New Jersey Department of Education

Safe & Positive Learning Environment

The New Jersey Department of Education has been providing leadership to New Jersey schools in the implementation of high-quality programs and services towards developing and maintaining safe and positive learning environments for students and staff which include, but are not limited to those that:

• Increase program coordination;
• Decrease gaps in services;
• Minimize program redundancy and overlap;
• Create positive school communities for students and staff;
• Focus on prevention and intervention efforts; and
• Increase school capacity to implement and sustain programs in the context of school reform efforts.

Information on the current programs and services that are designed contribute to the maintainence and establishment of safe and positive learning environments can be found according to the following topics:

• School Climate and Culture
• Service Learning
• Social Emotional and Character Developnent
• Student Conduct

Targeted information regarding the existing projects that are being implemented and/or supported by the NJDOE to support safe and positive learning environments include:

• Developing Safe & Civil Schools: A Coordinated Approach for Social-Emotional and Character Development
• Partnerships for Character Education Programs
• New Jersey Schools of Character Program
• Social Norms Project
• Truancy Reduction Pilot Project
• Intervention & Referral Services Technical Assistance Project

Title IV-A & Unsafe School Choice Option

What's New:

• Release of School District and School Grades Required by the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act
• Commissioner's Program and Guidance for Determining Grades under the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act
• School Climate and Culture & NJ School Climate Survey