NJ Wants to Change Principal Evaluation

New Jersey is offering school districts grants to try new ways to evaluate their principals.

The state Education Department announced the grant program on Thursday.

About 10 districts will receive money for the pilot program.

The state plans to spend $500,000 on the initiative for the 2012-13 school year. The money comes from a $38 million federal education grant the state was awarded last year

Thirty school districts across the state are testing new methods to evaluate teachers with the idea of instituting statewide standards by September 2013.

Both programs reflect the belief of Gov. Chris Christie that educators should be held more accountable for how much students learn in school.