NJ Education Report

A new poll from Rutgers-Eagleton says that “[m]ost New Jerseyans oppose tenure and support making student test performance a factor in teacher evaluations and pay.”

“The amount that local governments and school districts will have to pay in 2012 for pension benefits will increase by 8.9 percent, to $1.858 billion, according to the state Department of Treasury, the head of which warned that without comprehensive reform costs will continue to spike,” says the Courier Post.

Parsippany plays chicken with Christie over superintendent salary caps and In The Lobby says that the school board members there “have forgotten that the focus is supposed to be on the students, while at the same time, respecting the taxpayers who support the district through their hard-earned tax dollars.”

NJ Spotlight examines the School Development Authority’s decision-making process of choosing which schools get the go-ahead for construction and renovation.

The Star Ledger reviews Senator Ronald Rice’s decision to stymie Acting Comm. Chris Cerf’s nomination.

The NJ branch of the ACLU filed suit on behalf of the Education Law Center alleging that the DOE has violated the Open Public Records law by not releasing the names and backgrounds of the volunteers who reviewed applications for charter schools.

Over 400 people came to a raucous community forum in Newark to hear more about the leaked plan to close some schools and expand charters. The Star Ledger notes that the confidential report is driving parents apart; Public Schools Advisory Board Chairman Shavar Jeffries called the tumult a “gangster approach” to school reform. Joan Whitlow says the plan is “Takeover II.”

Five 14-16 year-olds in Newark attacked their math teacher and have been charged with aggravated assault.

The Washington Post says that layoffs by seniority – “last in, first out” or LIFO – is “an indefensible policy.”

NY Governor Andrew Cuomo caves on LIFO.

It takes 5 years and 27 steps to dismiss an ineffective teacher in the Chicago public school system.

“Teachers Wonder, Why the Scorn?” asks the New York Times.

Rick Ungar at Forbes says that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has aided Democratic prospects by getting tough on public employees.

“Chris Christie Hearts Collective Bargaining,” says Yglesias, and speculates on his strategy.