5-1-12 Department of Education Release explains policy rationals for new rate methodology, federal requirements for revision of gradnuation rates      4-11,12-12 p.m - Governor's Press Release re Priority, Focus and Rewards Schools Final list...PolitickerNJ and NJ Spotlight articles      3-30-13 Education in the News - Dept of Education-State Budget, Autism Rates in NJ      3-20-12 Education Issues in the News      GSCS State Budget FY 2012-2013 Testimony      2-29-12 NJTV on NJ School Funding...and, Reporters' Roundtable back on the aire      2-26-12 State budget, School Elections, and Federal Grant funds for local reform initiatives      2-24-12 Headlines from around NJ - from Google (hit on nj education-nj budget)      2-23-12 Education in the News - Education reform noted in state budget message; Facebook grant to Newark teachers      STATE AID DISTRICT LIST - PROPOSED for FY 2012-2013      Education Funding Report on School Funding Reform Act (SFRA) issued 2-23-12      Text of Gov. Christie's State Budget Message, given Feb. 21, 2012      2-22-12 School Aid in State Budget Message - Is There a Devil in the Details      2-21-12 State Budget Message for Fiscal Year 2012-2013      1-24-12 Supreme Court Justices Nominated by Governor Christie      1-17-12 Breaking News - Governor delivers State of the State Message, Signs 'November Vote' bill, A4394      List of PRIORITY, FOCUS and REWARDS SCHOOLS per DOE Application on ESEA (NCLB) Waiver      Education Transformation Task Force Initial Report...45 recommendations for starters      9-12-11 Governor's Press Notice & Fact Sheet re: Education Transformation Task Force Report      7-14-11 State GUIDANCE re: Using Additional State Aid as Property Tax Relief in this FY'12 Budget year.PDF      7-14-11 DOE Guidance on Local Options for using Additional State School Aid in FY'12 State Budget.PDF      FY'12 State School Aid District-by-District Listing, per Appropriations Act, released 110711      7-12-11 pm District by District Listing of State Aid for FY'12 - Guidelines to be released later this week (xls)      6-1-11 Supreme Court Justice nominee, Anne Paterson, passed muster with Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday by 11-1 margin      4-26-11 School Elections, Randi Weingarten in NJ, Special Educ Aid, Shared Services bill      4-25-11 Charter Schools in Suburbia: More Argument than Agreement      4-24-11 Major Education Issues in the News      4-21-11 Supreme Court hears school funding argument      4-14-11 Governor Releases Legislation to Address Education Reform Package      4-13-11 Governor's Proposed Legislation on Education Reform April 2011      4-5-11 Education Issues in the News      4-8-11 Education Issues in the News      4-7-11 Gov. Christie - 'Addressing New Jersey's Most Pressing Education Challenges'      4-7-11 Early news coverage & press releases - Governor's Brooking Inst. presentation on his education reform agenda      4-3-11Press of Atlantic City - Pending Supreme Court ruling could boost aid to New Jersey schools      4-2-11 The Record - Charter school in Hackensack among 58 bids      4-1-11 N.J. gets 58 charter school applications      3-30-11 Acting Commr Cerf talks to School Administrators about Gov's Education Reform agenda      3-26-11 New Jersey’s school-funding battle could use a dose of reality      Link to Special Master Judge Doyne's Recommendations on School Funding law to the Supreme Court 3-22-11      3-22-11 Special Master's Report to the Supreme Court: State did not meet its school funding obligation      GSCS 3-7-11Testimony on State Budget as Proposed by the Governor for FY'12 before the Senate Budget Committee      3-4-11 'Teacher Evaluation Task Force Files Its Report'      3-6-11 Poll: Tenure reform being positively received by the public      Link to Teacher Evaluation Task Force Report      GSCS Take on Governor's Budget Message      Gov's Budget Message for Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Today, 2pm      Tenure Reform - Video patch to Commissioner Cerf's presentation on 2-16-10      2-16-11 Commissioner Cerf to introduce education reform plans...School construction...Speaker Oliver on vouchers      2-16-11 Commissioner Cerf talks to educators on Tenure, Merit Pay , related reforms agenda      9-23-10 Breaking News - Star Ledger ‘Facebook CEO Zuckerberg to donate $100M to Newark schools on Oprah Winfrey Show’      1-7-11 Opinion: The Record - Doblin: ‘Students are collateral damage in Christie’s war’      2-7-11Grassroots at Work in the Suburbs      1-13-11 Supreme Court Appoints Special Master for remand Hearing      1-20-11 GSCS Testimony before Senator Buono's Education Aid Impact hearing in Edison      12-16-10 p,m. BREAKINGS NEWS: Christopher Cerf to be named NJ Education Commissioner      GSCS Board of Trustees endorsed ACTION LETTER to Trenton asking for caution on Charter School expansion      12-12-10 'Rash of upcoming superintendent retirements raises questions on Gov. Christie's pay cap'      12-8-10 Education & Related Issues in the News - Tenure Reform, Sup't Salary Caps Reactions, Property Valuations Inflated      12-7-10 Education Issues continue in the