Today, he said districts and their local employee unions that agree to freeze salaries between now and when the state budget must be passed on June 30 would still get money back. School budgets go to local voters for approval on April 20..."

Gov. Chris Christie extends deadline for teacher salary concessions

By Claire Heininger/Statehouse Bureau

April 06, 2010, 2:56PM

BOONTON – Gov. Chris Christie said today he is extending the deadline for school districts to receive additional state aid in exchange for teachers agreeing to a wage freeze.

Christie said 115 of the state's approximately 600 districts have implemented some form of wage freeze for teachers, administrators, staff or some combination of those employees. Last week, when he announced the proposal, the governor initially gave districts until Monday -- when they submitted school budgets to the state -- to accomplish a freeze.

Today, he said districts and their local employee unions that agree to freeze salaries between now and when the state budget must be passed on June 30 would still get money back. School budgets go to local voters for approval on April 20.

Previous coverage:

• Complete coverage of the 2010 New Jersey State Budget

• Gov. Chris Christie offers more state aid to N.J. schools that freeze teacher pay

• N.J. school districts set meetings on funding cuts, layoffs

• N.J. Gov. Chris Christie defends school cuts, gears up to fight teachers union

• Q&A: How Gov. Chris Christie's proposal on wage freezes for teachers would work

• State aid reductions force N.J. school boards to cut staffs, including teachers

"We continue to make progress, and candidly, this is something that can continue to be worked on beyond the time that school budgets are approved," Christie said after talking with fourth-graders in Boonton, Morris County. "If folks see that the ramifications are going to be some significant layoffs, and those locals want to step up afterwards, we're working on a budget between now and June 30. So we can always adjust the way we move in accordance with the Legislature to make sure we acknowledge those districts that are stepping up and doing the right thing."

Christie visited Boonton’s John Hill Elementary School to support a recent pay freeze and other concessions made by local teachers. He is encouraging similar concessions across New Jersey after he slashed state funding for local districts in the 2010-2011 budget.

Boonton Superintentendent Christine Johnson said concessions made by the town’s teachers included a nine-month salary freeze. Also, Johnson agreed to a five-year salary freeze and will contribute 1.5 percent of her pay to her health benefits.