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Gov. Chris Christie told attendees at the New Jersey Charter Schools Association annual conference Thursday that they have a friend in the Statehouse.

Speaking to an audience of 400 teachers, parents, administrators and other charter school supporters, the governor said he wants to see the number of charter schools in New Jersey grow during the next four years.

Motioning around the ballroom of the Ocean Place Resort in Long Branch, the governor said it was his hope to return to the conference next year and see the room partitions removed, symbolizing that many more charter schools are in existence and the number of attendees has grown.

"The Christie Administration is a friend to the charter school movement," Christie said.

On the heels of announcing a $820 million proposed cut to New Jersey's public schools, Christie noted that state aid will remain relatively flat for the state's 68 charter schools. He said charter schools are ideal examples of how quality education can be delivered at a fraction of what is now being spent in the public schools.

"You are masters at doing more with less," he said. "You have been consistently underfunded. You already know that."

Christie said his family has been fortunate to have a choice in where the children are educated, noting his four children, ages 6-16, are enrolled in Catholic schools. Through an expansion of charter schools, many other families in the state can have a similar choice within public schools

The governor referred to a "heart-breaking" two-part series on NJN broadcast in January that told the story of an annual student lottery for slots at the highly-acclaimed Robert Treat Academy in Newark. The series illustrated the happiness and relief expressed by parents when their children were selected in the lottery. It also showed the gut-wrenching emotion from parents whose children were not selected and would have to attend low-performing public schools.

"They were not weeping because they didn't get in," Christie said. "They were weeping because of where they have to go."

Carlos Lejnieks, chairman of the NJCSA board, said charter school students want to be held to high standards, graduate from high school and move on to higher education. Some, he said, are then returning to their roots to help serve others in the community.

"Charter schools are not a panacea; we need to build relationships and build support," Lejnieks said. "We need to focus on growth and quality, while looking forward to new-found partnerships with the governor and the state Department of Education. Demand is high, the need is urgent and the time us now for us all to rise."

In his introduction of the governor, Stephen N. Adubato, founder of the Robert Treat Academy, reminded the audience that Christie's first move as governor-elect was to tour a charter school in Newark. "It was about you; it shows he believes in you," Adubato said.

Earlier in the day, state Education Commissioner Bret Schundler said there needs to be a greater "cross fertilization" between school districts and charter schools. He said relationships should be nurtured to the point where charter schools and district public schools look to each other for best practices that enhance student achievement.

To encourage cooperation, he said, charter school test scores should count toward the total test scores of a student's home district. He also said school districts should be able to authorize charter schools within the district's boundaries.

Schundler, who stressed his support for parental choice in education, noted that state funding will remain flat for most public charter and district schools. Now is the time, he said, to find the most "thorough and efficient" way in which to educate children. That begins with ending the "we vs. they" relationship that he says exists between charter schools and other public schools.

"It would be great if a district and a charter school authorized by the district chose to run schools in the same building. This would aid in the exchange of ideas and could benefit both financially," he said. "The charter school would get great space, and instead of its rent going to an outside landlord, it would go to a school district which had extra space and could benefit from the income.

"If a child goes into a school and can learn at a faster pace, I want everyone to celebrate," Schundler added. "If we put charter and district schools in the same building, we can cross-fertilize both. It is easier for others to take notice of innovation if it is all happening in the same building.

"Many charter schools create an incredible school culture," the commissioner said. "The reason we value successful charter schools is because they potentially create a model for less successful schools to emulate. We need everyone to appreciate that they're on the same team."

Schundler said his department is also working to decrease regulatory burdens in all public schools in New Jersey. Rather than assess schools on how many documents they file with the state, he said, schools would be judged on how well they help students learn.

"The stars have lined up for true education reform and when we talk in common cause about educating our children well, we then create an opportunity for building bridges and collaborating in ways we may not have done before," Lejnieks, the chair of the association said. "We salute the commissioner for his consistent support of charter schools and recognition of the enormous service that charter schools supply."

— ANDY LAGOMARSINO, NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM