Former Gov. Thomas H. Kean was named today as the first honoree of the "Great Leaders in Education" award through the New Jersey Charter Schools Association. He will be recognized at the association's annual conference scheduled for March 18.
Kean will be honored during a gala at 6 p.m. The two-day conference, located at the Ocean Place Resort and Spa in Long Branch, recognizes the achievements of the state's 68 charter schools and will feature discussions among state and national leaders.
NJCSA Board Chair Carlos Lejnieks said Kean helped lay the foundation for education reform in New Jersey.
"In his decades of service to New Jersey, Gov. Kean has been firmly committed to improving the quality of public education," he stated. "There are literally hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans who have directly benefited from the former governor's proactive policies, commitment and foresight."
During Kean's time in office, he created the first alternative-route program for teachers in the country, started a Governor's School for gifted and talented high school juniors and focused on urban education.
The former governor also focused on legislation which allowed for the creation of state operated districts. This then led to the state takeover of failing school districts in Jersey City, Paterson and Newark.
"The governor changed the way we think about education and what we should expect of our schools, especially in urban areas," Lejnieks said.
Founded in 1999, the association is membership-based and represents operating and pre-operational charter schools in New Jersey.
"We could think of no one else more deserving to be the first honoree to receive this award," Lejnieks stated.
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