N.J. Governor-Elect's Education Agenda Eyed

The election of Republican Chris Christie as New Jersey’s next governor has drawn cheers from the state’s charter school and voucher advocates, even as it sparks worry that his promise to reduce taxes and spending in the face of a massive budget shortfall could result in cuts to precollegiate education.

Mr. Christie, who beat Democratic Gov. Jon S. Corzine in the Nov. 3 contest, wasted no time sending signals of support for urban education and for charter schools. ( "Election Offers Varied Impact for Education," Nov. 4, 2009.)

The day after his election, he visited a charter school in his hometown of Newark. Five days later, he appeared at a high school in suburban Hamilton, where he pledged to maintain support for K-12 education despite a looming $8 billion deficit in the...