Superintendent Laura Morana in her office in July.
Red Bank schools Superintendent Laura Morana is urging Governor-elect Chris Christie get a up-close look at the district’s pre-kindergarten program before taking a scalpel to the state budget, today’s Asbury Park Press reports.
The district is one of only five statewide participating in a pilot program to establish early education curricula outside of the 31 economically troubled so-called ‘Abbott‘ districts. Red Bank got $2 million from the state Department of Education for an expansion of its program to 165 students this year, from 15 three-year-olds last year, and Morana had hoped to increase enrollment to 225 next September, the Press reports.
During his campaign to replace Gov. Jon Corzine as the state’s chief executive, Christie derided pre-k programs as state-funded babysitting, the Press says. But Red Bank’s program has been won positive reviews from researchers at Harvard, Georgetown and Johns Hopkins universities for its benefits in boosting academic achievements in early school years, Morana says.
From the Press:
“We have data for the last three years of kids who started the program, into the second grade, 90 percent of them are meeting all the standards,” Morana said. “If children have a solid education from prekindergarten to grade three, they’re guaranteed to be successful. We have the data to support it.”
Morana tells the Press that she hopes Christie will pay the district a visit before he takes office in January, adding, “I don’t know how many preschool programs he’s visited, but we have a high-quality program. I want to share our experience with him.”
“Babysitting”
You’re right, instead of educational programs for young children, parents should stay home and collect welfare. The children should be at home where they are free to run the streets. This is better for society than putting children in educational programs at an early age.
Personally, as a low income person, I find the prospect of putting my child into the RB pre-school program to be a great boon and incentive to stay in Red Bank. I spoken to some of the people involved in the program and they seem to be really proud of what they are accomplishing. It would be a shame to stop it now. I think these kids really benefit from early socialization and organized activities.
I would like to see how many people who have their kids in this program work. I’d also like to see how many of these parents in the Red Bank program are actually legal residents of the United States. & before everyone starts slamming me……lets not pretend that Red Bank is full of legal residents.
Not slamming you, Jenn, but I think it’s in our best interest for the town as a whole to educate all of the kids who are here, whether they or their parents are here legally or whether their parents work. If pre-K education is shown to result in more competent learners, then I think it’s worth the cost.
It’s my unscientific feeling that having a town full of kids who are doing well in school makes this a better place than one where a lot of the kids are struggling, feel like they’re failing, and find some other way to entertain themselves or vent their frustrations.
Nope, don’t feel slammed by your comment. I’d just like to know if there is a curriculum for the 3 year old students? Also I’m curious to see where the money is being spent. I’d be more encouraged if 90% of the students were exceeding the “standards” and not just meeting them.
I don’t have a problem with the program per se but I think the state should get it’s fiscal house in order before continuing or expanding this or any other program. This should only be considered when our property taxes are stabilized and the current education system is reformed to reduce the waste and bring the salaries/benefits under control.
Come on now, where do we draw the line? What’s next, the state (your and my taxes) funding programs to outfit every child born with developmental toys which “have shown to be beneficial to the development of children”? This is glorified babysitting. The $2mm the state threw in for the 165 students equates to over $12,000 per kid, how much more on top of that came from local sources? I would rather take that money and invest it in programs, infra-structure etc for our grade school level kids.
If you want to have successful students and raise the standards of education, cut waste and make teachers and administration accountable for their results and quality of the education. And more importantly, take responsibility as a parent and have an interest in your/our kids. Let’s not make it someone else’s responsibility to keep our kids off the street and make them quality people.
Why is this program glorified babysitting, but Kindergarten is not? I had to rearrange my schedule today because my 3rd-grader is home sick. So I guess 3rd grade is glorified babysitting, if you want to call it that.
The district’s Nursery program has a curriculum based on research, and gets measurable academic results. Just like the rest of the grades.
The nationality of parents is irrelevant. The vast majority or 3-year-olds in Red Bank are American citizens. Like it or not, they’re here to stay. And programs like this will help make them productive members of society.
