Trump officials want to strip federal rules for Head Start's pre-k programs, saying that would free funds to serve more kids. But experts fear the changes could degrade the programs terribly, putting hundreds of thousands of kids at risk -- including in NJ www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/08/trum...

Trump's Head Start rollback a 'Trojan horse' for pre-K, critics say | NJ Spotlight News

Thousands of New Jersey children at risk of losing instruction hours and teacher-to-student ratio would suffer

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Armed with detailed records, a Newark mother is speaking out to expose what she calls a systemic blind spot: the high risk of abuse vulnerable children face from classmates and adults alike in classrooms that lack video surveillance. Spanish translation: www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/08/la-l...

La lucha de una madre por proteger a su hijo autista del maltrato | NJ Spotlight News

No podía hablar para contarle qué pasó en la escuela. Ahora él está a salvo — y ella exige respuestas

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Along a gritty stretch of South Orange Ave in #Newark, locals recently packed a laundromat – not for the hum of the spin cycles, but for readings by debut authors just old enough to tackle chapter books. This is no ordinary wash house. More here: www.njspotlightnews.org/special-repo...

Bedtime storytellers of the South Ward  - NJ Spotlight News

A former teacher uses books to steer Newark kids toward brighter futures

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With cameras all around us – in office buildings, on street corners, in shopping centers – why do we not install them in special ed classrooms to protect vulnerable kids, as in other states? And why has NJ's Legislature twice rejected a bill to do so? www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/07/unse...

Unseen neglect, silent victims: The battle over special ed cameras | NJ Spotlight News

Other states mandate classroom video as a safeguard for kids and staff alike. In New Jersey, the legislation has fizzled

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Armed with detailed records, a Newark mother is speaking out to expose what she says is a systemic blind spot: the high risk of abuse that the most vulnerable children face from classmates and adults alike in classrooms that lack video surveillance. www.njspotlightnews.org/special-repo...

A mother’s fight to protect her autistic son from abuse - NJ Spotlight News

He couldn't speak to tell her what happened at school. Now he's safe -- and she's demanding answers.

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NJ, like many states, is hiring tutors to help kids in struggling schools lift math and reading scores. But the state’s latest round of tutoring grants created a mystery: Why did Trenton, one of the poorest and most desperate districts of all, get nothing? www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/06/nj-p...

NJ provides tutoring funds. High-need Trenton kids got nothing | NJ Spotlight News

State, district officials mum on why the capital city had to return roughly 80% of a grant designed to boost math, reading skills

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Before COVID-19 struck, Newark students were roughly one grade level behind the national math and reading averages. Now they're more than two grade levels behind. But the pace of learning has picked up, fanning hopes that a turnaround may be beginning: www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/06/glim...

Glimmer of hope in Newark schools, but road to full recovery is long | NJ Spotlight News

Pace of learning picked up after pandemic, though students still behind. What's next, now that pandemic stimulus funding is gone?

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Which NJ schools have bought "Blue Ribbon" awards in the past few years that mimic the official government honor? Is your kid's school among them? Check out the list here: www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/05/nj-t...

NJ tax dollars spent on 'Blue Ribbon' school awards that critics call deceptive | NJ Spotlight News

A nonprofit bestows an honor that looks like coveted government recognition, and gathers education leaders to celebrate at a Disney resort

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It is truly a pleasure to collaborate with talents like @colleenodea.bsky.social and @bhulac.bsky.social on stories that attempt to go deep on key issues. @njspotlightnews.org "Where Issues Matter"

Earmarks flood Democratic strongholds. Can Sherrill cut off her party? | NJ Spotlight News

As lawmakers ready hundreds of millions of dollars in budget requests, one grant process shows what happens when all applicants have a shot

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More than 230 U.S. schools, including about 15 in NJ in the past few years, paid thousands for private “Blue Ribbon” awards. For more on what sparked this investigation, listen to our podcast: Is your kid’s Blue Ribbon school what you think it is? www.njspotlightnews.org/podcast/hey-...

