In August 2023, the New Jersey State Board of Education re-adopted N.J.A.C. 6A:7, Managing for Equity in Education, which outlines responsibilities for achieving and maintaining compliance with all state and federal laws governing equity in educational activities and programs, the New Jersey Department of Education noted in an advisory.
As a result, all local educational agencies are mandated to develop a three-year Comprehensive Equity Plan. The responsibility of each board of education of every public school district and charter school or renaissance school project board of trustees in New Jersey is to identify and correct all discriminatory and inequitable policies, programs, practices and conditions within or affecting its schools. The role of the NJDOE is to ensure that each LEA complies with equity requirements, and to provide supporting guidelines.
Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.5, the LEA must have an affirmative action team led by the affirmative action officer to conduct a needs assessment and, if necessary, create a plan to address areas identified for improvement in the needs assessment. The CEP shall be submitted to the executive county superintendent for confirmation of completion no later than June 23, 2025.
The CEP covers a period of three school years: 2025-2026, 2026-2027 and 2027-2028. In accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:7- 1.4(c)4, upon submission to the executive county superintendent, they will review the CEP and confirm completion. If the executive county superintendent determines that the comprehensive equity plan is not complete, the district board of education shall revise the plan in accordance with the executive county superintendent’s instructions and shall submit the revised plan within 30 days of the notification of incompletion.
Contact information for each county office of education can be found on the NJDOE’s County Information and Services webpage. Additionally, LEAs must annually submit a statement of assurance affirming compliance with laws, statutes and regulations governing equity in education by Sept. 1 of each school year in which the current CEP applies. Step-by-step directions and all forms necessary to conduct the needs assessment and develop the CEP are available on the NJDOE website under Comprehensive Equity Plans.
