To Bond or not to Bond that is the question:

Whether ’tis nobler to build schools

for our children now at an outrageous fortune,

Or to take the question to the voters

And they by opposing end the debate. 

While William Shakespeare’s Hamlet did not speak those words on the legislative floor this June 23^rd, there was a riveting drama that took place in the Legislature on the debate on A2873, the bill that appropriated $3.9 billion for school construction.  With the fate of both the pension bill and the state budget pretty much a foregone conclusion, the biggest intrigue to State House observers like myself was whether the Democratic leaders had the votes to pass the school construction bill. The debate on that bill seemed to boil down to the Democrats wanting to pass it now and the Republicans wanting to have it placed on the ballot as a referendum in November. No one really debated the need for the funds; (more…)

In my last blog I mentioned Assembly Education Committee Chair Joe Cryan’s remark that he considers superintendents’ compensation to be a “gravy train.” What I did not mention was that he also said that he “hopes that this gravy train has hit a brick wall.” (more…)

Sometimes a public issue takes on a life of its own and it seems that Keansburg superintendent contract is doing that and affecting all district superintendent contracts in New Jersey.  I must warn you however that the discussion at the Assembly Education Committee did not just take the superintendents to task but school board members as well.  Many board members have complained to me about legislators using these meetings as a “bully pulpit” unfairly criticizing school districts.  While that is true and even Education Committee Chair Joseph Cryan said that we are “demi-godding it” he also said “that everyone is talking” about this issue and then along comes the revelation of a similar situation in Hoboken and now the legislators feel obligated to not only speak to the issue but do something about it. (Never a good thing)  We cannot blame them on this one though for as Assemblyman Cryan said it is not just legislators who are talking about this it “is the type of thing that gets talked about in the Shop-Rite when you’re waiting for your cold cuts!”  (more…)

Attention all Board Members — per the discussion Thursday at the Assembly Education Committee it would appear that your best strategy now is to just say no — to be on the safe side — to just about everything.  The bad taste left by the revelation of some excessive superintendent severance packages has led to increasingly harsh rhetoric by frustrated lawmakers. Suggestions that “board members who approved ‘those contracts’ should be subject to criminal prosecution” and continued references to “crimes against taxpayers” have left me frustrated as well. 

In a climate where the realm of public education seems to be increasingly played out as a sort of theater of the absurd, like it or not, board members are being thrust on to center stage not as heroes but rather as arch villains.  Buzzwords like ‘accountability’ and ‘transparency’ are fueling extraordinary measures to grant the Commissioner of Education emergency powers far beyond what was originally granted by the Legislature over a year ago at the culmination of their historic special session.

But don’t be fooled, in the midst of all the finger pointing something very important and noteworthy is happening  — the authority of the State Board of Education is being marginalized and by extension the authority of local boards as well.  The role of the Commissioner and the executive county superintendents is being strengthened as part of ongoing efforts to keep alive the agenda to advance school district consolidation.

So if you’re mad as #$!!*%$ and just can’t take it anymore . . . then just say no.  Obviously not a viable long-term strategy but certainly one designed to accomodate the current climate in Trenton.

June 11, 2008–On tomorrow’s Assembly Education Committee agenda is legislation (A-2965) that would grant the commissioner of education the authority to unilaterally create regulations concerning recent legislation: the School District Accountability Act, the property-tax levy cap law, and the CORE reform act. The bill would give the commissioner authority to bypass the normal regulatory process, effectively removing (more…)

The other day, when  I was listening to the Senate Education Committee discuss bill S1911, which gives additional authority to the Commissioner of Education, all I could think of was the line “It’s good to be the king!” from the Mel Brooks movie History of the World – Part 1.  For those of you unfamiliar with the 1981 film, like many Mel Brooks movies, it features humor that could be considered rather juvenile. I found the movie to be hilarious. Then again, back in 1981, I was much younger and less mature ( 27 years later, my wife says I’m still immature!) That line was particularly memorable since it describes someone who does not have to worry about anyone having authority over them. While I found the movie line to be very funny, I find S1911 less humorous for the same reason – unchecked authority.  (more…)

Excuse me if I am a bit flip, but where is the outrage from state legislators and the press over holding a primary election which attracted only 10 percent of the registered voters?  Since there is outrage over school elections that attract, on average, a “lowly” 15 percent of the voters, the uproar should be greater for the primary, since the candidates spent much more on the election than school board candidates do. In addition,  both political parties had hotly contested races for the United States Senate, which should have increased turnout.  Maybe A-15 should be amended to move the primary elections from June to April to help increase participation. (more…)

June 4, 2008–The state Department of Education today released a new draft of the Accountability Regulations.  The 83-page document represents those parts of the rules — “emergency” or commissioner’s regulations — that would go into effect as early as the end of this week. (more…)