The Office of Education provides intensive 12-month educational services and supports to children and young adults ages 3 through 21. The uniqueness of their needs requires a different environment from the public-school setting. A successful return to school and participation in community life are goals for all OOE students.
Project TEACH (Teen Education and Child Health) offers a year-round, healing-centered education program for parenting and expecting teens. It involves both mothers and fathers in a school environment to support their transition back to community schools. Their children are cared for on-site in a licensed nursery and engage in parenting classes and activities alongside their parents throughout the day.
The TEC program (Transitional Education Centers) is an alternative school designed for students ages 13 to 21 struggling with school. It offers a comprehensive education that empowers students through small classes, low student-to-teacher ratios, personalized instruction, cultural and life skills activities, group and individual counseling, and adult transitional planning. These features provide students with the opportunity to succeed academically.
These state and federally compliant education programs are designed for students who:
- Are pregnant/parenting teens (programs are available for infant/toddlers of parenting teens).
- Exhibit severe cognitive, physical, behavioral and emotional disabilities;
- Exhibit a variety of moderate to severe learning differences;
- Are in need of additional resources to be successful at school; and/or regular and special education programs are individually designed and provided to these students in the least restrictive environment.
Our students are served in:
- Residential facilities overseen by/contracted with DCF's Child Protection and Permanency and Children's System of Care, as well as the Department of Human Services’ Division of Mental Health Services;
- 14 DCF Regional Schools, and two hospital-based satellite programs operated by the OOE including: TEC (Transitional Education Centers) programs for at-risk youth and TEACH (Teen Education and Child Health) programs for pregnant and parenting teens with licensed day care centers for the infants/toddlers of the parenting teens; and
- A variety of public and private community-based programs.
The OOE also serves students who have no NJ District of Residence as determined by the NJ Department of Education (DOE). These state-responsible students are placed in public, private and state facility school settings according to their individual educational needs.
Educational services include: regular and special education programs, Child Study Team services, related services, educational surrogates, and instructional and assistive technology services.
General Mailbox
dcf_officeofeducation@dcf.nj.gov
Assistant Commissioner (Chief School Administrator)
Dr. Kelley Michalowski
Kelley.Michalowski@dcf.nj.gov
Message from Assistant Commissioner
Deputy Director (Assistant Superintendent) Curriculum and Instruction
Lizette Murray
Lizette.Murray@dcf.nj.gov
Deputy Director – (Assistant Superintendent) Safety and Security and Operations
Jennifer Connery
Jennifer.Connery@dcf.nj.gov
Supervisor of Education Programs (Building Administrators)
View the School Directory
Fiscal Manager
Steve Sosis
Steven.Sosis@dcf.nj.gov
Supervisor of Child Study Team
Melissa Shukis
Melissa.Shukis@dcf.nj.gov
Supervisor of Food Service
Matthew Moore
Matthew.Moore@dcf.nj.gov
Supervisor of Transportation
Christine Bresser
Christine.Bresser@dcf.nj.gov
Supervisor of Technology
Chris Pawlowski
Christopher.Pawlowski@dcf.nj.gov
Chip Marinari
Lawrence.Marinar@dcf.nj.gov
