As a result of the landmark Abbott v. Burke court rulings, New Jersey has one of the most equitable school funding formulas in the nation.  Nevertheless, there are challenges associated with implementing Abbott's court-proscribed school reforms.

To measure progress in districts receiving aid under the Abbott formula, the Education Law Center (ELC) is working with local partners in four Abbott districts, including Camden, to produce timely, accessible data on school performance to serve as a basis for community dialogue about school reform.  ELC, in partnership with CAMConnect, the Camden Board of Education, and the District Parent Advisory Council has issued Tracking Progress, Engaging Communities: Camden Abbott Indicators, a report chronicling Camden's education reform efforts.

ELC's findings in Camden highlight successes, but also point out areas where more work is needed.  For example, the district has made significant improvements in elementary school class sizes and preschool teacher certification, but less than half of the district's seniors graduated in 2002.

By making reliable information about the district's performance widely available, ELC expects to empower parents, teachers, administrators, and advocates, providing them with the data they need to advance specific school reforms.

The report was funded by the William Penn Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Prudential Foundation, the Victoria Foundation, and the Fund for New Jersey.