American Federation of Teachers New Jersey, AFL-CIO

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AFTNJ’s objective is to promote state wide organization and unionization of public and private school teachers, paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education faculty and staff; other workers organized in conformity with More »

Prekindergarten – 12

From the state’s largest school district to small privates, AFTNJ stands up for New Jersey’s students. Our members teach early childhood education to prepare kids for school, special education and every topic More »

Higher Education

The American Federation of Teachers New Jersey is the largest higher education union in the state, representing full and part-time faculty, all levels of administrative, professional and supervisory staff, graduate workers, and More »

Activism

Advocates for Education AFTNJ members work tirelessly in educating decision-makers about the importance of investing in education and research from pre-kindergarten through doctoral studies. New Jersey boasts a skilled workforce and our More »

Cities’ support of tuition equity legislation give undocumented students hope

May 20, 2013

Sen. Smith: ‘They need to have access to higher education’

By Bob Makin

For the second time this year, a Central Jersey municipality has passed a resolution supporting state legislation that would allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition and obtain state financial aid to attend public universities and colleges.

Marisol Conde-Hernandez (RIGHT) of the New Jersey Dream Act Coalition and Ana G. Bonilla (LEFT) of Fighting Toward Unity Respect and Equality (FUTURE) discuss the fact that New Brunswick has become the 4th city in New Jersey to pass a resolution in support of tuition equity of undocumented college students. NEW BRUNSWICK ON FRIDAY MAY 10,2013 MARK R. SULLIVAN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/HOME NEWS TRIBUNE

Earlier this month, New Brunswick City Council followed in the steps of Plainfield, which had passed a resolution in January.

The measures address one of many issues related to immigration reform, but like comprehensive federal legislation, state efforts to make college more affordable for undocumented students have stalled for more than 10 years in Trenton. It is meaningfully symbolic that authorities in Plainfield and New Brunswick, as well as Passaic and Jersey City, passed and sent resolutions to state representatives in the hopes of moving the legislation forward, said Marisol Conde-Hernandez, founder of the New Jersey DREAM Act Coalition.

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A Handy Reference Guide on Who is Donating to Corporate-Style Education Reform

May 16, 2013

By Jessie Ramey

As Big Money continues to shape public education, it can be hard to keep all the players straight — from wealthy individuals, to foundations, to corporations. Here’s your guide.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com/solar

The way some of them throw around the green stuff, you’d think corporate style education reformers were made of money. Oh, wait. Some of them are. As Big Money plays a bigger and bigger role in shaping public education, it can be hard to keep all the players straight— from wealthy individuals, to foundations, superPACs, astroturf groups and corporations. Here’s a handy reference guide:

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Ramapo president claims school didn’t get its fair share of college bond cash

May 15, 2013

By Kelly Heyboer/ The Star-Ledger

MAHWAH — Ramapo College President Peter Mercer expects to meet with the state’s secretary of higher education this week to discuss whether his school was shortchanged in the recent awarding of taxpayer-funded college construction bond money.

Ramapo College President Peter Mercer raised objections with state officials over the amount of college construction bond money scheduled to go to the Mahwah college. Star-Ledger file photo

The list of $1.3 billion in proposed grants released last month by Gov. Chris Christie’s administration included $18.6 million for building projects on Ramapo’s Mahwah campus. That was the least among the state’s traditional four-year public colleges and less than some county colleges.

“The amount we received was proportionally significantly less than our peers,” Mercer said. “I, as president of Ramapo College, simply can’t accept that.”

Ramapo’s complaints are the latest objection to the controversial list of 176 building projects at 46 colleges and universities. Last week, state lawmakers and the American Civil Liberties Union questioned whether two religious training schools should be on the list.

The state is scheduled to award $10.6 million for construction projects at Beth Medrash Govoha, an all-male Jewish rabbinical school in Lakewood, and $645,313 for technology upgrades at Princeton Theological Seminary, a school to train Christian ministers.

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“Raise the Wage” Campaign Builds Support at Rutgers Day

May 15, 2013

(left to right) Cathy Stanford, Theresa O'Neill, Lucye Millerand, Dorothy Grauer.