news      12-6-10 njspotlight.com 'Christie to Name New Education Commissioner by Year End'      12-5-10 New York Times 'A Bleak Budget Outlook for Public Broadcasters'      12-5-10 Sunday News - Education-related Issues      GSCS Education Forum Stayed Focused on Quality Education      11-19-10 In the News - First Hearing held on Superintendent Salary Caps at Kean University      11-15-10 GSCS meeting with Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver      11-18-10 Superintendent Salary Caps to be publicly discussed tonight at Kean University      Governor's Toolkit Summary - Updated November 2010      10-8-10 Education Issue in the News      9-29-10 Christie Education Reform proposals in The News      9-15-10 'Governor Christie outlines cuts to N.J. workers' pension, benefits'      9-1-10 Education in the News      8-31-10 Latest development: Schunder's margin notes reveal application error      8-27-10 later morning - breaking news: Statehouse Bureau ‘Gov. Chris Christie fires N.J. schools chief Bret Schundler’      8-27-10 Star Ledger ‘U.S. officials refute Christie on attempt to fix Race to the Top application during presentation’      8-25-10 Race to the Top articles - the 'day after' news analysis      8-24-10 Race to the Top Award Recipients named      8-23-10 S2208 (Sarlo-Allen prime sponsors) passes 36-0 (4 members 'not voting') in the Senate on 8-23-10      8-18-10 Property Tax Cap v. Prior Negotiated Agreements a Big Problem for Schools and Communities      8-16-10 Senate Education hears 'for discussion only' comments re expanding charter school authorization process; Commissioner Schundler relays education priorities to the Committee      7-22-10 'Summer school falls victim to budget cuts in many suburban towns'      7-21-10 List of bills in Governor's 'Toolkit'      Governor's Toolkit bills listing      7-16-10 GSCS Information & Comments - S29 Property Tax Cap Law and Proposal to Reduce Superintendent salaries ....      7-15 & 16 -10 'Caps - PLURAL!' in the news      7-12-10 Assembly passes S29 - the 2% cap bill - 73 to 4, with 3 not voting      GSCS re:PropertyTax Cap bill - Exemption needed for Special Education enrollment costs      7-8-10 Tax Caps, Education in the News      GSCS:Tax Cap Exemption needed for Special Education Costs      7-3-10 Governor Christie and Legislative leaders reached agreement today on a 2% property tax cap with 4 major exemptions      7-1 and 2- 10 Governor Christie convened the Legislature to address property tax reform      6-29-10 GSCS - The question remains: ? Whither property Tax Reform      GSCS On the Scene in Trenton: State Budget poised to pass late Monday...Cap Proposals, Opportunity Scholarship Act in Limbo      GSCS On the Scene in Trenton: Cap Proposals, Opportunity Scholarship Act in Limbo      6-11-10 In the News: State Budget moving ahead on schedule      6-10-10 Op-Ed in Trenton Times Sunday June 6 2010      Recently proposed legislation S2043 brings back Last Best Offer (LBO) for school boards in negotiations      6-8-10 Education issues in the news today - including 'hold' on pension reform, round two      6-8-10 (posted) Education & Related Issues in the News      6-4-10 Education News      6-3-10 RTTT controversy remains top news - articles and editorials, column      6-2-10 RACE TO THE TOP (RTTT) 'NJ STYLE': It is what it is ...but what exactly is it? Race to the Top application is caught in a crossfire of reports - more information and clarity is needed      6-2-10 RACE TO THE TOP (RTTT) 'NJ STYLE' :It is what it is ...but what exactly is it? Race to the Top application is caught in a crossfire of reports - more information and clarity is needed.      GSCS 'QUICK' THOUGHT - Will the Administration's reform legislation being introduced just this month- May - have a fair chance for productive debate and analysis      5-11-10 njspotlight.com focuses on NJ's plans for and reactions to education reform      ADMINISTRATION'S PLANS CITED FOR ROUND 2 - RACE TO THE TOP GRANT      5-8 & 9-10 Education Reform Proposals Annoucned      5-9-10 'Gov Christie to propose permanent caps on salary raises for public workers'      5-3-10 Newsflash! Governor Christie makes NJ Supreme Court appointment      Office on Legislative Services Analysis of Department of Educaiton - State Budget for FY'11      4-23-10 Education issues remain headline news      4-22-10 School Elections - in the News Today      Hear about Governor Christie's noontime press conference tonight      4-21-10 News on School Election Results      4-21-10 Assoc. Press 'NJ voters reject majority of school budgets'      4-18-10 Sunday Op-eds on school budget vote: Jim O'Neill & Gov Christie      4-19-10 Lt. Gov. Guadagno's Red Tape Review Group initial Report released      4-13-10 Commissioner Schundler before Senate Budget Committee - early reports....progress on budget election issue      4-12-10 'Gov. urges voters to reject school districts' budgets without wage freezes for teachers'      4-6-10 'Gov. Chris Chrisite extends dealdine for teacher salary concessions'      4-2-10 'On Titanic, NJEA isn't King of the World'      Administration's presentation on education school aid in