Toms River Regional Schools has been recognized by the New Jersey Department of Education as a high performing school district.

This designation is the result of a comprehensive QSAC (Quality Single Accountability Continuum) review conducted earlier this year. The State Board of Education will certify district as “providing a thorough and efficient system of education, for a period of three years or until the next QSAC review,” according to its certification letter. The state department’s staff reviewed and analyzed performance against crucial indicators in five areas including Instruction and Program, Fiscal Management, Governance, Operations, and Personnel. The district more than satisfied the required 80% of the weighted indicators in all areas-- in fact, the district scored 98% in Fiscal Management and Governance, and earned a perfect score in Operations and Personnel.

For the past several years, the Toms River Regional Board of Education has approved district goals to focus efforts in every area on improving student achievement. These goals have been based on an analysis of past student performance, global and community needs, state initiatives, and recommendations from previous QSAC evaluations.

Upon notification from the NJDOE, Superintendent David Healy addressed all district staff and its Board of Education in order to relay the good news and congratulate them on their efforts. “This recognition is a culmination of the significant efforts made by all of you and your unwavering commitment to the children of our school district,” Healy said.

The “high performing” designation is significant for a school district that has worked to recover from the devastation of Superstorm Sandy, the loss of millions of dollars in state aid, and changes in leadership. Following a community needs survey, the Board of Education hired Mr. Healy in 2014 to focus the district on addressing issues with curriculum, instruction, special services, technology, finances, and facilities, through an open and collaborative process, a student-first philosophy, and working closely with community partners. In that time, the district has updated all of its curriculum to new standards, implemented full day kindergarten, created new programs for learning disabled children, upgraded technology, increased quality professional learning opportunities for staff, conducted a full facilities review, and secured nearly three-quarters of a million dollars in grants and sponsorships. Toms River Regional’s restored status on QSAC arrives as the district prepares to implement Career Academies at each of its three high schools to begin in the 2017-2018 school year.