With end of semester activities and graduations, many of us have not kept up with the latest developments in the education sector in New Jersey. Herewith are some noteworthy events: Governor Christie has nominated Rochelle Hendricks as the state’s first Secretary of Higher Education, a cabinet-level position (Bergen Record, new jerseynewsroom); Governor Christie issued Executive Order No.64 mandating an examination of the “…appropriate level and content of financial disclosure applicable to the trustees of the State’s College and University boards”; he also appointed the members of the Education Transformation Task Force who are to examine the “red tape” in this sector and have recommendations ready by September; the New Jersey School Boards Association overwhelmingly approved a resolution supporting the requirement of voter approval for any new charter school; bill A3852 and its identical counterpart, S2243 would legislate voter approval for any new charter school; NJ Spotlight hosted a “Charter Conversation” which included acting education Commissioner Christopher Cerf; the New Jersey Comptroller has initiated a review into the compensation packages for all 19 community college presidents of whom two have resigned so far(nj.com, Bergen Record); and with increased tax revenues predicted for this year, education funding comes to the fore once again, especially in the Abbott districts (Wall Street Journal).
