A few weeks ago, we posted a blog with the (slightly) hyperbolic title of “NJEA Leadership Wants to Turn the NJEA into a Giant ‘Spiller for Governor’ PAC.”  Now it looks like we were spot-on.  The NJEA has revamped its website by adding a new “Spiller for Governor” section front and center, with a large... The post NJEA Website Adds a “Spiller for Governor” Section to Push Teachers to Become Campaign Organizers and Workers appeared first on Sunlight Policy Center ..read more

NJEA President/Democratic candidate for governor Sean Spiller blames New Jersey’s teacher shortage on a politically convenient scapegoat, former Republican Governor Chris Christie. But Spiller provides no evidence for his claim, while there is much evidence that the cause is elsewhere.  Sure looks like a political stunt to animate teachers to support Spiller’s candidacy and justify... The post NJEA President Sean Spiller Tries to Use Teacher Shortage to Bolster His Run for Governor appeared first on Sunlight Policy Center ..read more

Sunlight’s analysis of the NJEA’s FY2023 Summary Budget shows that the NJEA lost at least -3% of its membership from FY2022 to FY2023.  That brings the total loss from FY2018 to FY2023 to -8.6%.  Sunlight’s analysis uses full-time teacher equivalents, which understates the actual losses, so this data corroborates Sunlight’s public record (OPRA) analysis, which... The post FY2023 Budget Shows the NJEA Lost At Least -3% of its Members from 2022 to 2023 appeared first on Sunlight Policy Center ..read more

The NJEA has long had the highest dues in the nation, but now by an even larger margin. NJEA leadership just hiked teachers’ annual dues to $1,082 from $1,038, a 4.2% increase.  That’s up 8.2% over the past two years.  The second-highest dues belong to the far-larger California Teachers Association (CTA) which increased their dues... The post Backing Spiller for Governor Costs Money: NJEA Hikes Teachers’ Highest-in-the-Nation Dues to $1,082 appeared first on Sunlight Policy Center ..read more

Sunlight gets a lot of comments on its Facebook page from retired teachers who bemoan that the NJEA used to be an association focused on education and the well-being of teachers but is more of a political organization now.  Current events have shown how right they are.  Below is the top of the NJEA’s current... The post NJEA Leadership Wants to Turn the NJEA into a Giant “Spiller for Governor” PAC appeared first on Sunlight Policy Center ..read more

Beware New Jersey parents and school boards! The NJEA is gearing up for this fall’s school board elections and plans to spend a great deal of money via its dark-money front, New Jersey Public Education Coalition (NJPEC), and its long-time ally, Action Together New Jersey (ATNJ).  In 2023, NJPEC partnered with ATNJ to provide assistance... The post NJEA Spends $150,000 Via Dark-Money Proxies to Elect Progressive School Board Candidates: Mendacious Michael Gottesman and NJ Public Education Coalition on the Warpath appeared first on Sunlight Policy Center ..read more

We decided to take a deeper dive into new NJEA-backed Super PAC, Working New Jersey   As the name implies, and as Working NJ’s ELEC filing states, its purpose is to back a candidate (widely assumed to be NJEA President and NJEA-endorsed Sean Spiller) who supports “working New Jersey families and who understands the struggles... The post New NJEA-Backed Super PAC Will Be Run by Millionaire NJEA Execs. How Much More Teachers’ Dues Will Go into Their Bank Accounts? appeared first on Sunlight Policy Center ..read more

Kudos to Politico for staying on top of NJEA President/former-Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller’s run for governor.  A new Super PAC, Working New Jersey (Working NJ), has filed with New Jersey’s elections watchdog, looking to spend $35 million to get Spiller the Democratic nomination for the 2025 governor’s race.  According to the filing, Working NJ’s objective... The post The NJEA Has Created a New Super PAC to Spend $35 Million to Support NJEA President Spiller’s Run for Governor. Will NJ Teachers Pay for All of It? appeared first on Sunlight Policy Center ..read more

We’ll admit it.  We were wrong.  We were wrong when we reported that former-NJEA Executive Director Ed Richardson was paid $9.3 million over his 13 years as a NJEA exec, or an average of $716,259 a year.  It turns out that we mistakenly understated Richardson’s compensation. It is true that, according to the IRS, Richardson... The post Correction: Former-NJEA Exec Ed Richardson Was Paid $846,488 a Year for 11 Years appeared first on Sunlight Policy Center ..read more

Just as Sunlight reported on a Rowan University student’s choice not to become a teacher due to the negative effects of increased student misbehavior, the National Center for Education Statistics came out with new data that confirms what the Rowan undergrad said.  The numbers are shocking.  They are national, but surely they reflect the reality... The post National Data Confirms Why the Rowan Undergrad Chose Not to Teach: Student Misbehavior Is Negatively Impacting Schools and Teachers appeared first on Sunlight Policy Center ..read more