Schools

New Grad School in Education Cleared to Start Training Teachers

Unconventional program born out of charter schools focuses more on practical teaching and classroom skills.

By John Mooney (Courtesy of NJ Spotlight)

The Christie administration has approved a new graduate school of education in Newark, clearing the last hurdle on Friday in resolving questions over the credentials of the innovative program’s faculty.

The Relay Graduate School of Education, started in New York City in 2011 by the leaders of three prominent charter school networks, will open its New Jersey program in September with its first 25 or 30 students seeking Master’s degrees. The program already has a presence in Newark, where it offers alternate certification for about 100 new teachers, most of them from charter schools.

Relay will be the first grad school approved by the state that is not affiliated with an in-state university. Some of New Jersey's university-based teacher preparation programs have objected to it as not fitting their definition of a graduate program.

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The unconventional program focuses more on practical teaching and classroom skills and less on education theory and credit hours. It is specifically aimed at teachers in high-poverty districts and charter schools, and has won praise for its focus on the student achievement outcomes for its graduating teachers.

Read more at NJSpotlight.com

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NJ Spotlight is an issue-driven news website that provides critical insight to New Jersey’s communities and businesses. It is non-partisan, independent, policy-centered and community-minded.


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