The NJ Department of Education just released the 2013 School Performance Reports. From the press release:

“New Jersey has one of the best public school systems in the nation, and we applaud our educators and administrators for their many successes. We also appreciate their commitment to a process of continuous learning and improvement,” said Education Commissioner Chris Cerf. “These expanded School Performance Reports provide an important tool for engaging in that critical process. We believe they offer school communities a foundation for meaningful conversations about their many accomplishments as well as opportunities for positive change.”

There are a few changes from last year’s Reports, including some welcome clarity to murky clusters like “peer groups” and, hopefully, better data reliability. Also, NJ now measures “the percentage of students who were enrolled in at least one Dance,Drama/Theater, Music or Visual Arts class in this school.”