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P.O. Box 909 ● Trenton, NJ 08605-0909 ● Phone: 609.695.7600 ● Fax: 609.695.0413 ● Web: www.njsba.org/PI |
TRENTON, January 13, 2010—The New Jersey School Boards Association looks forward to working with Bret Schundler in his role as state commissioner of education, the organization’s executive director said today. Governor-Elect Chris Christie announced Schundler’s appointment at a news conference in the State House this afternoon. “As a gubernatorial candidate and as mayor of Jersey City, Bret Schundler has participated in NJSBA conferences, sharing his beliefs with local school board members. “His interest in children’s education is sincere, and his desire to break the mold strong,” said Marie S. Bilik, NJSBA executive director. “We look forward to working with a commissioner who will be committed to improving the regular public schools and taking on some of the ‘sacred cows’ that have stood in the way of school improvement.” NJSBA believes that the Christie administration should advance concepts, such as merit pay, the elimination of lifetime tenure (essentially, a job protection), and the further strengthening of academic standards, according to Bilik. The new administration should also strengthen local school boards’ position in contract negotiations by changing state laws that favor unions in negotiations. In addition, the Association believes that the administration should focus efforts on promoting shared services. A 2007 Rutgers-Newark study, commissioned by the New Jersey School Boards Association, documented numerous examples of shared services, ranging from joint banking to shared business office functions. That same study identified legal obstacles to sharing services. School districts share services when they identify two outcomes: cost-savings and improved delivery. The new administration should give priority to the concept. ********
The New Jersey School Boards Association, a federation of district boards of education, advocates the interests of school districts, trains local school board members, and provides resources for the advancement of public education.
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