Thursday, December 2, 2010

Gov. Christie goes national with N.J. education battle | State | NewJerseyNewsroom.com -- Your State. Your News.

Gov. Christie goes national with N.J. education battle | State | NewJerseyNewsroom.com -- Your State. Your News.

Gov. Christie goes national with N.J. education battle

christie022410_optBY BOB HOLT
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
And the battle rages on between Governor Christie and the state school system. Speaking before a room full of education reform advocates, Christie denounced the efforts of New Jersey's school officials and the union.

Christie appeared Tuesday as the keynote speaker for Excellence in Action in Washington, D.C., an educational forum started by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.

According to NorthJersey.com, Christie railed against the New Jersey Education Association again, for opposing merit pay, tenure reform and expanded school-choice programs, such as charter schools.

He spoke about his influence in urging voters to reject school budgets that did not include cuts he had been seeking in teacher benefits back in April. And he said superintendents needed to sacrifice their high salaries until they can show how their schools have improved.

Christie has made school choice a priority in education reform, and his administration plans to expand the number of charter schools, which are public schools that operate separately from local school administration. Right now, 73 New Jersey charter schools get public funding.

Seven new charter schools will open in September, and 50 others are pending. But New Jersey's