Andrew Mulvihill was Vice President of the New Jersey State Board of Education and served from 2011-2024.

Did you know thirteen unelected members of the New Jersey State Board of Education (Board) have as much or more power over your child’s education than your local school board, superintendent, legislators, or even the Governor?

The State Board of Education consists of 13 members appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate.  The term for members is six years, but they can serve more or less depending on whether new members are nominated.  Members must be from different counties to provide a state-wide representation.  Members serve without compensation, completely voluntarily.  The Commissioner of Education, while nominated by the Governor and ultimately confirmed by the Senate, must be approved by the Board and serves as its Secretary and official agent.

 So what does the Board actually do and why does it matter?  While the State Legislature and the Governor make laws and policy, it is the job of the State Department of Education to propose to the Board the curricular standards and education regulations, which actually implement the education laws and policies of our state.  As a result, the members of the Board serve as gate keepers – an independent check on the proposed standards and regulations from the Department.  Board members are the individuals scrutinizing what must be taught in our schools, how our more than 600 schools must operate, and what our students must be able to demonstrate to graduate high school. 

Last week, I was ousted from the Board.  I served more than twelve years on the Board, serving as Vice President for six years.  During that time, I served under two Governors, six Commissioners of Education, and with a dozen or so different Board Members.  During my term, I consistently made clear that I was serving one constituency, and one constituency alone: the students of New Jersey.  I was not beholden to any organizations or what may be in the best interest of their adult members.  I constantly pushed the Department and my fellow Board Members to do the same – put our students first.   

Now, I can point to decisions of which I am proud, but there were instances where I think we failed kids and compromised their future.  Too many times I was left asking myself: “How was this in the best interest of our students and their future?”

At the start of my tenure in 2011, leadership at the State had a clear plan of what they wanted to accomplish.  The leaders believed in establishing systems and structures in our Department of Education that honestly evaluated how our students were preparing for college, career, and future life success.  There was a focus on accountability, but also a focus on teacher development and highlighting best practices to drive student success.  And, perhaps most importantly, there was a deep commitment to equal opportunity – ensuring all students, regardless of their zip code, could attend an excellent school.  Having a plan and leaders who had a vision for what we wanted our students in New Jersey to accomplish, made it possible for the Board to see how the decisions put before them were in the best interest of students.

More recently, this has not been the case.  In 2022, the Board was presented with standards for the sex ed curriculum that require teaching fifth graders about masturbation and eighth graders about vaginal, oral, and anal sex, as well as both short-term and long-term contraception.  When local school boards pushed back with concerns over teaching such topics, the Department indicated districts could face disciplinary action for noncompliance.  In addition, the Board approved standards where climate change is now required to be taught not only in every grade level, kindergarten through twelfth, but also in virtually every subject, including in Visual and Performing Arts, World Languages, Computer Science & Design Thinking.  Finally, while not an issue that the Board votes on, in 2018 the Department reduced the amount of a teacher’s annual evaluation that is based on student test scores from 30% down to just 5%.  Unsurprisingly, it has remained at 5% since then.  How are these decisions preparing students for their future?  The answer is they’re not. 

We have lost our way, New Jersey, and our students will suffer the consequences. Did you know that in the 2022-2023 school year only half of students were on grade level in English and only about 40% of students were on grade level in Math, as measured by statewide standardized tests?  Certainly COVID didn’t help, but neither did extended school closures.

Education priorities need to shift back to student academic achievement, accountability, and school choice options.  The State Board of Education needs to reclaim its role as a gatekeeper and ask on every vote – is this best for kids?  We need statewide leaders who will put student interests first and who will be committed to appointing board members who will do the same.