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Making a Difference Every Day: Maryann Tsoukaslos

May 15, 2013

Making a difference every day Maryann Tsoukaslos. Perth Amboy Foodservice Manager talks nutrition.

Making a Difference Every Day: Rebecca Goldstein

May 15, 2013

Montclair State Education Professor Rebecca Goldstein says “Teachers are in a position to change the world”

Rebecca Goldstein: Teachers need to be subversive

Union Awards Scholarships to Montclair State Students

May 14, 2013

On Wednesday May 1, 2013, American Federation of Teachers, Local 1904 (Local) at Montclair State University awarded the Becker-Keenen-Moore-Uhia-Waller (BKMUW) Scholarship to 10 students. The recipients were introduced at the Local’s monthly General Union Meeting where they were congratulated for their hard work and determination in pursuing their undergraduate degrees.

The 2013 BKMUW Scholarship Recipients are pictured with AFT Local 1904 President Richard Wolfson and Vice President for Internal Affairs Jennifer Higgins.

The awardees are:
Gray Burford of Bloomfield, New Jersey
Jameka Carter of Jersey City, New Jersey
Karin Cuellar of Montclair, New Jersey
Derek Darby of Jackson, New Jersey
Kristen Maday, Denville, New Jersey
Elizabeth Mejia, Paterson, New Jersey
Ralph Olacio, Jersey City, New Jersey
Delfin Santiago, Newark, New Jersey
Hamza Serhan, Montclair, New Jersey
Kelly Vaghenas, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

This scholarship fund was established in 1997 in honor of Catherine A. Becker, James P. Keenen III, Joseph T. Moore, Anita E. Uhia, and Connie Waller, all former faculty and active union members who were deeply committed to the principles of collective bargaining and to helping our students who demonstrate a significant economic need.

AFT Retirees Newsline Spring

May 14, 2013

AFT Retirees Newsline

In this Issue:
1 From the President
2 Did You Know?
2 AFTR of NJ Executive Bd
3 April Luncheon Review
4 One Man’s Opinion
5 AFTR of NJ All Stars
5 Spring Reading
6 Membership Form
6 Luncheon Form

Rutgers Report Briefs Educators on Training for New Teacher Evaluation

May 13, 2013

Mastering procedures alone can take up to a year, even if schools won’t have that long under new law

By John Mooney

New Jersey’s planned use of student test scores in evaluating teachers has drawn most of the fire so far, but researchers following the first tests of the evaluation system have found that training observers for classroom observations is neither quick nor easy.

The team from the Rutgers Graduate School of Education has been tracking the 10 pilot districts that have been up and running for the past two years, along with another 15 that began testing the system last year.

The new system is slated to be rolled out statewide next year.

In a six-page brief distributed to districts across New Jersey last week, researchers described the lessons and challenges specific to training both supervisors and teachers to the observation systems.

Observations make up at least half of a teacher’s overall evaluation, as mandated by the new teacher tenure law. The balance of the rating is made by measuring student performance, including state test scores — by far the most controversial piece of the system.

The report’s lead author, William Firestone, said in an interview yesterday that the report details the extensive amount of time needed to get all parties up to speed, both on the new procedures and on the broader concept of pinpointing the qualities of good teaching.

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4 Public-College Presidents Pass $1-Million Mark in Pay

May 13, 2013

By Jack Stripling and Jonah Newman

Public higher education’s million-dollar club just got bigger. Four public-college presidents earned more than $1-million in 2011-12, up from three a year earlier, a Chronicle analysis has found. The median total compensation for public-college leaders rose to $441,392, an increase of 4.7 percent from 2010-11.

The top earner was Graham B. Spanier, who received $2.9-million. Mr. Spanier, who was fired in 2011 in connection with a child-sex-abuse scandal involving a former assistant football coach, received most of his money in severance pay and deferred compensation, which is money he earned during his 16-year presidency that was not previously paid out.

The Chronicle’s analysis included 212 college leaders at 191 public institutions.

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