Montclair Ordered To Make PARCC Action Plan, Increase Participation

Montclair, NJ – “Don’t shoot the messenger,” Montclair Superintendent Ronald Bolandi pleaded.

This was the disclaimer that Bolandi put on his announcement that the New Jersey Department of Education has ordered him to create an action plan to ramp up PARCC participation in the district.

Bolandi spoke about the emailed mandate from the state during the Board of Education meeting on Feb. 29, telling attendees that he “knows this is going to be controversial.”

According to Bolandi, the state is asking Montclair to “develop an accountability plan [due to the district’s] 2015 participation rate.”

• See related article: Montclair School District Releases Final PARCC Refusal Totals

State representatives expect the district to reach 95 percent participation, Bolandi said.

“I don’t know how I’m going to do that, to be honest with you,” the superintendent admitted to meeting participants.

The action plan is due relatively soon – by “the end of next week” – Bolandi said during Monday’s meeting.

“It’s not going to sit well in the community because the community chose to opt out,” Bolandi warned board of education members. “And I respect that. Unfortunately, I’m stuck trying to figure out an action plan to give to the state, which you as a board have to approve.”

When a meeting attendee asked Bolandi what the penalty would be if the district didn’t comply, the superintendent said that he has “no idea.”

“The consequences were none, as of the last I know,” he stated. “That’s all I’m going to say. They have a right to do something, but I don’t’ know what that is.”

• See related article: PARCC Law Passes In NJ: Schools Can't Be Penalized For Opt-Outs
• See related article: PARCC Opt-Out May Cost Montclair Funding, Superintendent Says

In an unrelated request, the state is also asking Bolandi to address in writing why the district has “such a tremendous gap between white and black [students],” the superintendent added.

“And there is a major gap,” Bolandi said.

• See related article: Black and White: Fixing The Student Achievement Gap In Montclair

The video from the Feb. 29 meeting can be seen below. Bolandi’s statement begins at 111:55.

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