American Federation of Teachers New Jersey, AFL-CIO

Month: December 2013

Higher Ed NewsStudent debt
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Getting Out of Discount Game, Small Colleges Lower the Price

By Tamar Lewin

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — A higher education riddle: When can a college slash tuition by almost half, without losing revenues? Answer: When nobody much pays full tuition anyway.

As Converse reduces its tuition costs, it will also reduce the rate of the discounts it offers.

When Converse College, a tiny women’s college here, announced that it was “resetting” next year’s tuition at $16,500, down 43 percent from the current year’s published price of $29,000, the talk was about affordability, transparency and a better deal for struggling families.…

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Pre-K to 12 News
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N.J. School Boards Association to study ways to close economic achievement gap

By Peggy McGlone/The Star-Ledger

The New Jersey School Boards Association has created a task force on student achievement to help local boards identify strategies to improve student performance and close the economic achievement gap.

Members of 11 school boards from urban, rural and suburban districts are joined by education and community leaders to review relevant research and address issues ranging from curriculum to access to technology.…

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Higher Ed News
AFTNJ

Why Are Some Democrats Refusing to Back Efforts to Rein In For-Profit Colleges?

Efforts to place tighter restrictions on predatory for-profit colleges deserve Democratic unity.
By Jeff Bryant

The good news coming from the U.S. Department of Education recently is the effort to put tougher restrictions on for-profit scam colleges that rip off students, families and the taxpayers.

The bad news is that not all Democrats are behind this effort and pushing for the tighter restrictions.…

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Higher Ed NewsTuition Equity
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Christie Agrees to In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants

By Kirk Semple

The New Jersey Legislature approved legislation on Thursday that would allow students without legal immigration status to pay in-state college tuition. Gov. Chris Christie planned to sign it on Friday, a spokesman said.

The bill’s passage was assured after Mr. Christie, a Republican, struck a deal with Democratic lawmakers, who agreed to a demand of his that they change the bill to remove a provision allowing undocumented immigrants access to state financial aid programs.…

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Baraka for MayorNewark Teachers UnionPre-K to 12 News
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Newark mayoral candidate Ras Baraka criticizes school overhaul

By Peggy McGlone/The Star-Ledger

NEWARK — Newark mayoral candidate and South Ward Councilman Ras Baraka blasted the school reorganization plan released by State Superintendent Cami Anderson earlier this week, calling it “radical” and “disruptive” and predicting it will damage the city’s school system.

“They say this is about choice, but it is about anything but choice.…

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AFTNJ NewsHigher Ed NewsTuition Equity
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Chris Christie signs bill granting in-state tuition to N.J. immigrants

By Christopher Baxter/The Star-Ledger

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie today signed landmark legislation granting thousands of students who grew up in New Jersey but are in the country illegally the benefit of in-state tuition rates at all public colleges and universities.

Christie’s signature marks the end of a public tug-of-war over the measure, deemed the “Dream Act”, which was pared down in its final days in order for Democrats to gain the governor’s approval.…

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AFTNJ News
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Sagi Recognized for Health and Safety Training Prowess

AFTNJ Higher Education Vice President Joyce S. Sagi received an Educator/Trainer Award from the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health this month in Maryland. Sagi leads training sessions on a broad range of issues including workplace violence and bullying, emergency preparedness and response, indoor air quality and basic hazard awareness.

“Sagi has a unique ability to reach workers through training and education and empowering workers to fight for improved conditions in their workplaces,” said Amy Bahruth AFT’s Assistant Director Health, Safety and Wellbeing.…

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Newark Teachers UnionPre-K to 12 News
AFTNJ

Newark school restructuring includes plans to put charters in district buildings

By Peggy McGlone/The Star-Ledger

As part of a comprehensive plan to overhaul the state’s largest school district, Newark Schools Superintendent Cami Anderson wants to increase access to charter schools by expanding them into district-owned buildings.

The district also plans to convert three elementary schools into early childhood centers, relocate five schools to under-utilized facilities and transform three comprehensive high schools into smaller academies.…

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Pre-K to 12 News
AFTNJ

70 percent of N.J. schools volunteer to try out new assessments

By Peggy McGlone/The Star-Ledger

Seventy percent of New Jersey’s school districts and charter schools have volunteered to give the test associated with the new statewide curriculum standards a trial run, the Department of Education said Tuesday.

The test, known as PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) represents a consortium of 19 states collaborating on a set of exams in English and math.…

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AFTNJ News
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White Honored by New Labor

URA-AFT Social Justice chair Karen White was recognized by New Labor Saturday for her work on social justice issues for working poor, including New Jersey’s innovative paid family leave insurance, increase in the minimum wage, wage theft ordinance, and promoting earned sick leave policies. White is Director of the Working Families Program, Center for Women and Work and Co-Chair of the Time to Care Coalition.…

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Pre-K to 12 News
AFTNJ

State’s Urban Schools Need Extensive Repairs And Expansion, Report Says

By John Mooney

As many as one-third of education facilities in NJ are not in compliance or up to code.

With questions mounting over the slow pace of the state’s school repairs and construction, an internal report by the state Department of Education acknowledges the sorry condition of many of New Jersey’s urban schools – with as many as one-third of them not up to building code or in compliance.…

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Pre-K to 12 News
AFTNJ

New Jersey teachers among highest paid in the country

By Alex Napoliello/NJ.com

Teachers in New Jersey are the sixth highest paid in the country, according to a study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics.

The estimated average annual salary for a teacher in New Jersey is $68,797. But that’s a 3.4 percent drop from the 1999-2000 school year when teachers earned an estimated average salary of $71,216 in inflated-adjusted dollars.…

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