NJEA Professional Development

NJDOE issues educator evaluation rubric weights for 2026-2027.

The key takeaway: there are NO changes to educator evaluation for 2026-27! The SGO pause remains in effect and mSGP remains at 5%. The NJDOE’s updated FAQ (linked in the field advisory) contains helpful information, and I recommend everyone look that over as well.

Thanks to PDII'S own Elisabeth Yucis for crafting this advisory.

Investing in educators is investing in student success! 🍎✨

School districts across the nation are navigating complex challenges—from burnout and retention to rising instructional demands. True, sustainable improvement doesn't come from programs alone; it happens when we invest in the people who empower our students and schools to thrive every single day.

That’s why we’re thrilled to share that PDII's own Amanda Adams will be presenting at the I AM THE ANSWER™ Educators Conference! 🎉

The Conference is a high-impact professional learning experience intentionally designed to strengthen educator capacity, leadership, instructional practice, and organizational culture. We are so proud to see Amanda sharing her expertise on this stage to support, equip, and celebrate our incredible educators—including our dedicated NJEA community.

Please join this incredible opportunity to inspire lasting change in our classrooms, schools, and districts! 👏📚

As the summer season begins, many educators find they have more time to devote to reading. But what to read? That’s where the NJEA Professional Development and Instructional Issues (PDII) Division staff come in. They've compiled their annual summer reading list. We hope you find some treasures that will help sustain you through the summer and beyond. Click the link in the first comment below to check it out ⬇️

✨NJEA Teacher Leader Academy - Cohort 7!✨

Wishing our Teacher Leader Academy candidates an inspiring leadership learning journey ahead!

Across NJEA ACCESS Model partner districts, educators are seeing real change: more peaceful classrooms, stronger relationships, and students who lead their own conflict resolution. At Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, ACCESS implementation was followed by a 14% decrease in chronic absenteeism. 👏🏽

In educators' own words: 💬
"I have seen our climate and culture blossom into a positive place for our students and staff." — Monique Gamboa, Dr. MLK Jr. Middle School
"Students have started to utilize our vocabulary: 'Mr. Muse, I would like to mediate this tonight...'" — Naeem A. Muse, Dr. MLK Jr. Middle School

The ACCESS Model — A Community Collective for Equitable and Sustainable Schools — builds lasting cultural change through Positive School Culture, Social-Emotional Learning, Educator Collaboration, Relationship-Building, and Student Leadership.

Want this transformation at your school?
📧Reach out to Amanda Adams at [email protected] to learn how to join the program.
🧐Curious what it looks like in action? Come to an ACCESS Endorsed event and see the model in practice!

📢 Exciting News from the NJEA Consortium!

The NJEA Consortium continues to strengthen its impact through collaboration, with consortium-developed content now endorsed by several strategic partners. These endorsements reflect a shared commitment to advancing inclusive, high-quality educational resources that support New Jersey educators and students.
By working together with trusted organizations and educational leaders, the Consortium is helping ensure that diverse voices, perspectives, and histories are represented in teaching and learning experiences across our schools.

🔗 Read the full article: https://learning.njea.org/consortium-content-endorsed-by-several-strategic-partners/

Consortium content endorsed by several strategic partners - Professional Development The NJEA Consortium is proud to announce that a growing collection of curricular resources, Scholar Talks, and professional learning materials has been endorsed by several of our strategic partners. These

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🎤✨ We’re thrilled to announce our opening keynote speaker for the 2026 NJEA Convention, America Ferrera!

She’s an award-winning actor, producer, director, Golden Globe winner, Emmy winner, Oscar-nominated artist and a powerful advocate for equity and storytelling. America uses her platform to uplift, empower, and spark change. She’ll kick off our convention with inspiration and insight you won’t want to miss.

🗣️Registration for the NJEA Impact Conference on July 15th closes in TWO days!

‼️Don't miss the opportunity to hear from keynote speaker Dr. Temple Grandin and be part of an inspiring conference experience. The first 25 guests to arrive will have the opportunity to attend an exclusive meet-and-greet and book signing with Dr. Grandin!

Only a few conference registration spots remain. Register before it's too late @ www.njea.org/impact

📣 Mark your calendars!

Join us at the 2026 NJEA Convention on November 5–6—two days of inspiration, connection, and professional growth you won’t want to miss!

Keep the momentum going into 2027 at PDII’s Transform & Impact Conferences on April 17 and July 14—designed to empower you with fresh ideas and strategies to make a difference.

✨ Learn. Connect. Lead. See you there!