From New Jersey.com

A little known pilot program that allows children to attend school in districts they don’t live in would be made permanent under a bill that cleared the state Senate today.

The bill makes the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program, which started in 2000 and has continued as a pilot program since expiring in 2005, permanent. It passed 38-0 and is set to be taken up by the Assembly this afternoon.

“Students should not be handcuffed to a school solely based on their zip code or home address,” added state Sen. Shirley Turner (D-Mercer), the bill’s sponsor. “This bill will enable families across New Jersey to tap into all the best that our public education system has to offer.”

There are 15 districts that participate in the program — the maximum allowed under the pilot program — with about 900 students attending participating districts they don’t live without having to pay tuition. If the bill becomes law, there would be no limit on the number of districts that will be able to participate. Districts that want to join the program would apply to the commissioner of education.

Districts would be able to restrict the number of their students going to other districts at 10 percent of the students in each grade level or 15 percent of their total student enrollment.

To enroll in another district, students will have to spend at least one year in their local districts.

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From

Gov. Chris Christie delivers the keynote address at the National School Choice Summit at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, in this May file photo.

TRENTON — The fate of a school-choice bill backed by Gov. Chris Christie was in flux Tuesday after a sponsor announced significant changes in hopes of winning quick legislative approval.

The Republican governor — who has called the bill a first step that could “lead to school vouchers across the state of New Jersey” — said he will review the proposed changes. He also warned lawmakers not to “gut the purpose of the program” just to attract enough votes.

Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) said the bill now limits the pilot program to “chronically failing schools in specific municipalities” based on local legislators’ support, rather than about 200 troubled schools in more than 30 districts. He declined to say how many schools might be eligible, but said districts include Newark, Camden and Elizabeth.

“In some respects, it may work even better because there will be more scholarships available in the targeted municipalities,” he said.

The new version (S1872) would also eliminate an innovation fund that would award grants to improve struggling schools. The money would have come out of a district’s per pupil state aid for each child who got a scholarship.

That provision had been championed by Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr. (R-Union), Lesniak’s co-sponsor on the legislation. Kean Tuesday declined comment on the changes, saying the bill is still subject to “an ongoing conversation” to make it “the best possible solution.”

The program would allow low-income students in “chronically failing” schools to get scholarships to pay tuition at private schools or public schools in other communities. Doled out through a lottery system, the 24,000 scholarships would be funded by corporate donors who would get a break on their state taxes.

Critics say it would drain more money from public schools at a time when Christie has slashed $820 million in aid.

Lesniak announced the changes at a press conference where the Black Ministers’ Council of New Jersey urged Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex) to support the bill, warning that Democratic leaders should not take African-American voters for granted.

Oliver, the first African-American woman to hold the Assembly’s top job, said Democrats have “legitimate concerns” about the bill and she has not made a decision. Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) said he “will not be a roadblock” and the bill deserves “a sincere debate.” He also declined to set a date.
Hundreds rally in support of school voucher bill

Christie, who had pushed for approval by June 30, Tuesday blamed the delay on “capitulation to the teachers union” — referring to the powerful New Jersey Education Association’s opposition to the bill.

“Each one of those members of the Legislature who do not support real opportunity and hope for these children should have to answer for why they deny civil rights to those children and their families,” Christie said.

NJEA spokesman Steve Baker said the union did not seek the changes and the bill is “still bad policy.”

“Pulling resources, pulling students and pulling support for public education is not the way to strengthen those schools,” Baker said.

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• Oklahoma making strides in education reform
• Charlie Rangel is the Poster Child for Term Limits
• On Gingrich: A legacy of surrender

From Wall Street Journal

Kudos to the country’s two newest governors, Republicans Bob McDonnell of Virginia and Chris Christie of New Jersey, who have tapped strong school choice advocates to head their state education departments.

Last week, Mr. McDonnell chose Gerald Robinson to become Virginia’s next Secretary of Education. Mr. Robinson currently heads the Black Alliance for Educational Options, a national nonprofit that backs charter schools and performance pay for teachers. Meanwhile, Mr. Christie has picked former Jersey City Mayor Bret Schundler to serve as his state’s next education commissioner. Mr. Schundler is an unabashed supporter of using education vouchers and charter schools to improve the plight of urban school districts.

This is good news for all school children in both states, but it’s especially auspicious for low-income kids stuck in failing schools who have the most to gain from a state education official who is unafraid to shake up the establishment. Virginia has a grand total of three charter schools, one of the lowest numbers in the nation. New Jersey spends more money per pupil than all but two states, yet test scores in Newark and Jersey City are among the worst in the country.

Messrs. Robinson and Schundler have records that show a willingness to butt heads with teachers unions and other protectors of this status quo, but they’ll also need political cover from their bosses. Asked if Mr. Schundler’s selection was intended as a message to the local teachers union, the New Jersey Education Association, Mr. Christie replied, “I don’t think the appointment of Bret Schundler sends any signal to the NJEA. The election of Chris Christie sends a message to the NJEA.”

FromNJ.com

A program that allows children in failing public schools to transfer to better ones that are willing to take them is drawing support from Gov.-elect Chris Christie, who wants to see it expanded.

