TRENTON, N.J., Feb. 17 (UPI) -- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has taken on teachers' unions with proposals for merit pay and an end to automatic tenure and layoffs by seniority.
The governor's acting education commissioner, Christopher Cerf, announced the plan Wednesday during a discussion on education at Princeton University, The Star-Ledger of Newark reported. Cerf called the system of seniority and tenure "the last frontier of education policy -- the third rail."
Under the plan, teachers would be evaluated every year and classified as highly effective, effective, partially effective or ineffective. Teachers, who now become tenured after completing three years in a school, would gain tenure after three years of highly effective or effective ratings.
Teachers would also be paid more for high evaluations or for teaching in a school with high needs or in an area with a shortage of qualified teachers like science or bilingual education.
Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver said the Democratic majority is willing to work with the governor on "responsible" education reform. But she said many teachers in urban schools are "real-life heroes" and suggested the governor is "throwing around slogans and blaming teacher job protections."
