Quality Public Education for All New Jersey Students

 

 
     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
8-27-10 Star Ledger ‘U.S. officials refute Christie on attempt to fix Race to the Top application during presentation’
Published: Thursday, August 26, 2010, 9:45 PM Updated: Friday, August 27, 2010, 7:30 AM Statehouse Bureau Staff

Includes 'Excerpt of N.J.'s Race to the Top interview shows officials with no budget answer'


To read and see, click here


Star Ledger ‘U.S. officials refute Christie on attempt to fix Race to the Top application during presentation’

Published: Thursday, August 26, 2010, 9:45 PM     Updated: Friday, August 27, 2010, 7:30 AM

Statehouse Bureau Staff

Excerpt of N.J.'s Race to the Top interview shows officials with no budget answer

TRENTON — When New Jersey failed to win up to $400 million in federal education money, Gov. Chris Christie blamed Washington bureaucrats, saying they refused to allow the state to fix a simple error in its application.

But today, the U.S. Department of Education released video footage contradicting Christie’s claim. The video shows state officials struggling and failing to provide correct budget information during a 90-minute presentation. In addition, a federal official said the state never provided the required information.

About one hour into the presentation, held on Aug. 11 in Washington, D.C., a soft-spoken reviewer asked for help locating missing information in the state’s application for Race to the Top funding. After a few moments of silence, New Jersey Education Commissioner Bret Schundler turned to the assistant commissioner to his left.

"No I cannot. I don’t, um..." said the assistant commissioner, Willa Spicer.

"We can come back to that, if someone wants to take a look, that would be fine," said a reviewer, one of five who would grade the state’s application.

Though Christie has portrayed federal officials as nitpicking and begrudging about the state’s application, the video shows that toward the end of the session, federal reviewers asked the New Jersey delegation a second time if they had found the correct information.

"No. No, we all searched," Spicer said.

A video screen grab from New Jersey's interview during the Race to the Top process where the state was hoping to get $400 million. In this clip the panel has just asked for the 2008-09 budget numbers and no one on the panel is able to provide the information. Pictured from left to right are Executive Assistant of Innovation and Change at Newark Public Schools Daniel Gohl, Assistant Commissioner Rochelle Hendricks, Commissioner Bret Schundler, Assistant Commissioner Willa Spicer, and Deputy Commissioner Andrew Smarick.

During a press conference on Wednesday, the governor said the state furnished the missing information during the Aug. 11 interview, and Washington bureaucrats refused to accept it because the June 1 deadline for applications had passed.

"When we went in for the personal interview, two weeks before the decision was made they raised the issue with us," Christie said. "Commissioner Schundler gave them, in the interview, the numbers for ’08 and ’09 because the mistake was raised. But they still didn’t give us the credit for the points."

The Race to the Top application had asked for figures on state education funding from 2008 and 2009, but state officials provided figures for 2011. The oversight cost the state 4.8 critical points on a 500-point application. The state missed out on the grant by 3 points, placing 11th behind Ohio.

In an interview tonight on New Jersey 101.5, Christie said his public comments on Wednesday were based on what his administration told him happened during the presentation.

"Obviously I was not in the meeting," he said. "I was conveying what I was told by the folks who were there."

Christie said he had not seen the video, and when asked about his response if the video contradicts his public statements, he said: "I’ll be seriously disappointed if that turns out not to have been true … I’m seriously disappointed, I’m serious."

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:


N.J. officials did not provide missing numbers during Race to the Top presentation, video shows

Bob Braun: If N.J. had stronger Race to the Top application, clerical error wouldn't have mattered

Full transcript of the governor's remarks

Draft of 'Race to the Top' application agreed upon by NJEA, Schundler had correct budget information

N.J. Assembly speaker orders hearing on 'Race to the Top' application error

Gov. Christie blames Washington bureaucracy for state's failed 'Race to the Top' application

Read text of mistake from the documents

N.J. Assembly speaker orders hearing on 'Race to the Top' application error

Gov. Chris Christie's summary of Race to the Top application, submitted June 1

An appendix to the application, which is more than 1,000 pages (88MB)

Alan Guenther, spokesman for the state Department of Education, declined comment and referred calls to the governor’s press office, which did not return messages tonight.

The U.S. Department of Education’s response to Christie’s criticism was not limited to the video. Spokesman Justin Hamilton, asked in an e-mail if the state had at any time supplied the information from the correct budget years, provided a one-word answer: "No."

Steve Baker, spokesman for the New Jersey Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, said the video showed the blame lies with Christie, not the unions or the Obama administration.

"The governor needs to stop pointing fingers at everybody else," Baker said. "This isn’t the fault of Washington bureaucrats, it isn’t the fault of a midlevel bureaucrat in the department of education. This isn’t the fault of the NJEA. It’s solely the fault of the governor because he chose to submit a bad application."

The NJEA produced paperwork on Wednesday showing the Christie administration had changed the budget information in question after the union signed off on the application.

The Race to the Top application had been rewritten over the Memorial Day weekend after Christie rejected an initial compromise with the NJEA on issues such as merit pay, tenure and using seniority in layoffs.

U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) said the video "ends the blame game."

"I hope the Christie Administration will not only accept responsibility, but also implement new procedures so that federal education funding opportunities are not jeopardized in the future," he said.

Christie has dubbed the mistake a mere "clerical error" in the state’s 1,000-page application. Democrats in Trenton have seized on the mistake, calling for legislative hearings with testimony from people "top to bottom" at the state Department of Education.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester), who said Christie’s word has always been good, said the tape would be a "big problem" for Christie.

"This is extremely concerning, that now there’s a tape that proves that what he said today wasn’t true," Sweeney said. "If anyone thinks a mid-level manager, an individual, was responsible for a $400 million grant application, I’ll sell you a bridge in Brooklyn. No one believes it."

By Lisa Fleisher/Statehouse Bureau Staff and Jessica Calefati/The Star-Ledger

Chris Megerian and Bob Considine contributed to this report.

Related topics: bret-schundler, chris-christie, njea