Christie's proposal would give private companies unprecedented control of failing N.J. public schools
Published: Friday, June 17, 2011, 7:45 AM
Gov. Chris Christie speaks at a press conference in this May file photo.TRENTON — Private companies may soon gain unprecedented control of five failing New Jersey public schools if a proposal unveiled last week by Gov. Chris Christie is approved by the Legislature.
Fewer than 70 public schools across the country are managed privately and many struggle because of restrictive local regulations and feuds between the companies and the communities they serve, education experts said.
"The track record of public school takeover is ambiguous. Really, none of the companies has had remarkable success," said Rick Hess, director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, a think tank.
Christie’s proposal would invite non-profit and for-profit companies to participate in the five-year pilot program. Local school boards selected through an application process would have two options — ask the private company to manage a failed school or authorize the company to launch a new