Earlier in January, at his State of the State Address, Gov. Chris Christie took aim at NJ's education crisis. "Perhaps the biggest thing of all for the future of our State," Christie stated, referring to education reform. The outspoken NJ Governor pointed out the success of the Robert Treat Academy, a successful charter school in Newark. In addition to the six new charter schools approved this year, an additional 23 more are slated for development, bringing the total number in the state to 99.
Christie has made charter schools and school choice a centerpiece to his education reform plan. In fact, just yesterday the Governor introduced the documentary, Waiting For "Superman," to lawmakers at a NJ screening. After the film, Christie announced a partnership with Harlem Children's Zone, the charter school featured in the film.
But charters and school choice are not the only changes he would like to initiate.
At his State of the State address, Christie said, "The time for a national conversation on tenure is long past due." The notion of tenure reform is already a polarizing idea, but Gov. Christie seems prepared to eliminate tenure altogether. "Teaching," he stated, "can no longer be the only profession where you have no rewards for excellence and no consequences for failure to perform."
As he takes on education reform in New Jersey, the whole nation is no doubt paying attention to what Gov. Christie does...and the results he ends up with. Will his reliance on charter schools be the answer NJ needs? And if successful, can those results be replicated in other states? Is cutting tenure and rewarding good teachers an effective route to education reform? Tell me what you think about Chris Christie and his plan for reforming education in NJ.
Christie has made charter schools and school choice a centerpiece to his education reform plan. In fact, just yesterday the Governor introduced the documentary, Waiting For "Superman," to lawmakers at a NJ screening. After the film, Christie announced a partnership with Harlem Children's Zone, the charter school featured in the film.
But charters and school choice are not the only changes he would like to initiate.
At his State of the State address, Christie said, "The time for a national conversation on tenure is long past due." The notion of tenure reform is already a polarizing idea, but Gov. Christie seems prepared to eliminate tenure altogether. "Teaching," he stated, "can no longer be the only profession where you have no rewards for excellence and no consequences for failure to perform."
As he takes on education reform in New Jersey, the whole nation is no doubt paying attention to what Gov. Christie does...and the results he ends up with. Will his reliance on charter schools be the answer NJ needs? And if successful, can those results be replicated in other states? Is cutting tenure and rewarding good teachers an effective route to education reform? Tell me what you think about Chris Christie and his plan for reforming education in NJ.
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