Back to School: What's New for the 2024-2025 School Year

The N.J. Department of Education communicated the following in a press release on August 26:

"As students prepare to return to school, the New Jersey Department of Education (Department) is placing a spotlight on some of the changes, programs, and initiatives that students, parents, and teachers may see heading into the 2024-2025 school year."

To read about the many changes highlighted, including:

• Literacy and Academics
• Technology-Rich Classrooms
• Growing Preschool
• Caring for Kids
• Aiding the Teaching Profession
• Historic Funding for Schools
• ...and much more

Click here to read the full release.

Resources

Early Reading: 5 Quick Tips to Remember for Families

Building connections early with your child's teacher will set the tone for a successful school year.

The New Jersey Tiered System of Supports for Early Reading Project (NJTSS-ER) at SPAN has created the following Quick Tips for Families

5 TIPS TO REMEMBER: 

1. Find out your teacher's preferred method of communication
2. Ask if there are volunteer opportunities for you in the classroom or school
3. Clarify when you can expect to hear about how your child is doing or if they need help
4. Gain an understanding of the methods used to teach your child how to read
5. Discuss how you can support your child's learning at home

For more resources and activities, including a downloadable PDF of these tips, click here.

Professionals Working with Infants, Toddlers and Young Children Needed for Survey

The New Jersey Inclusive Child Care Project (NJICCP) at SPAN promotes and supports early childhood inclusion for children with disabilities through parent and provider education, resource connection, and technical assistance. We are looking for your assistance as we gather feedback from professionals working with infants, toddlers and young children around the state. To better serve the professionals, we are conducting a survey for child care providers, including Child Care Resource & Referral Agency staff, to gather insights on their communication preferences and professional development needs. 

Please use the link below to take the 10-minute survey, if this applies to you! 

If this does not apply to you, please share the link and encourage child care professionals to complete it.

To access the survey, click here.

We thank you for your participation! If you have questions, please contact Mita Bhattacharya, Early Childhood Inclusion Coordinator at: mbhattacharya@spanadvocacy.org