Purchased prestige: Is your kid's Blue Ribbon school what you think it is? | NJ Spotlight News

Urban education writer Julie O'Connor discusses her reporting, New Jersey's response and the implications

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A GOP lawmaker is pushing for reform after a $500 million no-bid school contract was awarded to a politically tied developer in Newark. Sauickie says his bills would help prevent political insiders from securing decades-long contracts behind closed doors. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/05/nj-r...

Republican lawmaker aims to curb 'sweetheart' no-bid school deals | NJ Spotlight News

'Taxpayer dollars, not political slush funds,' Sauickie says after seeking information about pending $500 million lease in Newark

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When a charter school struggles, the state is supposed to step in. But is it doing its job? That’s the question raised by reported troubles at New Horizons in Newark. The FBI is interested in probing this school, so why weren't state education officials? www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/05/scar...

Scarce oversight: State let Newark charter crisis flourish, staff say | NJ Spotlight News

The FBI is interested in probing New Horizons, a school on probation for three years. Why aren’t New Jersey education officials?

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More than 230 U.S. schools have paid for “Blue Ribbon” awards that mimic the real thing, including about 15 recently in NJ. To get an idea of how low the standards are, consider the latest recipient in Newark – about which the FBI sought financial records. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/05/nj-t...

NJ tax dollars spent on 'Blue Ribbon' school awards that critics call deceptive | NJ Spotlight News

A nonprofit bestows an honor that looks like coveted government recognition, and gathers education leaders to celebrate at a Disney resort

njspotlightnews.org

Many NJ parents are calling for an investigation of the state's Office of Special Education, which is intended to protect the most vulnerable children. "They blew me off," one mom says. Instead, families are waging epic court battles, all on their own. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/04/perf...

'Perfect storm of awful': Advocates call for probe of special-ed office | NJ Spotlight News

Families have made almost 3,000 requests for information about an agency that's supposed to help students. 'They blew me off,' one mom says

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Newark's mayor says he had nothing to do with a potential $500 million deal to secure a new school in his city, a deal that involves a developer who is one of his political donors. Ras Baraka said today that he feels "blindsided." More here: www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/03/newa...

Newark mayor denies role in $500M school deal linked to donor | NJ Spotlight News

'It's a lot of money,' says Baraka, and suggests that state, rather than city, should handle the construction

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Who's in line to win the unusual $500 million contract to secure a new school building in Newark? The district won't say. But found his name in a public records filing: Scott Fields, a donor to Mayor Ras Baraka’s failed campaign for governor last year. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/03/newa...

Newark’s $500M no-bid school deal linked to mayor's biggest donor | NJ Spotlight News

Lease would cost $1 million a month, according to school board, which declined to give details about the developer at a public meeting

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NJ's new ed chief hails from Texas, where she led one of the nation's largest efforts to get schools more in line with the latest science on reading. I asked Lily Laux what she plans for our state, where 60% of third graders aren't reading on grade level. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/03/qa-w...

Q&A: Will New Jersey follow Texas’ lead on reading instruction? | NJ Spotlight News

With as many as 60% of third graders falling short of grade level, education chief signals a collaborative — not punitive — approach

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After Gov. Sherrill told each school district how much money it will get from the state in her new budget, Republicans once again are arguing that NJ should cut aid to some urban systems. Here's how the GOP’s top budget expert in the Senate makes his case: www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/03/qa-n...

Q&A: NJ Republicans want urban school aid cut. This is how |NJ Spotlight News

'There's a way to do more for these kids with less money,' O'Scanlon says, and a start would be no more $1 million travel budget

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Why are Mississippi schools getting better results for poor kids, at half the price? I’ve started talking with experts about this debate in New Jersey. Here’s the perspective of Kirabo Jackson, a labor economist and professor who focuses on education finance: www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/03/qa-w...

Q&A: Why are NJ's poor schoolkids lagging behind Mississippi's?NJ Spotlight News

Magnolia State spends less than half of what New Jersey does, yet its fourth-graders do better on standardized reading and math tests

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NJ is about to take millions in weed $ and invest it in free summer programs, many run by Black churches. These "freedom schools" are an effort to heal the wounds of the War on Drugs, catch kids up in reading and use education as a tool for social change. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/02/qa-h...

