“If we want to ensure that all students succeed, we need to start pursuing a slate of bold reforms and stop chasing the promised, but mythical, funding formula that will solve our educational woes.”

Education Funding Report, Acting Commissioner of Education Christopher Cerf

Two days after Gov. Christie presented his state budget address, the school aid figures were released, along with Acting Commissioner Chris Cerf’s Education Funding Report.  This report is both an analysis of the School Funding Reform Act (SFRA) and a blueprint on how to amend the formula as we move forward.

Most board members and school administrators, when they analyze a funding formula or state aid, take a very local view. Understandably, they concentrate on one thing: How does it affect their district?  If a formula puts them on the plus side, they like it. If it reduces state aid, they don’t.

If they really do not like it, they may even take the state to court. Since the Robinson v. Cahill case in 1973 and through the series of Abbott decisions, coming up with a system that works – and lasts – has been an elusive goal. In fact, fully funding a system has also proven elusive, so elusive that it has only been done twice.  I think it’s hard to judge a formula, any formula, if the state never fully funds it.

That being said, Acting Commissioner Cerf’s Education Funding Report is a strong attempt to redefine the school funding discussion.  (more…)

I was working as a teacher in a high school when the district decided to move the high school to block scheduling. Much of the staff was thrown into a tizzy.  The school administration was hoping that this move would change the way the high school teachers delivered their lesson plans from a lecture format to a more engaging approach. I remember a veteran teacher and I were discussing the proposal, since he had gone through a similar move in another district. He said to me, “Ray, in the end, good teachers are good teachers and they adapt, and bad teachers are bad teachers and they flounder.”  In essence, what he was implying was that the talent of the teacher was more important than the structure of the school day.

This conversation, which happened many years ago, came to mind after I interviewed Chester Finn from the Fordham Institute on my podcast program Do We Need to Change School Boards in Order to Improve? (I think you will find the interview interesting.) Finn believes that we need to reform, or at least look at different governance models, if we want to improve academic achievement, particularly in our underachieving schools.  He thinks that we should explore other models such as mayoral-controlled school districts, state-operated districts, and charter schools, as well as other ideas.

Finn is not the only one who is looking at changing the governance structure in New Jersey. (more…)

“I hope no education nut gets up to speak. Those people need a reality check”

-         A person waiting in line to attend the governor’s ‘Town Hall’ in Denville on Feb. 2

I hadn’t been to the show in a while and since this one was in my backyard, I wanted to see how the show had changed, if at all.  I know that, strictly speaking, Gov. Christie’s town hall meetings do not qualify as theatrical entertainment. But  I have to admit I find them entertaining, especially since typical political events tend to be rather boring. As I told a board member who was standing next to me, I look at politicians in much the way that fans look at star athletes, actors or actresses. For politicians, I look at their skill and ability to communicate and control the public debate, and not so much at their public policies. (Granted, I take stands – often strong stands – on issues.) Whether you love him or hate him, you have to admit the governor is great at these events and is, in fact, controlling the public debate.

Because it is part of my job to keep you better informed, I frequently attend political and educational events, and I have attended several of the governor’s town halls. At the most recent one, what I learned in conversations with three of the attendees surprised me. All of them had attended town hall meetings before, and this one was not taking place in their back yard.  In fact, each had driven at least 40 minutes just to hear the governor talk.  “I would go anywhere to hear him talk,” said one woman. They are unabashed fans of the governor and supporters of his agenda.  The person standing with her made the remark at the top of this blog entry.

Anyone in the education community who is opposed to all or part of the governor’s education reform agenda should attend one of these meetings, not so much to challenge the governor, but to see and hear what large swaths of the audience believe. (more…)