NJ Teachers Union Takes Gov. Christie To Task For "College Ready" Statement About Camden Schools
By David Madden
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- New Jersey's teachers union is taking Governor Chris Christie to task over claims that high schools in Camden are not properly preparing students for college.
Christie brought it up in his State of the State address Tuesday.
"In the entire public school system in Camden last year, only three students graduated college ready," Christie said.
Steve Wollmer, spokesman for the New Jersey Education Association, says the term "college ready" is based on standards set by those who produce the SAT's. A more accurate assessment, he says, would be to look at those who actually went on to college and are still there. Take 2011.
"The graduates of Camden's five high schools, four public schools and a public charter school, have enormous college attendance rates," Wollmer said.
That includes a third of Camden High graduates and all of those who went to the LEAP academy. Yet few reached the 1550 score on SAT's that would make them "college ready". Wollmer suggests the Governor is misleading people.
