Christie Transition Team Looks at Changes

A moratorium on the Accountability Regulations and the NJQSAC monitoring system, major labor law changes, and reciprocity of teacher certification with other states, especially in high-demand disciplines, are among recommendations issued last week by the Christie transition team’s Education Subcommittee.

The 25-page document highlights the issues discussed by the panel—the membership of which included Commissioner of Education-designee Bret Schundler.  It recommended changes in law and regulation.

The panel’s “priority action” recommendations include:

• Developing a more refined barometer of school performance that would go beyond the results of a single test by including school district efforts to address socioeconomic factors and other considerations.
• Including school employees in any 2010-2011 salary freeze imposed on public workers due to the state’s budget crisis.
• Opening five to 10 charter schools in low-performing districts by fall 2010.

The report also supports moving school board member elections to November, while eliminating the annual vote on the base budget. However, it places no timeline on the change.

Significantly, the paper calls for changes in labor law to strengthen school boards’ position in bargaining – including the restoration of a school board’s ability to implement its last, best offer when negotiations are exhausted, an NJSBA goal.

The report recommends thorough review of unfunded state requirements, ranging from special education mandates that exceed federal standards and transportation efficiency measures, to paid time-off for teachers attending the NJEA convention. The review would also examine mandatory school board membership in NJSBA.

The report can be viewed in the “What’s New” section of NJSBA’s homepage.

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