NJ Education Report

PolitickerNJ Powerlist of 2011, which recognizes the 100 most powerful people in New Jersey politics, is hot off the press. Here’s the education-related winners:

#3: George Norcross, Democratic “power broker” and champion of the Opportunity Scholarship Act and expansion of charter schools, particularly in Camden. Also recognized as “Winner of the Year” because “his entire South Jersey stable of politicians won their races” on Election Day.”

#28: David Sciarra, Executive Director of the Education Law Center, lauded for his take-down of Gov. Christie’s education funding cuts in Court this year.

#33: Chris Cerf, still “Acting” Commissioner of Education because of Sen. Ron Rice’s recalcitrance but undaunted, particularly in light of today’s announcement that NJ has (finally!) won $37.9 million in the federal competition Race To The Top to improve teacher and principal evaluation systems. (See Star-Ledger, Courier-Post, NY Times.)

#69: Reverend Reginald Jackson, head of NJ’s Black Ministers Council and supporter of public school choice and OSA. (Here’s a recent piece he wrote for NJ Spotlight.)

#92: Barbara Keshishian, President of NJ Education Association: “It was obviously another tough year for Keshishian and the NJEA, as members watched Christie and Senate President Sweeney tag-team to undermine NJEA and other union leadership and secure greater contributions for public-sector workers to their pension and healthcare benefits. But with nearly 200,000 members it’s still one of the biggest unions in the state.”