforts leaves teachers wondering about effects on Black History Month...'

Education Week--Education Department Launches ‘End DEI’ Website to Solicit Complaints About Schools...'

Chalkbeat--Kids’ disability rights cases stalled as Trump began to overhaul Education Department...'

Education Dive--Concerns mount over potential loss of Medicaid funds for schools...'

2-27-25 Education in the News
The Record--Op-Ed: The Anthony Knox fallout shows what's wrong with HS sports in 2025    Cooper...'
The Record--NJ school bus system problems mount. New safety chief hired but state mum on details...'

NJ Monitor--Eyeing a friendly Supreme Court, Republicans push for the Ten Commandments in schools...'

The Atlantic--The Teen-Disengagement Crisis...'

NPR--Trump suspends the head of 'The Nation's Report Card'...'

Education Week--Measles Is on the Rise as Vaccinations Drop. Where Does That Leave Schools?...'

Chalkbeat--Educators sue to block enforcement of anti-diversity civil rights guidance...'

GSCS Critical Issues
CRITICAL ISSUES--2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR...'
2-26-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--NJ school aid destined for big changes?...' The Record--NJ school bus reforms haven't protected kids with disabilities. Mom asks ‘How many more?’...'

The NY Times--The Department of Education Threatens to Pull the Plug on Colleges...'

Education Week--School Districts Navigate a Dizzying Pace of New Trump Orders...'

Chalkbeat--Educators sue to block enforcement of anti-diversity civil rights guidance...'

Education Dive--Special education enrollment climbs to nearly 8M...'

Asbury Park Press--Thousands of New Jersey students aren't fluent in English. See what experts fear it means...'

2-25-25 Education in the News
NJ Monitor--ICE lets local officials stop immigrants on the streets as task force program is back...' NY Times--Federal Judge Bars Elon Musk’s Team From Student Loan Databases...'

NPR--Republicans' love/hate relationship with the Education Department...'

Education Week--How Many Students May Be Affected by Trump’s Immigration Policies?...'

Education Dive--Maine faces Title IX investigation over transgender athletic policies...'

2-24-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--NJ Budget: What to watch for as Murphy readies last spending plan...' Star Ledger--N.J. school board passes new cellphone ban, but it’s not for students...'

Asbury Park Press--Jackson to merge high schools, sue New Jersey Dept of Education after Lakewood gets loan...'

NY Times--The Teacher in Room 1214...'

Washington Post—Latest Trump guidance on race has schools scrambling amid ‘intense fear’...'

Education Week--Why So Many Students Struggle With Math Anxiety—and How to Help...'

Education Dive--Court upholds district policy protecting students’ right to choose name, pronouns...'

2-21-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--School aid might go down but not by much, districts told...' Asbury Park Press--Jackson to merge high schools, sue New Jersey Dept of Education after Lakewood gets loan...'

Education Week--Voters Have a Message for Lawmakers About Education: Stop the Blame...'

Chalkbeat--Chris Rufo’s social media posts appear to be driving Education Department cuts...'

Education Dive--What could schools expect under the new COPPA Rule?...'

2-20-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--Murphy pushes for phone-free schools...' The Record--NJ school districts at a loss: Feds say drop diversity efforts, but NJ requires them...'

NJ Monitor—GOP-led lawsuit targeting Biden admin rule could dismantle disability protections...'

NPR--Schools, colleges have 2 weeks to ban DEI. An education expert warns it won't be easy...'

Education Week--Why Boys Don’t Want to Become Teachers and What Schools Can Do About It...'

Education Dive--17 states claim Section 504 overreach...'

The Hechinger Report--Tracking Trump: His actions on education...'

2-19-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--Talks collapse, school desegregation case will go back to court...' NJ Spotlight--NJ school leaders fear federal funding cuts, further pressure on budgets...'

Washington Post--Court decision allows DOGE to continue accessing student data...'

Education Week--Trump Administration Slashes Millions in Teacher-Training Grants...'

Education Dive--OCR tells schools to cease race-based programs...'

2-18-25 Education in the News
NJ Spotlight--Q&A: Can mediation really help to desegregate NJ schools?...' Star Ledger--Give N.J. schools more money to teach undocumented immigrants, county says...'

The Record--Trump wants to close the US Education Department. What does that mean for NJ schools?...'

NJ Monitor--Schools and public buildings turn to AI gun detection software...'

NY Times--Education Dept. Gives Schools Two Weeks to Eliminate Race-Based Programs...'

Washington Post--Court decision allows DOGE to continue accessing student data...'

Education Week--Is It Ethical to Use AI to Grade?...'

Chalkbeat--School diversity efforts could violate civil rights, Trump administration says...'

Edutopia--7 Learning Myths Your Students Probably Believe...'

The Hechinger Report--DOGE’s death blow to education studies...'

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