In last months of state control

Friday, January 25, 2008
By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

The Jersey City school district could be back in local hands before school lets out in June, city and school officials said yesterday.

"We are on a fast, fast track," said Board of Education chairman William DeRosa. "If this was a race, we'd be in the final furlong. This is as close as we've ever come."

Run by a state-appointed superintendent since 1989, the transition back to local control leaped forward last summer, when - after a lengthy review process - state officials concluded the district was prepared to run its own affairs in the areas of governance and finance.

In three other areas - operations, personnel, and instruction and program - the district was told to come up with action plans to be monitored by the state. So after 18 years at the helm, the state decided it was time to leave.

On Wednesday, Willa Spicer, deputy commissioner of the state Department of Education, met with Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, Superintendent of Schools Charles T. Epps Jr., DeRosa and others to discuss details about the return to local control.

Epps called the return to local control an "historic event."

"I'm working closely with our board members and the Department of Education and the Mayor's Office to effect a smooth transition back to local control," he added.

Two current school board members - Anthony Cucci and Franklin Williams - were key players when the state took over the system 19 years ago. Cucci was mayor and Williams was superintendent.

The first step is for the district to submit a transition plan to the state, a requirement that should be met within the next 10 days, DeRosa said.

The state will review the plan and send it back to the local school board for final adoption, DeRosa said.

Once the school board votes, the district is officially returned to local control, he said.

"We're happy that our public schools are up to the state's standards and expectations, which will result in a better education for our children," Healy said. "We will abide by the event of the state relinquishing control back to our local board of education."

The board will have a year from the time of final adoption of the transition plan to hold an election to decide if school board members continue to be elected or become mayoral appointees, DeRosa said.

The goal is to hold this election when the most voters are likely to turn out, he said.

There was no consensus, but Nov. 4, the date of the presidential contest, was discussed, he said.

Spicer couldn't be reached for a comment.