East Brunswick H.S. site
of McGreevey
FARRAH MAFFAI Shirley Read, a teacher at East Brunswick High School, voices her concerns to Gov. James E. McGreevey at last week’s town meeting at the school.
to detail ed. reform plan
East Brunswick H.S. site
of McGreevey’s monthly
meeting on 21-point plan
By vincent todaro
Staff Writer
EAST BRUNSWICK — Educators made it known during a meeting last week with Gov. James E. McGreevey at East Brunswick High School that they believe reform is needed in the state’s educational system.
Teachers from Middlesex County and elsewhere gathered in the cafeteria Oct. 30 to hear McGreevey discuss his ideas for improving New Jersey public school education. After his discussion, he took questions from the teachers, which brought to light issues in almost every facet of the state education system.
McGreevey, who was joined by State Education Commissioner William L. Librera, is holding town meetings monthly in each county to explain the governor’s 21-point educational reform agenda and to allow teachers an opportunity to express their views on school issues facing the state.
About 200 teachers packed the room during this, the second of the monthly meetings.
"Today’s discussion brings teachers to the table," McGreevey said. "To make meaningful changes in the lives of our children and accomplish real reform, we will continue to work closely with parents, teachers and schools."
Teachers complained about the lengthy process they must go through in order to receive certification, the relatively low wages earned by New Jersey’s teachers, unrealistic demands on students and teachers, and problems dealing with school administrators and boards of education.
One teacher said he could move to Pennsylvania and buy a house at half of what it would cost in New Jersey, and he would also be making nearly twice as much teaching there as he does here.
McGreevey said the state is somewhat hamstrung by its financial problems. He said the $6 billion deficit he encountered when taking office made it necessary to freeze state aid for schools this year. He also warned that the current recession will likely continue for a while. New Jersey was particularly hard hit by the stock market plummet because it is more directly linked to the market than many other states, he said, adding that 67 percent of Americans have lost faith in the market.
"They don’t have faith in corporate leadership," McGreevey said.
He did say he believes the way the state funds public education "has to be recalibrated."
After the meeting, McGreevey told Greater Media Newspapers that, if the decision had to be made today, school aid from the state would again remain level for next year. That decision will not be made, however, until the end of the first quarter of 2003, by which time the situation may have improved.
"It’s ultimately dependent on economics and economic performance," he said.
New Jersey Education Association Vice President Joyce Powell, who was at the meeting, said the NJEA also believes the school funding system is flawed.
"There has to be another fund in conjunction (with property taxes)," she said, noting that her association has discussed several plans that include alternate sources of funding.
When asked about the idea of holding a statewide constitutional convention on education funding reform, as some have suggested, she said there is no need. The state Legislature already has the power to decide on alternative sources, though it has not been willing to do so, she said.
During the meeting, Librera said about 40 percent of the state’s new teachers leave the profession after only a few years. That, he said, is a nationwide problem as well, though in New Jersey it is made worse by its own unique problems. These problems include the isolation between teachers as well as the undue restrictions placed on teacher judgment.
"We want to change these things or we’re going to have a huge teacher shortage," he said. "We must support teachers. We must expand the latitude they have."
Librera discussed in detail the 21-point educational plan, which McGreevey introduced Sept. 17 during Education Summit 2002.
"Our mission has five clear components," Librera said. "They are teacher and administrator quality; raising student achievement; diverse and multiple paths for student success; innovative and outstanding practices/programs; and public engagement and communication."
Among the highlights of the agenda are McGreevey’s plan to increase the minimum passing scores for teacher certification exams; require that teachers have certification in the subject matter they are teaching; require teachers who need assistance in improving skills to attend a summer teaching academy or other summer program; incorporate technology standards into core curriculum requirements and require high school students to pass a technology proficiency test before they graduate; administer a new test for third-graders to ensure that the state meets the federal literacy goal a year early; and implement common-sense testing reforms such as a new fourth-grade test to accurately measure student learning and progress from year to year.
But many aspects of McGreevey’s plan have met with opposition or have been questioned by the NJEA. The association said his idea of allowing students who pass the HSPT (High School Proficiency Test) to skip their senior-year course work and instead take college-level courses is already available to students.
The benefits of some other aspects of the plan are very limited in nature, according to the NJEA.
"It’s fine that the governor has proposed paying the application fee for a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certificate, but this step would only impact a handful of teachers," the group also said in a statement.
Also criticized was McGreevey’s plan to use a statewide database to identify how well students are learning and where, along with his idea of sending teachers to summer remedial and reading programs, and his plan to build five small "renaissance" schools to improve learning and to improve the surrounding neighborhoods.
In response to comments he made this fall — when he said the biggest hurdle to reducing class sizes is adding new rooms — the group said that two teachers in a class of 30 can do almost as good as one in a class of 15.
"NJEA wants great public schools for every child," NJEA President Edithe Fulton said.
"We can achieve that if we set priorities. We must do the greatest good for the greatest number. We know what works. Reforms that will produce immediate results include reducing class size, encouraging families to be involved in their children’s education, mentoring new teachers, and ensuring that all school employees have opportunities for professional development."

