NJ Education Report

Wasser Recap and Update:
James Wasser, Superintendent of Freehold Regional School District, buys a bogus doctoral degree from a diploma mill that he submits for a pay increases. This and other snarky activity enrage the Board and local residents so Wasser resigns and accepts a “separation” agreement from the Board, which includes full-pay ($200K+ per year) and benefits for the next two years without any meaningful responsibilities. However, it does allow Freehold to hire an untainted superintendent. Executive County Superintendent Carole Knopp Morris nixes the deal because the Board snuck it by without a public hearing. So Wasser rescinds his resignation which, it turns out is meaningless because he has tenure in Freehold as an assistant superintendent and,, because of tenure and seniority, would just bump out another administrator. Wasser will finish out his two years as Superintendent of Freehold Regional School District.

The Cartel, reports the Courier Post, is winning “acclamation at local film festivals and is getting a chance to be seen by the public.” The Bob Bowdon documentary slams N.J.’s public school system as corrupt, wasteful, criminally deficient, and economically unsustainable. Show times here.

Diane D’amico of the Press of Atlantic City has a education blog. On the recent report from the Center on Education Policy, much touted as showing a minor closing of the achievement gap between white and Hispanic students, D’amico writes,

Some of the New Jersey results are pretty dramatic – fourth grade math in particular. But there’s still a long way to go to close the gap. The ongoing question is whether the results have been worth the investment and how much more the state should, or can afford to invest.

“Good news from Trenton,”

was Glen Rock Superintendent Dr. David Verducci’s reaction to the news that the DOE has denied an application for a new charter, Bergen Regional Charter School. See here.

This is how Gannett New Jersey would overcome local resistance to school consolidation after Executive County Superintendents submit them and (probably) residents from at least one town reject them:

The consolidation studies should provide more definitive answers. If they demonstrate there are financial and academic benefits from consolidation of given school districts, and voters reject consolidation, the state should give the districts a reasonable period in which to meet cost-efficiency goals. If they can’t achieve them, consolidation should be mandatory.