NJ Education Report

“The bottom line, the battle between the NJEA and the governor will utlimately be decided by the public — for lawmakers will ultimately side with the majority. So far, the NJEA’s losing.” In The Lobby.

“Everything Christie said [about NJEA’s moral imperative to encourage local bargaining units to make concessions] makes sense. The New Jersey School Boards Association supported his call, saying it agreed with his findings that the pay freeze and modest givebacks toward benefits would save jobs and prevent heavy property tax increases. How can the NJEA argue with that?” Bob Ingle

The DOE has released its Comparative Spending Guide.

The Philadelphia Inquirer looks at Sens. Lesniak and Kean’s voucher bill, which either harms urban schools and costs taxpayers money or gives kids in failing schools a way out and saves taxpayer money, depending upon whom you ask.

A last-minute teacher union concession at Bridgewater-Raritan Public Schools will contribute $1.4 million to the bottom line and save jobs and programs.

Here’s a new blog on Trenton Public Schools authored by Skip Harrison, educator, freelance journalist, and parent and here’s a good profile in the Courier-Post regarding the fiscal machinations of school districts.

Former Keansburg superintendent Barbara Trzeszkowski has given up her quest for a severance package worth $556,290, reports the Star-Ledger.

Chester Finn, President of the Fordham Institute, in the Wall St. Journal: “Disadvantaged youngsters really need—for their own good—the benefits of longer days, summer classes and Saturday mornings in school. But nearly every young American needs to learn more than most are learning today, both for the sake of their own prospects and on behalf of the nation’s competitiveness in a shrinking, dog-eat-dog world. Yes, it will disrupt everything from school-bus schedules to family vacations. Yes, it will carry some costs, at least until we eke offsetting savings from the technology-in-education revolution. But even Aristotle might conclude that this is a price worth paying.”