Christie, addressing the 216th session of the legislature in the Assembly Chambers of the State House in Trenton, will argue that despite improvements in the troubled schools of Newark and Camden, the state needs to take bigger and broader steps to adjust its approach to K-12 education to address the new competitive world. He’ll say that the school calendar is antiquated, both educationally and culturally, and that life in 2014 demands more from students.
Christie will announce that he’ll work with State Education Commissioner Chris Cerf to shortly present a proposal for lengthening the school day and year, a key step to improve student outcomes and boost competitiveness.
This is same boilerplate Cuomo said last year in his State of the State address.
Obama said the same claptrap a few years ago.
Research on longer school days and longer school years is mixed at best.
But it is a terrific control mechanism - get the kids ready to work ten hour days, 50 weeks a year, so that when they grow up and have their shitty job with the long hours, shitty pay and no benefits, they wont complain too much.
Also, it's a good way to get some state funding to your for profit education and edu-entrepreneur cronies.
It's probably not going to happen in New Jersey anymore than Cuomo's call happened in NY.
Sheriff Andy provided state funding for one year to extend the school day and calendar.
After that, districts were on their own to find the funding.
Can't imagine why not too many districts took Andy up on his generosity.
Christie will probably do the same in Jersey.
In the end, this is mostly just dog whistle stuff to the hedge fundies and education deformers - we are on your side, support us with love and campaign donations.
One final thing: given the two scandals dogging Christie now (Bridgegate and the Sandy funding investigation), Christie's going to have his hands full just staying governor - ramming education reform proposals through the Legislature is not going to happen this second term.
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