State still competing with 18 others for share of $3.4 billion
(From NewJerseyNewsroom.com, July 27th, 2010)
BY TOM HESTER SR.
New Jersey has been named one of 19 governments to make the final round of the federal government “Race to the Top” competition for a share of $3.4 billion in education aid.
Gov. Chris Christie welcomed the news Tuesday but also took the opportunity to again criticize the New Jersey Education Association, the statewide teachers union.
“President Obama and (U.S.) Secretary (of Education) Duncan today recognized our administration’s plan for bold reform of our state’s education system,” Christie said.
“This announcement affirms our decision to stick with real reform and not capitulate to the watered-down, failed status quo approach advocated by the NJEA Now is the time for New Jersey’s leaders to join me to begin enactment of the pillars of real education reform contained within our Race to the Top application — more charter school opportunities for students, more choice for parents and fidelity to placing student success ahead of union self interest.”
NJEA President Barbara Keshishian issued the following statement today:
“Gov. Chris Christie has used what should be good news — New Jersey’s selection as a finalist for $400 million in federal ‘Race to the Top’ funding — to once again attack NJEA and its members.
“It’s a tired act, and it needs to end. This governor — who has cut $1.4 billion from public education, resulting in the layoff of thousands of teachers and deep program cuts that will hurt students badly — now wants to make people believe he’s the champion of public education.”
The NJEA joined in support of the funding application. It opposed the failed 2009 bid.
The Wall Street Journal Tuesday reported that while New Jersey is a finalist, it does not appear to be as strongly positioned as New York, another finalist, going into the last round.
The Journal stated that while New Jersey’s application makes promises about teacher evaluations and other areas, the assurances are not backed up by any legislative moves nor agreements from the teachers’ unions.
“One could argue that New Jersey has a lot of work to do before they could carry on a state-wide reform effort,” Charles Barone, federal policy director of Democrats for Education Reform, told the newspaper.
Thirty-five states and the District of Columbia applied for part of the $3.4 billion. Besides New Jersey and New York, Arizona, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and South Carolina made the final round.