Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg plans to donate $100M to Newark schools during a Friday appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show with N.J. Gov. Chris Christie, Newark Mayor Cory Booker
N.J. Gov. Chris Christie, left, will appear Friday with Oprah Winfrey, right, on her show, along with Newark Mayor Cory Booker for the announcement of a $100 million donation to Newark schools by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.N.J. Gov. Chris Christie and Newark Mayor Cory Booker will make a surprise appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show Friday to announce an unprecedented restructuring of Newark's school system and the gift of $100 million from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, two officials with direct knowledge of the plan told The Star-Ledger tonight.
Christie and Booker will proclaim that the long-troubled Newark schools, which have been under state control for 15 years, are going to be placed under Booker’s authority. Together, Booker and the school system will embark on a massive program of educational change long opposed by the state teachers union.
Newark Mayor Cory Booker, left, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, right.It will include an expansion of charter schools, new achievement standards and methods for judging which schools and teachers are effective, the sources said.
The announcement was confirmed by a third person with knowledge of Booker and Christie’s arrangements. The sources detailed the plans on the condition they not be identified because they were not authorized to go public before Friday's show.
The reordering of the state's largest school district will be made possible by a challenge grant of $100 million from Zuckerberg, the 26-year-old billionaire who co-founded Facebook.
The grant is an invitation for others to become donors - with a goal of raising another $100 million, bringing the total gift to $200 million. The grant from Zuckerberg alone amounts to more than 10 percent of the district’s annual budget.
Zuckerberg is expected to join with Christie and Booker at Winfrey’s studio in Chicago for the announcement, according to the sources.
The announcement is scheduled to air live Friday in Chicago at 10 a.m. EDT and then rebroadcast at 4 p.m. on ABC Channel 7 in North Jersey and Channel 6 in the southern portion of the state.
The school plan calls for Christie to use his authority as the official overseer of the Newark district and name Booker a "special assistant to the governor" for education in the state’s largest city.
By Josh Margolin/Statehouse Bureau and David Giambusso/Star-Ledger Staff
Jessica Calefati contributed to this report.
Related Newark schools coverage:
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• