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TagsMontclair resident is former NYC deputy schools chancellor
Christopher Cerf of Montclair, a former New York City deputy schools chancellor, will be nominated as the next New Jersey education commissioner, The Newark Star-Ledger reported Friday.
Cerf is described as "one of the most talented and sophisticated people in education in America today," the newspaper stated.
Gov. Chris Christie is expected to nominate Cerf, 56, next week. The newspaper cited people who had been briefed on the nomination but who asked not to be named as the source of the information.
If confirmed by the state Senate, Cerf would take over the position that has been vacant since August when Christie fired Bret Schundler of Jersey City after the governor was politically embarrassed when the state failed to obtain $400 million in federal education aid. Cerf would also find himself in the middle of the ongoing verbal battle between Christie and the New Jersey Education Association, the statewide teachers' union over proposed changes in public education.
"I know the governor wants someone who is tough and fair and who will move the system forward. Chris is the right man for that work," Joel Klein, the outgoing New York City schools chancellor, told The Star-ledger. Klein has known Cerf for nearly 30 years. "Chris is one of the most talented and sophisticated people in education in America today." Klein said. "I know every superintendent, every commissioner across the country and he is right at the top of the pack. I think he would be a spectacular commissioner."Cerf is currently CEO of Sangari Education, a company that provides math and science resources to 500,000 students worldwide.
From 2004 to 2009, Cerf was deputy New York City schools chancellor, in charge of strategy and innovation, overseeing teacher hiring and handling the department's sometimes strained relationship with the city's teacher's union.
The Star-ledger stated that Klein said a major accomplishment for Cerf involved "flipping the system" to empower principals and hold them accountable for students' learning. Another, the newspaper stated, involved Cerf's effort to evaluate teachers based on student achievement, one of Christie's signature education reform proposals, he said.
Cerf resigned the deputy chancellor's post last year to become senior advisor on education for Mayor Michael Bloomberg's re-election campaign.
The Star-Ledger reported that a blemish on Cerf's resume came in 2007, when New York City investigators chided him for soliciting a $60,000 charitable contribution from executives at Edison, which held contracts with the city.
A native of Illinois, Cerf is a graduate of Amherst College and Columbia University Law School. He is a former history teacher and a former associate counsel to President Clinton.
– TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
employees sector of the state. With all the corrupt politicians he
prosecuted during his time as a U.S. Prosecutor, he should know that the
reason NJ is broke is because of the high salaries for the politically
appointed people and not the public employees, teachers and police officers.
Governor Christie has an agenda and it is geared to private business; first
he will sell our education system and then the safety and security of our
citizens. The quality of good public employees, state, county, and city
workers, teachers and police officers, is at risk. The grass is not greener
on the other side. Be careful what you wish for.
This is total hypocrisy. For profit schools by definition make a profit. In order to make sure your shareholders get their return on their investment, you have to deliver the least possible services, and have the lowest overhead that the market will accept. Cutting corners, having low paid employees, all have to be done in order for the shareholders, who have no vested interest other than a financial return, to make a profit. Good for the kids? No.
And as for all those people who seem to be taking joy at the prospect of teacher layoffs....Well, how better off will you really be once a well educated group of people also start competing for private sector jobs as those already hurting for a job. And, since they would be career switching, might be willing to undercut your salary expectations to get it...
Christie seems determined to keep trying to privatize as much of State Government as he can. So far he has met resistance in both the Corrections Dept. and the transportation Dept. Christie's best buddy ,William Palatucci, wants to get his foot in the door at Corrections and now another " for profit" person is being brought on the ship.
Lets see what this guy has up his sleeve.