User:Meerturtle/sandbox

Education

Public schools

Camden's public schools are operated by Camden City School District. As of 2019, the district and its 18 schools have an enrollment of approximately 6,800 students and 618 classroom teachers for a student–teacher ratio of 11:1.

High schools in the district (with 2016-18 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics [number of students; grade levels]) are :

• Dr. Charles E. Brimm Medical Arts High School (193; 9-12)
• Camden Big Picture Learning Academy (309; 6-12)
• Camden High School (568; 9-12)
• Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy (346; 6-12)
• Woodrow Wilson High School (824; 9-12)

In 3011, during a review of the proposed budget for the 2011-2012 school year, it was announced that Creative Arts High School would be merging with Morgan Village Middle School. A new building was built to accommodate both high school and middle school students. The new building also housed the facilities necessary to sustain and expand the creative arts programs.

Other schools merging that year were Washington Elementary School with Veterans Middle School and Parkside Elementary School with Hatch Middle School. These changes were intended to address schools with low enrollment, specifically schools with less than 300 students.

In 2016, three years after the State of New Jersey takeover, former superintendent Paymon Rouhanifard noted the changes made within the district that contributed to a 64% graduation rate (up from 49%) and 15% decrease in the drop out rate within the Camden City School District:

• the creation of new staff positions that specialize in helping students with discipline and learning
• the implementation of a required SAT/ACT test-taking day for all high school students
• the creation of a program for absentee students in which officials visit families to address the causes of the absences

In May 2018, former Superintendent Rouhanifard announced that the district would be piloting a gifted and talented program available to 130 third through fifth grade students in H.B. Wilson and Catto Family Schools. Formerly known as the CHIPS program, this pilot created new teaching positions for gifted and talented educators, and endeavored to encourage gifted students to accomplish the most with their academic talents though fun, developmental activities, field trips, and guest speakers. To get into the program, students had to pass an assessment. New students had the same opportunity, and the program would be open to all grade levels in the school if the first year ended successfully.  H.B. Wilson and Catto Family Schools were chosen for their diversity, but if all goes well, the program is anticipated to be established in more district schools.

It was announced on April 10, 2019 by acting superintendent Katrina McCombs that, due to a $27 million deficit, the Camden City School District plans to compensate by closing Veterans Memorial Family School by the end of June. Riletta Twyne Cream Family School will be converted into an early childhood center. Educators will also be affected, as Onome Pela-Emore, schools spokeswoman, anticipates that the district could lay off up to 300 staff members. A similar announcement was made in April of 2014. Then-superintendent Paymon Rouhanifard, in the face of a $75 million deficit, announced that the district intended to phase out 575 staff positions, with the potential for layoffs.

Structural issues

Due to weather-related issues in 2018, Riletta Twyne Cream Family School and Yorkship Family School, both K-8 schools, were caused to close. R.T. Cream Family School, housed in a 27 year-old building, experienced water pipe damage due to the pipes being exposed to cold temperatures by being located close to the roof of the building. Yorkship Family School's 100 year-old building, on the other hand, experienced heating problems, and had to be closed alongside R.T. Cream Family School.

As of April 2019, Superintendent Katrina McCombs announced that the district has applied for a $122 million state grant to address the repairs needed in the older buildings in the district. This grant is expected to prevent any more school closures.

Charter and renaissance schools

KIPP Cooper Norcross Lanning Square Primary and MIddle School

In 2012, The Urban Hope Act was signed into law, allowing renaissance schools to open in Trenton, Newark, and Camden. The renaissance schools, run by charter companies, differed from charter schools, as they enrolled students based on the surrounding neighborhood, similar to the city school district. This makes renaissance schools a hybrid of charter and public schools. This is the act that allowed Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP), Uncommon Schools, and Mastery Schools to open in the city.

Under the renaissance charter school proposal, the Henry L. Bonsall Family School became Uncommon Schools Camden Prep Mt. Ephraim Campus, East Camden Middle School has become part of Mastery Charter Schools, Francis X. Mc Graw Elementary School and Rafael Cordero Molina Elementary School have become part of the Mastery charter network. The J.G Whittier Family school has become part of the KIPP Public Charter Schools as KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy. Students were given the option to stay with the school under their transition or seek other alternatives.

In the 2013-2014 school year, Camden city proposed a budget of $72 million to allot to charter schools in the city. In previous years, Camden city charter schools have used $52 million and $66 million in the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years, respectively.

As of 2019, there are 3,850 Camden students enrolled in one of the city's renaissance schools, and 4,350 Camden students are enrolled one of the city's charter schools. Combined, these students make up approximately 55% of the 15,000 students in Camden.

Charter schools in Camden

• Camden's Promise Charter School
• Environment Community Opportunity (ECO) Charter School
• Freedom Prep Charter School
• Hope Community Charter School
• Leap Academy University Charter School

Renaissance schools in Camden

• Uncommon Schools Camden Prep
• KIPP Cooper Norcross
  • Lanning Square Primary School
  • Lanning Square Middle School
  • Whittier Middle School
• Mastery Schools of Camden
  • Cramer Hill Elementary
  • Molina Lower Elementary
  • Molina Upper Elementary
  • East Camden Middle
  • Mastery High School of Camden
  • McGraw Elementary

Board of Education History

The Board of Education of the City of Camden was established by Isaac W. Mickle, who was entrusted by The Camden Board of School Trustees to borrow money to build a schoolhouse and apply to become a board of education. Mickle would go on to become the first secretary of The Board of Education.

The first meeting of the Board of Education of the City of Camden was in City Hall on April 3, 1854. The first three members elected into the board were from each political ward: Joseph Kimble (North Ward), Ebenezer Nichols (Middle Ward), and Isaac Lloyd (South Ward).