Christie snubs union deal in Race to the Top bid
The Christie administration submitted its application for federal Race to the Top aid Tuesday but - on the governor's orders - removed key compromises reached with the New Jersey Education Association, the state's largest teachers union.
Last week, state Education Commission Bret Schundler and NJEA officials announced that an agreement had been reached and that the union would support the state's bid for up to $400 million in education stimulus funds. The compromises involved merit pay - the union is against it, Gov. Christie is for it - and other issues.
Some of the issues on which compromises were reached last week had led the union to withhold support from the state's first Race to the Top application, which failed to secure federal funds.
The Christie administration was critical of the union's failure to support the state's first application, saying the lack of union buy-in hurt the state's prospects. Federal application evaluators noted the application's lack of labor support.
On Tuesday, however, the deadline for submitting the second-round application, Christie announced that he had instructed Schundler on Friday to restore the former provisions after learning about the deal his education chief had helped broker with the NJEA.
Last week, state Education Commission Bret Schundler and NJEA officials announced that an agreement had been reached and that the union would support the state's bid for up to $400 million in education stimulus funds. The compromises involved merit pay - the union is against it, Gov. Christie is for it - and other issues.
Some of the issues on which compromises were reached last week had led the union to withhold support from the state's first Race to the Top application, which failed to secure federal funds.
The Christie administration was critical of the union's failure to support the state's first application, saying the lack of union buy-in hurt the state's prospects. Federal application evaluators noted the application's lack of labor support.
On Tuesday, however, the deadline for submitting the second-round application, Christie announced that he had instructed Schundler on Friday to restore the former provisions after learning about the deal his education chief had helped broker with the NJEA.
Read more: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/education/20100602_Christie_snubs_union_deal_in_Race_to_the_Top_bid.html#ixzz0pn72jkEG
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