Sunday Leftovers

An editorial this week in the NY Post: "The New Jersey Education Association has declared war on two Newark charter schools, Merit Prep and Newark Prep. It sued to shut them down, but lost in court — so now the union’s asked the state Legislature to kill them."

New JerseySchool Boards Association, NJ Spotlight, and the Star-Ledger review the new School Report Cards – now called “School Performance Reports” -- issued by the NJ DOE.

From an Assembly Democrats press release: "Legislation Assembly Democrats Bonnie Watson Coleman, Gary S. Schaer, Benjie E. Wimberly and L. Grace Spencer sponsored rejecting Gov. Chris Christie's proposed school funding changes targeting at-risk, bilingual and special education students was approved 47-30 Thursday by the Assembly." NJ Spotlight coverage here.

Today's Asbury Park Press features a long analysis of the role of the NJSIAA in NJ's efforts to accommodate children with disabilities in school sports programs.

Courier Post: “Online standardized testing will soon become the norm for school districts in New Jersey, but local superintendents say planning for the new test has been difficult due to a lack of information provided by the state.”

Asbury Park Press: “A school board in New Jersey has taken an initial step toward allowing a principal, who is a retired police officer, to carry a handgun in school.”  

According to the Courier-Post, Cherry Hill School District has frozen all spending because expenses next year will rise $600,000 above the 2% cap.

Pompton Lakes School District is generating much-needed revenue by accepting students through the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program, says the Record.

Parsippany Superintendent Dr. Lee Seitz is retiring, along with the district’s business administrator. The Star-Ledger recounts when Gov. Christie labeled Seitz as a “poster boy for greed” after  the school board there rushed through a contract renewal to evade the new state superintendent salary cap.

Pleasantville School District has had 15 superintendents in 15 years, reports the Press of Atlantic City. The School Board tried to make it 16 by voting to suspend the current superintendent but the State Fiscal Monitor overturned the decision.

The Jersey Journal has obtained a set of emails that show that Ward E City Councilman Steve Fulop, a contender in May’s Jersey City mayoral race, was “instrumental” in getting 8 of 9 school board members elected.