its 'Budget in Brief' published with Governor Christie's Budget Message      4-1-10 New Initiatives outlined to encourage wage freezes - reaction      3-29-10 The Record and Asbury Park Press - Editorials      3-26-10 GSCS: Effective & Well-Reasoned Communication with State Leaders is Critical      3-23-10 GSCS Testimony presented to Senate Budget Committee on State Budget FY'11      3-23-10 ' N.J. Gov. Chris Christie signs pension, benefits changes for state employees'      3-21-10 Sunday News from Around the State - School Communities, School Budgets and State Budget Issues      3-17-10 Budget News - Gov. Chris Christie proposes sacrifices      3-16-10 Link to Budget in Brief publication      3-15-10mid-day: 'Gov. Christie plans to cut NJ school aid by $800M'      3-14-10 'Christie will propose constitutional amendment to cap tax hikes in N.J. budget'      3-15-10 'N.J. taxpayers owe pension fund $45.8 billion' The Record      3-11-10 'GOP vows tools to cut expenses, tighter caps'      3-9-10 'NJ leaders face tough choices on budget'      3-5-10 HomeTowne Video taping + interviews of GSCS Summit@Summit      3-5-10 GSCS Summit@Summit with Bret Schundler to be lead topic on Hall Institute's weekly 2:30 pm podcast today      3-4-10 'School aid cuts unavoidable during NJ budget crisis'      3-3-10 'Public Education in N.J.: Acting NJ Comm of Educ Bret Schundler says 'Opportunity'      Flyer: March 2 Education Summit Keynote Speaker - Education Commissioner Bret Schundler - Confirmed      2-25-10 Gov. Christie's Red Tape Review Comm., chaired by Lt. Gov. Guadagno, to hold public hearings In March      2-22-10 Christie and unions poised to do batttle over budget cuts'      2-22-10 Trenton Active Today      2-19-10 'Acting NJ education commissioner hoping other savings can ward off cuts'      Flyer for March 2 Education 'Summit@Summit'      2-16-10 'Christie Adopts Corzine Cuts, Then Some'      2-14-10 'FAQ's on NJ's state of fiscal emergency declaration by Gov. Christie'      2-12-10 Assembly Budget hearing posted for this Wednesday, Feb. 17      FY2010 Budget Solutions - PRESS PACKET      State Aid Memo (2-11-10) 2 pgs      2-12-10 News Coverage: Governor Christie's message on actions to address current fiscal year state budget deficits      2-11-10 Gov Christie address to Joint Session of the Legislature on state budget and current year aid reduction remains scheduled for today      2-10-10 'Schools are likely targets for NJ budget cuts'      2-9-10 News article posted this morning notes potential for large loss of current year school aid      2-8-10 Northjersey.com editorial 'Tightenting our Belts'      2-8-10'Gov Christie, lawmakers proporse sweeping pension, health care changes for public employees'      2-2-10 GSCS BOARD TO MEET WITH COMMISSIONER BRET SCHUNDLER TODAY      1-28-10 School Surplus plan to supplant State Aid in this year gaining probability      Governor Christie's Education Team Transition Report      Governor Christie Education Transition Team Report , released 1-22-10      1-21-10'N.J.'s Christie won't rule out layoffs, furloughs to close unexpected $1.2B deficit'      1-20-10 Editorials, Commentary on New Governor in Trenton      1-19-10 Chris Christie - Inauguration Day      1-18-10 Advance news on 'Christie as new Governor'      1-14-10 'N.J. Gov.-elect Christie targets teachers' union with Schundler appointment'      1-14-10 'To lead schools, Christie picks voucher advocate'      1-13-10 More articles, plus Wikipedia information re New Education Commissioner, Bret Schundler      1-13-10 Christie Press Conference reports      1-13-10 Christie's New Commissioner of Education to be announced today - 12:30 Statehouse Press Conference      1-13-10 New Commissioner of Education to be announced today - 12:30 Statehouse Press Conference      1-12-10 Moving on...'Budget plan a wrinkle for districts'      1-11-10 Transition News      1-7-10 'N.J. Gov-elect Christie blast Democrats for lame-duck actions'      12-27-09 'New Jersey competes for education reform stimulus money' (aka 'Race to the Top' funds)      12-23-09 GSCS: Governor Corzine targets excess school surplus to replace state aid payments starting in Feb '10 - lame duck legislation anticipated      12-15-09 GSCS is working with the Christie Transition Team      12-12 & 13-09 Education Issues in the News      12-11-09 'Gov.-elect Chris Christie's team got its signals crossed on education funding application'      12-9-09 Governor-elect Christie talks more about his thougths for education      12-5-09 'Once powerful teachers union faces tough times with Christie'      12-3 Governor-Elect Chris Christie Announces Key Appointments      12-3-09 'Gov.-elect Christie visits North Brunswick to talk with educators on district challenges'      (12-8-09) GSCS Board of Trustees representatives to meet with Christie 'Red Tape' Group      11-23-09 Governor-elect Christie names Transition Team Subcommittee members      11-13-09 Chrisite's Budget Transition Team Annouced      11-13-09 Education Week on: Gov-elect Christie's Education Agenda; Race to the Top Funds Rules      11-12-09 Governor-elect Christie names his 10 member transition team

