NJ Education Report

The Record reports on the NJEA/CWA protest in Trenton yesterday. Charles Stile explains why Democratic leaders were no-shows.

Steven Brill, who penned today’s New York Times Magazine feature article, “The Teacher Union’s Last Stand,” gives the back story to Edweek.

Randi Weingarten says in the Wall St. Journal that the feds should provide a $23 billion bailout to save teaching jobs.

Plumstead is going to half-day kindergarten, but parents can shell out $2,750 a year for a full-day program, explains the Asbury Park Press.

NJ Spotlight: The NJ DOE makes a last-minute switch and announces that school districts – Title 1 or not – that support NJ’s application for Race To The Top will get at least $100,000.

The DOE redid the scoring method for the Alternative High School Assessment, but most kids still failed. The Star-Ledger says, “On their third try, 1,864 students, or 16.3 percent, passed the High School Proficiency Assessment for mathematics, administered in March. In the language arts section of the HSPA, 1,531 students, or 29.9 percent, passed the test on their third try.” Stan Karp of the Education Law Center tells the Press of Atlantic City that it’s a “dropout disaster.”

Megan McArdle in the Atlantic Monthly on teacher unions:

The issue with the teachers’ unions is not the unions per se–agitating for higher pay wouldn’t make much difference, and is indeed probably a great idea. The problem is that the structure they impose makes it almost impossible (though not quite!) to innovate, and to spread the innovations that work. The cushy job protections and strict work rules are great for the teachers. But the schools aren’t there for the benefit of the teachers.