I’m wondering whether the governor has strained himself patting himself on the back for all the good work he’s doing on education aid and reform.
Here is the press release he issued today to announce local school aid figures:
Further demonstrating his firm commitment to strengthening and reforming education in New Jersey, Governor Christie is providing an additional $250 million for New Jersey schools in his fiscal year 2012 budget. Aid figures released today by the Department of Education show an increase for every school district in the state. In addition, public charter schools will receive $4.6 million in additional funds – an increase of over 50 percent — another indication of the Christie Administration’s commitment to expanding high-quality public charter schools for New Jersey children.
“Last year, our state faced severe fiscal challenges, and we had to make some very difficult choices. Reductions to education funding were among the most agonizing of those choices,” Governor Chris Christie said. “Because of the foundation we set in last year’s budget, and our responsible management of the state’s finances, New Jersey is on firmer footing and we are able to put more funding into classrooms throughout New Jersey.”
That’s a lot praise for himself for a paltry increase of $250 million. Yes, paltry — he cut more than $1.1 billion last year and the $250 million he’s increasing aid this year does not even come close to fully funding the state’s education formula.
But that’s not a surprise. The governor’s education priorities have never included the public schools, which he views as broken.
“(M)ore money on its own will not fix our education system. We must continue to vigorously pursue education reforms to fundamentally change public education, focused on achieving results for children, rewarding excellence in the classroom and demanding accountability throughout the system.”
His reforms? A “challenge (to) the status quo” that “move(s) toward a system that demands accountability, rewards highly effective teachers, utilizes performance measures and ensures each and every child receives the quality education they deserve.”
In English: testing, charters, vouchers and the breaking of the teachers union. The goal has nothing to do with improving the state’s schools and everything to do with longstanding conservative ideology. And that is jut not good for the students of the state.
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