12-9-09 Governor-elect Christie talks more about his thougths for education
audit of all school boards; move school elections to November (linked to moving the school vote to November, are the non-partisan municipal elections bills A351 [already passed in the Assembly] and S1099 up for a vote in the Senate tomorrow/click on More here); encourage shared services before [to reduce taxes] other than de-linking property taxes from education funding first, because the de-linking results in tax-shfiting, not reduction in spending; "teachers are not the problem, it's the over-politicized leadership of their union"... read articles and election bill by clicking here on

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12-9-09 Asbury Park Press/Christie: With or without NJEA, education changes coming, By Bob Ingle

December 08, 2009 • 8:00 pm

By Bob Ingle

Gov.-elect Chris Christie says not only can we reduce spending, we have to. And if the Legislature can’t go along, he will use his veto. He says they won’t have enough votes to override.

Appearing on 101.5 FM’s “Ask the Governor” (Governor-elect edition) Christie says he will speak out and name names  and pointed out, he already has.  ”Get used to it, you have four years coming” of his tell it like it is style.

He says business taxes will drop in July when some taxes are scheduled to expire. He said he won’t renew them.

In the short term, he said, the property tax link to funding education can’t be changed. He said he wants to try other ways before de-linking because that is just tax-shifting and he wants tax reduction.

Asked what he would do to help unions thrive, Christie said the only way to do it is make business thrive by lowering business taxes.

He said he doesn’t think the time is right to increase the cost of labor via laws to hike prevailing wages.

A state worker said she saw waste and corruption and wanted to know what he would do to clean it up.  Christie said he will do all he can to fix it.  Christie said he told staff its job is not to replace Democratic hacks with Republican hacks. Their job is to do away with needless jobs.

Christie said he will evaluate political appointees, not wholesale eliminate appointees.

Christie said he has put forward specific ideas for reducing taxes, auditing school boards, for instance. “One we get those results, tying the amount of school aid to reduction of middle management costs.”  He also said he wants school board elections moved to November.

Host Eric Johnson reminded Christie the teachers union, NJEA, was no friend of his during the campaign. Christie agreed. He said contrary to published reports, the NJEA had not contacted his office about a meeting after the election.

“Teachers are not the problem. It’s the over-politicized of the leadership of their union.” He said he will work with the union but if they don’t he will make education changes anyway.

Christie said the law doesn’t give Comptroller Matt Boxer the resources to do what he wants. Christie repeated he thinks New Jersey needs an elected Comptroller and he will work toward that. Christie said he will bring in more people who worked with him in the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Christie repeated what he said during the campaign, he wants more people insured. A part of that is to offered insurance policies without all the state mandates.