Maybe the governor-elect will decide it’s the best use of limited funds, but he shouldn’t deride it as state-funded babysitting.
I didn’t know that we were arguing whether Kindergarten is babysitting or not? What the heck does you having to take off because your 3rd grader was home sick have to do with the issue? Grabbing at straws dude. Stay on point.
“Programs” don’t make productive members of society, a good moral upbringing that starts at home does. It’s been proven time and time again that you can throw a ton of money into programs etc but if there is no support or follow through once they go home, it won’t work.
OK, how’s this for on point:
Why is this program “glorified babysitting”?
If you want money for your pre-k program it’s easy to find. Cancel your programs that teach classes like Math and Science in Spanish. ( for those who dont know, RBR teaches many classes in Spanish for our Mexican/American children) You’d have more than enough to cover the Pre-K pilot. If a child hasn’t mastered the language of America by High School we should not cater to them and teach them in Spanish. It may seem gracious but it is doing them a disservice. Speaking two languages is great. Speaking Spanish only is a one way ticket to being unemployable.
It is not about wether the program is good are not. It is that we as a state can not afford it at this time. One of the biggest reasons for our tax burden is the school tax. Before we can dump more money into education, they must fix the intire system.
I am a long time Dem. but I voted for Christie because I believe he understands this. New Jersey can no longer afford to continue on this path to destruction. Once we have our house in order,but not before, should we allow this beast to grow.
Some brief points, beginning with the admission that I have no idea if programs such as this are long-term positive or neutral (I assume they can’t do harm):
1. Ms. Morano quotes studies from Georgetown, Harvard and Johns Hopkins. I’m always careful how much credit I give academics who, all too often, have little sense of real world issues. Especially in our activist age, studies can be designed to show any result we seek.
2. Even accepting this reference, she says the studies show “boosting academic achievements in early school years”. With no additional input, shall I assume that in later school years, non participants catch up to those early starters. I’d love to know that reality.
3. What is not being done (can it be?) is any kind of cost-benefit analysis on the issue. Even assuming there is some small benefit, does anyone even care to discuss if the measurable benefit is worth the cost. Or do we simply give carte blanche acceptance to any idea/program which can show even a trace of upside benefit, or in this case, “perceived” benefit? For many years, education has fallen into that “hands off”, spend whatever’s necessary category. In a town, a state, a nation so allegedly strapped for money, serious minded people must question that perception.
My hat off to you Padrone.
Like Padrone, I am not sure if these programs help. I have spoken to somebody from Teach for America and she had some very positive opinions about early education. Maybe she read one or more of the aforementioned studies. My little nephew participates in a private school program and his mother is very pleased. His best area is “cleaning up.” These programs are probably good.
Lots of things are good. Many times when I go to Foodtown I see people using food stamps for pop tarts and other processed crap. It would be good if we could teach people how to stretch out their budget while providing their children with a more healthy diet so their kids don’t become candidates for diabetes. We have cars that zip down side streets at speeds that are considerably over the speed limit. This puts our children in real danger. More danger than being late in learning the ABCs. So it would be good if we could add more patrols. The list goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on. And these things are important. Very important.
But the reaches of government are not endless. If we want to throw important concepts like math out the window we can create our own land of make-believe where anything is possible and the money will never run out. Or you can take off your blinders and look at reality of NJ’s fiscal situation. And if you want to throw your history books out the window as well, you can convince yourself that people have no threshold to the amount that they are willing to pay in taxes. Or you can accept the reality that a guy who recently called early education “babysitting” was elected as Governor of NJ…..and early education is probably good.
lets pretend for a second thatb the evidence is clear that early preschool is helpful (the evidence is not clear)
The system does not have unlimited resources. For every dollar we spend on pre school it takes away money from programs for older children
We need to ask ourselves if that is what we want?
Thanks to Laura Morana for taking extra time out to advocate for the education of Red Bank kids — even the very young ones. Formal Pre-K is crucial for optimum academic, social, and emotional child development.
¿Por qué no podemos simplemente deja a los niños en la guardería privada, como hicieron los americanos?
Padrone makes some very valid points. This pre-school expansion program is the “flavor of the week” in education. No one will be able to validate its success until the students succeed at the higher grades. Red Bank Primary has always been a postive place in the press…effective schools, blue ribbon nominations, long before this program was put into place and long before this superintendent came to town. But the kids still struggle at the high school. I agree with the idea that we need to put money into middle school programs and stay focused on the long term goal of continued higher education for our kids.
Whether or not you like this program is not the point. We can not afford it period. Fix the educational system first, then maybe.
EDUCACIÓN DEL, no necesitamos ninguna educación maloliente. Tenemos puestos de trabajo.
Seeking your support
My name is John Anderson and I am running for Mayor of Red Bank next year in the June 2010 primary as a Democrat.
I have lived in Red Bank for 5 years. I was born on January 14th, 1970 in Long Branch, NJ and grew up in Freehold. I graduated from Freehold Township Highschool in 1988 and graduated from Rutgers University in 1992 with a degree in history. I went to Pace University Law School from 1992 to 1995, graduating in 1995 and entering the JAG Program. I served as a JAG attorney from 1996 to 2003. I spent all seven years at Guantanamo Bay - I rose to the rank of senior counsel in 2000 and in 2002 became deputy head of the violent crimes unit. I retired in 2003 as a Lieutenant. I served on active duty from 2003 to 2006, retiring on August 7th, 2006.
I moved to Red Bank in 2004, after returning from Guantanamo. I earned my masters of arts in history from Monmouth University in 2007. From 2004 to 2007, I worked as an associate at a Manhattan based law firm, commuting from Red Bank every day. In 2008, i served as an in-house attorney for Johnson and Johnson in New Brunswick while also working as a substitute teacher at Marlboro High School. In September of 2009, i became a full-time high school history teacher at Middletown South High School. I teach US History and European History for grades 9 and 11 including 2 Advanced Placement classes and 1 honors class. I also teach 1 class in 10th grade English literature. I am also an Assistant Varsity Soccer Coach at Rutgers Prep High School.
As an educator, an attorney, a veteran and young man, who would be 40 years old if elected mayor next year, I believe I have the experience to turn this borough around.
I considered running for a seat on the Red Bank Board of Education last year but ended up not running after seeing what school district I would be hired in.
As a lifelong Democrat, I am reaching out to potential supporters to run for Mayor in the June primary.
I hope to humbly earn your support.
John
Jenn,
Maybe I can answer your question.
I work. My kid’s in the program. And in my kid’s class, I don’t know of any parents who are not working, and I’ve met all the parents in my kid’s class. As for your question as to whether there’s a curriculum, do a search on RBG or the NYTimes for the front page magazine piece they did that spotlighted the Red Bank pre-k curriculum.
All kinds of programs are going to be cut or reduced statewide, funds are not there and the past and current deficits are unsustainable coupled with the huge debt load Trenton has incurred. Unfunded, overly generous pensions are consuming reduced tax receipts. The day of reckoning is here.
The question is who will decide the cuts and where will they be made.
Best we can hope is the pain will be evenly spread.
Welcome to the deleveraging hangover from the previous 10 years. It’s not going to be pretty.
Ever been to a event she speaks at. I can only figure out 1 out of every 20 words she says
“JJ” –
I was a middle school literacy teacher in Middletown, Rumson, and a very urban middle school in NYC. By the time kids are in middle school, their academic and emotional progress is almost cemented and virtually unmalleable. The trick is getting kids on the right track and interested in learning early on, then middle school will have a real shot at helping kids flourish.
Good luck John Anderson!
John Anderson - credentials and thread hijacking aside, what’s your platform?
Informed residents want to know your stance on my top 5 issues:
- overdevelopment / overcrowding
- overburdened infrastructure
- illegals
- property taxes
- fostering home ownership
You say you’ve got the “… experiance to turn this borough around”. Ostensibly you feel we’ve been headed in the wrong direction, true?
Thanks for your input.
Rob Boyle’s post above is dead right.
My opinion is that this state-funded early education program is nothing more than a fundraiser for the NJEA, which will gain thousands of new dues-paying union members if the pilot program becomes part of the NJ state education system. The pilot was just another in a long list of Gov. Corzine’s gifts to the union.
I, for one, am NOT in favor of granting the NJEA any more power in the form of new members than it already has.
Go Christie. Cut this program until we get the $8 to $10 BILLION state budget deficit under control.
As for Mr. Anderson…it would be more appropriate for you to contact the editors of this publication and offer an interview than to hijack this thread for your own campaigning purposes. Plus, you’d reach more readers with your message.
One of the major reasons I moved my family out of Red Bank was because of the school system. At that time the Middle School was horrible. Too many straight “A” students who could read, write, or do simple math. How did that happen and when? I knew quite a few of this children when they were in Red Bank Primary and they had good grades and their level of knowledge coincided with their academic grades. My oldest child was straight A in the Middle School. Moved to another state and school system and was so far behind the grades and self esteem tanked. My youngest child was learning disabled. Did fantastic in Primary. Went to Middle School and the Special Education Team took that child’s education and threw it out onto Branch Ave.
Talking to school officials is one thing, getting them to listen to you is quite another.
Sorry. I meant to write that they could not read, write, or do simple math.
Laura, I’m with you 100%. This might be (and probably is) a good program. Laura might be (and probably is) a hard working superintendent with the kids’ best interests in mind.
The issue, once again, is the NJEA and the unions. There’s no freaking way on earth this thing should cost so much.
Sure, at a local level we could be doing better. But at a state level, people should be going to jail.
Sorry, the above is vague.
The first Laura is “Laura in NJ”, the second is Laura Morena.
The good news, Pension Man? They ARE…
From http://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/Home_and_not_alone.html
Sen. Joseph Coniglio: “has a new home in a minimum-security federal prison camp in Lewisburg, Pa. The former legislator from Paramus began serving a 2 1/2-year sentence for selling his influence, and in the end his integrity, for a $5,000-a-month consulting job for Hackensack University Medical Center. Coniglio was found guilty of extortion and five counts of mail fraud.”
Add Chauncy Brown to the list: “Former Paterson School Trustee Chauncy I. Brown III is serving time in the same facility.”
From the same article: “They may have more North Jersey company on the way. Both former Bergen County Democratic Organization Chairman Joseph Ferriero and former county party legal counsel Dennis J. Oury are awaiting sentencing.”
And don’t forget our convicted friends Former Sen. Wayne Bryant
Former Newark Mayor Sharpe James
Former Sen. John Lynch
Ain’t it great?
Laura in NJ,
If he had “hijacked” this thread you wouldn’t have been able to post.
His post was definitely longer than most but he stayed on point.
John, thanks for your post.
I was glad to read it and look forward to any interviews you might do in the future.
Pension Man,
What did you say your real name is?
Who on the state level should be going to jail and why?
John Anderson,
You seem to have a very good resume and it sounds like you have a sincere interest in helping the town. My suggestion is to run as an Independent. The main problem with the town is that the McDemocrats are about helping themselves and not the town. If you are representing them, then you will be doing what they tell you to do, which is probably not what is best for the residents.
John Anderson,
Welcome and thank you for your service.
Make sure you want to immerse yourself in the cesspool that is NJ politics. Tomato has an excellent point, independent looks to be the way to go these days.
Party affiliation to either the repubs or demos looks like a mistake, both are out of favor. The majority of the electorate is fed up and angry. Its time for fresh voices and change.
Decide what you feel is best for Red Bank and then speak loudly. My bet is you will receive a large and receptive audience.
for those of you who “didn’t vote” what do expect from the Republican ‘leave all the children behind” party - it’s time to close the Charter school and use the 1.6 million for all residents of Red bank not just a select few…this way there would be no problems at all.
John Anderson, Why don’t you try running for a council postion first.Have you ever attend any council, zoning or planning meetings? Are you really aware of the issues that Red Bank has?
Pam,
Why don’t you chill. Just reading the posts on here would give someone a pretty good insight into what goes on in town. Maybe he is more qualified to run the town than you give him credit for. Whenever non-Democrats were on the council they were berated and made to look like crazy fools when actually the crazy fools were the ones continuing to vote for the same old administration. Those crazy fools who went on to higher offices were Mr. Curley and Ms. Beck who obviously had much more to offer than the Red Bank Democrats gave them credit for. They both knew about the inappropriate conduct being done by the party in charge here for the last 20 years but they were always out numbered and could not stop it.
Paid for by Anderson for Mayor 2010
Pam trabaja en el club de striptease en fines de semana para apoyar a su hábito de drogas.
T Face,
Exactly my point. I would think that you would have a greater influence as a councilman, than a mayor. Mayors don’t vote.
SallieGrowler - I’d like to make sure I understand what particular issues you’ve got on specific points surrounding school choice before dismissing you as an ignorant troll. I haven’t seen you post before, so your street cred is basically 0. We like to back our statements with fact and links to relevant supporting data, please see any of Dan’s posts for a canonical example. Please see any of my posts on school choice for my position and arguments. [hint: there's a little search button on the top left of the page]. Your post is fishier than your moniker, makes me wonder about affiliations to unions and the NJEA and their ilk. I’m also left wondering what specific issues you’re siding with the incumbents on, with your anti-republican banter.
John Anderson - let me ask again, what’s your platform? Maybe Pam’s right, start in council and work your way up the corruprate ladder.
I also agree that independent is the way, but I’m wondering about support / funding for a campaign without party affiliation. Anyone know?
Maybe I’m too removed from the political fray, but I don’t see party support or funding as important in winning local elections.
How did Beck get on the council? By going door to door personally. Curley did the same when he won as a Republican.
What do you need funding for? Lawn signs and mass mailings. Those don’t sway me, except in rare cases where I find the quantity of signage or mailing offensive, in which case I’ll vote against a candidate for barraging me. (But that’s only happened twice, in both cases when I was on the fence.)
What does party support even mean? I think I’ve only been bothered by one party operative, an out-of-town Democrat who stopped by stumping for an Assemblyman. He left deriding me as a Republican because I did not support S-1701 (which restricts school funding). That party support was not helpful to the candidate.
I think being on a party line on the ballot can be helpful. In RB, the Democratic line is especially helpful, but I’m sure being on the Republican line gets you a few votes, even in this town.
If Mr. Anderson has any designs on higher office in the future, he’d be wise to curry the favor of one of the major parties now. But for a local race, I don’t think it’s worth the bother.
Hey pension man,
I think your computer’s clock didn’t fall back to Daylight Savings Time, so it makes my posts appear before yours. Like this one will appear before yours, even though I’ve already read your 10:31 post.
Time travel at last!
@Dan: The clock problem was on the server-side (not the commenter’s), it has been fixed.
Thank you Mr. Willis. I’d hate for Kevin Donohue to think I ‘hijacked’ the thread with my mad computer hacking skills. BTW, that’s a satirical non sequitur. For those who are just as technically challenged, the two are not related: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:DonDiego/Thread_hijacking.
Dan, I agree regarding the signage and flyers (and robocalls) as a liability more than anything. If that’s all there is to it, I’d say independent is the way to go as well. It would hopefully get a focus back on issues, one of which being party politics having no place in local elections.
John Anderson conducirá a la revuelta. Él nos conducirá a la victoria en la lucha contra estos idiotas y ladrones. Sus rivales, como los muchachos y están llenos de mierda. Beben hasta que consiguen tonto borracho y ejecutar personas mayores en las calles. Violaron a mi perrito tambiénQue comience la revolución. Off con la cabeza del rey.
Morana says it is all grant money. I would like to really find out details. I do not want to spend tax money on educating children who are not resident of Red Bank. I have seen parents dropping off kids in the bus stop. How many of this kids are Long Branch and Asbury children. Years ago Board of Ed did investigation on kids who do not live in Red Bank. Are they still doing it. I like to know.
Long Branch and Asbury Parks are Abbott districts, so they already have Nursery programs. If people are dropping off kids, it’s probably from other towns.