The Phillies are in the World Series and thousands of New Jerseyans are riveted to their televisions rooting them on. At the exact same time, there are even more New Jerseyans who think the baseball season has ended and are watching Survivor and Dancing With the Stars.  This World Series exemplifies the New Jersey north and south divide.  For a small state, we are a very divided state and can even be parochial in our views.  I believe this division and parochialism hinders our ability to come up with solutions to some pressing issues including education.  (more…)

Imagine you are either the governor or commissioner of education of a highly diverse northeastern state.  Like most states, yours is saddled with the “achievement gap” and students who lag behind their peers academically. Then imagine you are offered a solution that academics, legislators, educators and parents agree may hold the key to closing the “achievement gap.” Not only do you have all parties telling you that this is a success, but you actually have some proof that it works in the districts where it has been implemented.  Wouldn’t you jump at the opportunity to implement such a solution if you were governor or education commissioner?  This is the type of program that makes history books and creates a positive legacy of your tenure.  Now imagine that you commit to this program publicly. 

Finally, imagine you find out that your state is broke and probably can not afford to pay for this worthwhile legacy-making program.  What do you do? (more…)

The following article will appear in the Oct. 15 editon of School Board Notes online:

Governor’s Special Address  The media spotlight will fall on Governor Corzine Thursday, Oct. 16, as he delivers a major economic address to a special joint session of the state Legislature.  Faced with a stock market that lost one-fifth of its value within a period of six days and is now on a roller-coaster ride, the failure of several major financial institutions, record mortgage defaults nationwide, a lock on credit–and the fact that New Jersey is highly reliant on tax revenue generated through the financial services industry–the day’s focus is exactly where it should be.

State revenue projections will directly affect the governor’s proposed 2009-2010 state budget, which will include his recommendations for state aid to public education. 

Newspaper accounts indicate that the governor will present a comprehensive economic emergency plan that will include public works projects (including existing plans for school construction), incentives for businesses and help for homeowners who might otherwise lose their property.

In spite of the importance of the governor’s speech, NJSBA lobbyists on Thursday will still have to (more…)

There is a famous line uttered by Obi -Wan Kenobi  in the first Star Wars movie: “I felt a great disturbance in the Force.” (My son argues with me that the 1977 movie is not the “first” Star Wars movie -it is the fourth.  Some movie put out in 1999, which I never saw, is technically the first in the Star Wars saga.)   I, however, measure movies chronologically by the year they come out. ) In any case on October 2, 2008 at the Senate Education Committee meeting I felt a “disturbance” in the force at the State House.  It came when I watched the discussion on bill S-2127 (the diploma mill bill), which is sponsored by Senate President Richard Codey, Senator Shirley Turner and Senator Jennifer Beck.  On this bill NJSBA and NJEA took opposite positions.  This is not odd, and , in fact, occurs frequently on bills regarding labor management issues.  NJSBA supported the bill, since it not only prevents staff from moving up the salary guide by acquiring degrees from unaccredited colleges and universities, but also helps the boards control costs in the area of tuition reimbursement.  It is odd, though, that during the testimony, the NJEA should find itself fighting an uphill battle.  It is even a bit odder that the committee sided with NJSBA’s position and not NJEA’s.  This, however, is not the disturbance in the “force.” The disturbance I sensed is (more…)

I need to let you know before you read any further, that as I write this, I am in a very bad mood.  I am a N.Y. Mets fan and after having my heart broken again on the last day of the baseball season, I am not as nice as I normally am.  I just want you to know before you proceed it is not my fault, but the Mets’ fault. 

For those of you who have attended NJSBA Workshop in Atlantic City, you may remember buttons that a vendor used to give out.  They had three buttons they distributed: one said Blame the Board Member, another said Blame the Superintendent, and the last one said Blame the BA.  They were cute little buttons that were built on inside humor and everyone seemed to have fun with them. It was rather harmless because we were making fun of each other, but just imagine if the person handing them out was your state representative!  (more…)

The following article appears in the Oct. 1 issue of School Board Notes Online.

By now, everyone understands that the crisis on Wall Street and in the banking/mortgage industry will affect government revenue–particularly in New Jersey, where the economy is strongly affected by the financial services industry.  State revenue projections will directly affect the governor’s proposed 2009-10 state budget, which will include his recommendations for state aid to public education.  (Read NJSBA Advocacy Coordinator Ray Pinney’s excellent BoardBlog post, Will NJ Classrooms Feel the Aftershocks From Wall Street’s Earthquake?)

But the future may be here sooner than we think (more…)