When asked about hiking the gas tax, Christie said, “No.”   When told Speaker Joe Roberts told an audience one might be necessary now, Christie said Roberts  has been speaker for eight years, why didn’t Roberts propose a gas tax?  ”Now, all of a sudden they want to dump it in my lap.”

He said he wasn’t invited to the NJBIA Conference today where Roberts proposed the gas tax. He said if he had been, he would have told NJBIA “no” in person.

He doesn’t think forced consolidation of small municipalities is the way to go. He said he thinks shared services should be encouraged. “I’m afraid of handing more power to the bureaucracy in Trenton.”  The first step is to encourage shared services. The alternative is forced consolidation.

About creating jobs, he said economic incentives to lure business will come with strings to get new jobs to Jersey. He told a caller if he doesn’t think he’s different from other politicians, just watch. “Come Jan. 19 … watch me, then you make up your own mind.”

He said he wants zero-based budgeting instead of taking the last budget and working on that, as it is done now. “My priorities are specifically to make sure tax relief happens.” He said next he wants education funded to the greatest degree the state can. A lot of other aid programs won’t necessarily be a priority.

He encouraged a caller to keep a score card and see how well he keeps his promises. He said he would like to see higher education funded better.  He said the first year will be very difficult, painful for many people.

Christie said casino money should be invested in Atlantic City, not all over the state. He said he would work closely with AC officials.

He said he picked 10 members of his transition team, not to make it a show like McGreevey did with 88 transition members. He said he picked the best people he could find. He said he won’t keep a list of the people who made him angry during the campaign because there is not enough paper.

He said he likes color lights on the Christmas tree, turkey on the Christmas dinner table. Gifts are exchanged between him and his wife Christmas eve and for the kids on Christmas day.

About his new status, “I’m kind of hard to miss. I am not a small guy.”

“I’m thrilled to be here. I like getting questions from people directly.”

 

 

N.J. Gov.-elect Chris Christie to call for audit of school boards

By The Associated Press

December 08, 2009, 9:51PM

 

TRENTON — Gov.-elect Chris Christie says he will call for an audit of all school boards when he becomes governor and wants to move school board elections to November.

 

During New Jersey 101.5's "Ask the Governor" program on Tuesday, Christie also suggested tying education funding to a reduction of "middle management" in school districts as he looks to cut property taxes and close an $8 billion budget deficit for the upcoming fiscal year.

 

Nearly half of all property taxes, which are the highest in the nation at an average of $7,000 a home, go toward education funding.

SENATE STATE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE STATEMENT TO SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE, No. 1099 STATE OF NEW JERSEY DATED: February 2, 2009 The Senate State Government committee reports favorably Senate Committee Substitute for Senate, No. 1099. Under current law, regular municipal elections, which are nonpartisan, are held on the second Tuesday in May. This committee substitute would allow any municipality that holds regular municipal elections to choose, by ordinance, to hold regular municipal elections on the day of the general election, held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The term of any person in office on the date of the adoption of such an ordinance would be extended until the beginning of the term of the person elected to that office on the day of the general election in November. The substitute also provides that: 1) once a municipality has chosen to change the day of the regular municipal election to the day of the general election in November, it is not permitted to change the day of the election back to the second Tuesday in May until at least 10 years have passed since the adoption of the change; 2) a new ordinance providing for a regular municipal elections to again occur on the second Tuesday in May must be adopted by the municipality’s governing body; and 3) if a runoff election is necessary because no candidate has received a majority of the votes cast in a regular municipal election held on the day of a general election in November, that election would occur on the subsequent first Tuesday after the first Monday in December and any official elected at that election would take office on January 1 next following the election. Finally, the substitute provides that whenever a municipality has passed an ordinance to change the day of the regular municipal election, the clerk of the county in which the municipality is located must arrange the ballot for each subsequent general election to: 1) include those candidates for election to public office in the municipality that has adopted a form of government that provides for the holding of a regular municipal election on the second Tuesday in May but will be holding that election at the general election in November; 2) ensure that there is a clear separation between each nonpartisan municipal candidate, each candidate for another public office who has been nominated for that office by a political party in the immediately preceding primary election and each candidate nominated directly by petition, so that there is no discernable alignment between candidates otherwise elected at a regular municipal election, candidates nominated by a political party for any other public office and candidates nominated directly by petition; and 3) follow such provisions of the current nonpartisan elections law as the county clerk may deem feasible. This substitute is identical to Assembly, No. 351 (2R) of 2008.