Q&A: How urban freedom schools flourish on riches of legal weed | NJ Spotlight News

To reverse War on Drugs damage -- and combat pandemic learning loss and Trump education threats -- Black activists tap the Civil Rights era

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NJ is among the last states to overhaul how reading is taught, with many schools continuing to use discredited methods, critics say. One key reason is our strong deference to local decision-making. But that may be about to change under Gov. Sherrill. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/02/is-h...

Is ‘home rule’ sabotaging reading reform in NJ? | NJ Spotlight News

Local autonomy means that many schools will likely continue to use discredited reading methods, critics say

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Los alumnos que hablan o entienden poco o nada de inglés suman cerca del 8% de la población de las escuelas públicas de NJ. En distritos escolares como Newark, sin embargo, el número es mucho más alto; más de un cuarto del cuerpo estudiantil. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/02/mas-...

Cómo las escuelas están ayudando a más niños a aprender inglés

Los alumnos que entienden poco a nada del inglés hacen parte de cerca del 8 por ciento de la población de las escuelas públicas del estado

njspotlightnews.org

Students who understand little or no English make up about 8% of NJ’s public school population. In districts like Newark, though, it’s much higher: More than a quarter of the student body. I spoke to a national expert about what schools are doing to help: www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/02/more...

More students need to learn English as a new language. What are schools doing to help? | NJ Spotlight News

Students who understand little to no English make up about 8% of state’s public school population

njspotlightnews.org

Gov. Sherrill's new education chief is Lily Laux, known for her role in a push to adopt the “science of reading” in Texas. To get a better sense of that overhaul and what it might mean for NJ, I spoke to a researcher and professor at Texas A&M University. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/01/less...

Lessons from the Lone Star State: NJ's new schools chief could revamp reading | NJ Spotlight News

Lily Laux helped adopt “science of reading” in Texas. What could that mean for NJ?

njspotlightnews.org

The disparity in performance between Trenton and Camden schools can’t be explained by money from the state, or poverty. Both have plenty. And it’s not hopeless, because Camden shows that progress is possible. So what happened in Trenton? Well, politics. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/01/as-t...

As Trenton schools struggle, Camden’s improve. Why? | NJ Spotlight News

A look at the disparity in performance between these two New Jersey cities

njspotlightnews.org

Is NJ’s school ethics law being weaponized to silence critics? Few in the public are aware of how broadly written this code is, and why school board members have good reason to fear its use. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/01/is-n...

Is NJ’s school ethics law being used to silence critics? | NJ Spotlight News

Board members face legal action for comments on social media and public meetings

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Is New Jersey living up to its reputation as the best public school system in the country? Some experts say no; poor kids are doing better in Mississippi, at much lower cost. One expert called our test scores in NJ "unacceptable." Here, he explains why. www.njspotlightnews.org/2025/12/nj-s...

NJ school test scores are out. But what do they mean? | NJ Spotlight News

State’s reputation for high performance might not add up, expert warns

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NJ's school segregation is among the worst in America, and one of the potential solutions now under discussion might surprise you: A new fleet of charter schools that draw racially diverse students from across district lines. But this faces big hurdles. www.njspotlightnews.org/2025/12/are-...

Are charter schools an answer to NJ’s segregated schools? | NJ Spotlight News

New charter schools could be more diverse than traditional districts

njspotlightnews.org

Why won’t NJ reveal the results of school tests? We’re among only a handful of states that routinely wait seven months to release these statewide scores. A former official who led this work in NJ for years called the delay “very bizarre.” www.njspotlightnews.org/2025/11/what...

What’s behind ‘very bizarre’ delay with NJ school tests? | NJ Spotlight News

Students take tests in May, results are public in December. Experts wonder why

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Why the secrecy? No one will say why this extension of the Newark superintendent's contract was so rushed, with more than 2 years left on his current contract. Critics call it a back-room stunt designed to keep the public out of the discussion. www.njspotlightnews.org/2025/11/why-...

Why did Newark schools superintendent get a new deal? | NJ Spotlight News

Contract was approved with little public review. Questions aren’t being answered

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