We hope he can make that happen so it can benefit more students now trapped in inferior schools.

Under the Interdistrict School Choice Program, students who are accepted at schools outside their home districts can attend tuition-free. Tax dollars follow them to the new school. Students also receive reimbursement for transportation.

But it’s a small program, in part because it works only when host districts have extra space. The limited number of school districts that have signed on to the program suggests it is not a practical alternative for most students stuck in poorly performing schools.

The program, which started in 2000 as a five-year-pilot project, has just 15 participating districts serving fewer than 1,000 students. It allows one pilot district in each of New Jersey’s 21 counties.

The plan has been touted as a success in Hunterdon and Atlantic counties. But in several of the state’s most populous counties, such as Essex and Middlesex, no districts are participating, typically because they have no room. West Orange, for example, has built a new middle school and added to its high school in recent years. And Montclair has broken ground on a new and bigger elementary school, to keep up with its own growing enrollments.

So the interdistrict choice program will likely always be small. But Assemblywoman Mila Jasey (D-Essex) has co-sponsored legislation that seeks to remove some of the legislative barriers so the program can grow somewhat. The bills pending in the Legislature would expand the program beyond its 15 approved districts to all counties. It would also remove the one school district per county cap on those participating. Those are helpful steps.

Meanwhile, let’s remember that improving public schools, where most children attend classes, remains the far more important task.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie said in Jersey City Monday that as governor he would expand school choice in an effort to provide children access to quality schools.

Christie offered his position as he and Monmouth County Sheriff Kim Guadagno, the Republican lieutenant governor candidate, visited the Learning Community Charter School to tour its new facilities and meet with educators and and parents.

Christie charged that In New Jersey’s cities, school districts are continuing to fail and that Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine has responded to the problem by what the Republican described as, “Green lighting their wasteful budgets without requiring change – simply sticking by these failed big government bureaucracies instead of focusing on what is best for New Jersey’s children.
“Jon Corzine puts on a good show at his photo-ops with charter school children but his record has been anything but supportive of school choice alternatives.”

Christie said charter schools have reported high academic performance while providing rich and well-rounded educations. He said in Jersey City alone, there are thousands on waiting lists to be enrolled in more cost effective and better alternatives to the traditional districts.

For example, he said, the Learning Community Charter School in Jersey City will spend $8,930 per pupil for the 2010 school year while traditional district schools in Jersey City will spend an estimated $17, 221 per pupil.

“Every child in New Jersey deserves an opportunity to attend a quality school and receive a world-class education,” Christie said. “Charter schools, such as the Learning Community Charter School, provide New Jersey’s parents and their children with much needed choice when their local schools and school districts fail at giving their students a high-quality education. It is vital to the future of New Jersey to ensure every child receives a high-quality education regardless of geography or socioeconomic status.”

Christie said children deserve an education that will prepare them to compete in a 21st century workplace. He said in order to guarantee universal access to quality schools, the state must ensure parents have the choice to send their children to successful schools and the support to convert their local failing schools into successful charter schools.

As governor, Christie said he would:

Devote increased resources to assist parents and educators attempting to start new charter schools, as well as provide guidance and oversight throughout the charter school incorporation process.

Appoint an education commissioner who would oversee and prioritize the approval of high-quality charter school applications.

Eliminate what he sees as undue school board influence over charter school applications in failing districts.

Ensure that if children need to leave a failing school to ensure the quality of their education, state aid should follow them to the charter school of their choice.

While Christie was in Jersey City, Corzine was meeting with a group of approximately 30 parents and teachers at South Brunswick High School to reaffirm his commitment to what he called the highest educational standards for New Jersey students. The meting was designed to highlight the concerns of parents and teachers as the new school year begins.

“Investing in education is the right thing to do for the state’s economic well-being and it prepares students to compete in the ever-evolving global economy,” Corzine said. “We have increased investments in education by over $1.8 billion, including federal funds that ultimately will help to maintain and strengthen the future of New Jersey’s highly talented and educated workforce.”

Corzine said he has fought to strengthen education by focusing on resources, rigor, and accountability. The governor said that ensuring funding for schoolchildren in districts that were previously shortchanged is important. South Brunswick received a 20 percent increase in the first year of the state’s new funding formula, and a 5 percent increase for the 1009-10 school year.

Corzine said he remains committed to moving forward with other educational reforms to ensure students receive a quality education such as preschool, maintaining high quality teachers and continuing to set high standards for students and assessments.

“We need the partnerships of parents and teachers to continue our ongoing work on these and future efforts,” the governor said.

While Christie talked about school access, Corzine’s re-election campaign released a new TV ad, entitled “Required”. The ad details the $46,000 loan then New Jersey U.S. Attorney Chris Christie gave to a subordinate.

Christie initially failed to report the loan on his federal disclosure forms. The ad declares the omission is a violation of both federal and state laws. Christie also initially failed to pay the required income taxes on the interest generated by the loan.

Starting Monday, the 30-second spot will be on cable and broadcast television across New Jersey.

The ad charges that as US attorney, “Christie prosecuted people for the same sort of “mistake” – filing incomplete financial disclosure forms and tax evasion. This is the latest example of Chris Christie having one set of rules for himself and another for everyone else.”