NJ Education Report

Gov. Christie announced that the NJ DOE and the School Development Authority will release $425 million for school construction projects primarily in non-Abbott districts. NJ Spotlight interviews Mike Yaple of the NJ School Boards Assc., who points out that schools can no long rely on state debt aid and so there are “fewer projects proposed, smaller projects proposed, and fewer projects approved.”

 Mashea M. Ashton, Chief Executive Officer for the Newark Charter School Future, explains why Superintendent Cami Anderson is not at fault for the city schools’ woes, and neither are charters: “In recent weeks, Newark Superintendent Cami Anderson has come under fire over a $57 million budget shortfall, projected for the school district next year. The blame should not rest on Anderson. Outdated state policies make it challenging for her to enact real reform that would solve the troubled school district’s systemic problems.”

“The parents of a Brick Township High School placekicker with multi-symptom autism and other developmental disabilities filed a federal lawsuit today alleging the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletics Association violated their son’s civil rights by denying him a fifth year of eligibility.” (Asbury Park Press)

From NJ Spotlight:“For all of the melodrama that went with Gov. Chris Christie’s March announcement that the state planned to take control of Camden public schools, the culmination of those plans is generating fewer decibels and taking place more behind the scenes.” At the top of the to-do list is appointing a new superintendent, who needs to be approved by the State Board of Education. Camden had been mid-search at the time of the takeover; the State will consider the Board’s three finalists: Willingboro superintendent Ronald Taylor, former Oakland, CA; schools administrator Denise Saddler; and former Milwaukee chief academic officer Heidi Ramirez.

Passaic City Schools has offered its superintendency to Pablo Munoz, who has led the Elizabeth schools since 2006. (The Record)

The Tenafly School Board wants the State to stop including student attendance as a variable in school performance reviews.

Michael Symons of the Courier-Post asks, “Is Barbara Buono toast already?

The Wall St. Journal’s Lisa Fleisher looks at the newly-announced details of the New York City evaluation system. “It’s been both positive and frustrating…,” Mamaroneck’s superintendent, Robert Shaps, said. “We cannot believe that the state is building the plane and flying at the same time.”

What do Diane Ravitch and the Tea Party have in common? They’re both mobilizing constituencies against the Common Core.