Nation : N.J. Takes Over Jersey City Schools : N.J. Seizes Schools in Jersey City, Charges Graft and Mismanagement
The state of New Jersey seized control of Jersey City’s schools today, charging the 28,000-student urban system is academically bankrupt and rife with corruption, mismanagement and patronage.
The state Board of Education gave final approval to the takeover and appointed Elena J. Scambio to a three-year term as superintendent. Under New Jersey’s takeover law, the state has five years to make improvements.
The move gives the state extraordinary powers in Jersey City, the state’s second-largest district and the first ever to be taken over by the state. Scambio can fire administrators, abolish the local board of education and set policy.
Today’s decision ends a long process that was strongly pushed by Gov. Thomas H. Kean, who has billed himself “the education governor.”
The state had cited political intrusion in hiring, poor test scores, failure to provide a safe and clean environment, violations of bidding laws, failure to provide for handicapped children and unauthorized use of funds.
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