P.O. Box 909 ● Trenton, NJ 08605-0909 ● Phone: 609.695.7600 ● Fax: 609.695.0413 ● Web: www.njsba.org/PI

State Senate Confirms Schundler as N.J. Commissioner of Education

TRENTON, March 11, 2010 — The state Senate this afternoon confirmed Governor Christie’s nomination of Bret Schundler to serve as New Jersey’s Commissioner of Education. Schundler has been serving as acting commissioner since Jan. 20

“The New Jersey School Boards Association looks forward to working with Commissioner Schundler as we advance education for our state’s schoolchildren,” said Marie S. Bilik, the organization’s executive director.

Schundler’s nomination was released by the Senate Judiciary Committee following hearings last week. In a Feb. 18 letter to the committee’s chairman, Paul Sarlo, Bilik expressed support for Schundler.

“Mr. Schundler is an education leader not afraid of innovation or of changing long-standing practices to achieve school improvement,” she wrote. “At the same time, he approaches issues in a thoughtful and collaborative manner.

“I cannot guarantee that the New Jersey School Boards Association will agree with Mr. Schundler on every single education policy matter,” Bilik continued. “However, I am confident in his desire to work with all elements of the education community and his sincere interest in the education of our state’s children.”

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.