Gov. Chris Christie has touted education reform in the state, especially in the areas of teacher tenure and benefit reforms. Education writer and NJ Spotlight founding editor John Mooney said he believes tenure reform is inevitable, even if the New Jersey Education Association isn’t completely on board. Mooney sat down with NJ Today Managing Editor Mike Schneider to discuss education issues.
Mooney said there is much work to be done to accomplish education reform in New Jersey. “Clearly Christie wants to bring to fruition a couple things this year,” he said. “We’re not there yet. Last year was sort of laying out the reforms and this year is the year he wants to get some enacted.”
He explained that legislation changing how teachers receive and keep tenure is making its way through the legislature, and he believes there will be a different system in the state, even if it means the NJEA doesn’t completely agree.
“The NJEA is going to be resistant to some of the things they want to do right now. I think there will be some action without their full support,” Mooney said. “I think the Democrats are willing to do some things that there won’t be all out war with the NJEA, but I don’t think they’ll be at the table when the governor’s signing the bill.”
Mooney said there has been a slow parting of ways between the current Democratic leadership and the NJEA because of pension and healthcare reform. “There may be some other things that Democrats depend on and might appease them to a degree and make it a little more palatable, but I can’t imaging that there will be a tenure bill that comes out of the legislature that’s going to have the full support of the NJEA,” he said.
State aid for education is another hotly debated topic. Christie cut a significant amount of aid to school districts, but has been slowly restoring it. “I think this is not going to be a big fight about school funding,” Mooney said. “They took big cuts a couple years ago and they’re slowly starting to climb back. I think that’s happened across the country and New Jersey is no exception.”
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