N.J. Gov. Christie tosses out high school reform plan cited in education grant proposal
THE RECORD
STAFF WRITER
Governor Christie on Tuesday threw out the school reform agenda hammered out by Education Commissioner Bret Schundler last week for a high-stakes federal grant competition.
The commissioner and the New Jersey Education Association had been in complex discussions for weeks about the details of the state’s proposal for the contest known as “Race to the Top,” whose deadline is today. Winning it could bring $400 million to fix New Jersey schools.
On Thursday, after winning several key compromises on merit pay, teacher evaluations and job protections, the NJEA endorsed the commissioner’s plan and advised local affiliates to follow suit. Then Christie balked at the compromise plan, lawmakers said.
Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney, Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver and the chairs of the Senate and Assembly education committees today said Governor Christie’s abrupt about-face on the state’s federal “Race to the Top” application seriously jeopardized New Jersey’s chances to claim up to $400 million in aid for schools.
Sweeney and Oliver said in a press release that after conservative pundits criticized the Governor for letting his administration work with the NJEA, Christie hastily directed his staff to rewrite the application over the weekend, removing language the education department had worked with the NJEA to draft.
“The Governor has apparently decided that hearing good things about himself over the radio is more valuable than $400 million for our schools,” said Sweeney (D-Gloucester). “This application was crafted in good faith among everyone involved, and now that unity’s been blown up because some talking heads disagreed. If the
AP FILE PHOTO
Legislative leaders said Christie’s abrupt about-face on the state’s federal “Race to the Top” application seriously jeopardized New Jersey’s chances to claim up to $400 million in aid for schools.
On Thursday, after winning several key compromises on merit pay, teacher evaluations and job protections, the NJEA endorsed the commissioner’s plan and advised local affiliates to follow suit. Then Christie balked at the compromise plan, lawmakers said.
Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney, Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver and the chairs of the Senate and Assembly education committees today said Governor Christie’s abrupt about-face on the state’s federal “Race to the Top” application seriously jeopardized New Jersey’s chances to claim up to $400 million in aid for schools.
Sweeney and Oliver said in a press release that after conservative pundits criticized the Governor for letting his administration work with the NJEA, Christie hastily directed his staff to rewrite the application over the weekend, removing language the education department had worked with the NJEA to draft.
“The Governor has apparently decided that hearing good things about himself over the radio is more valuable than $400 million for our schools,” said Sweeney (D-Gloucester). “This application was crafted in good faith among everyone involved, and now that unity’s been blown up because some talking heads disagreed. If the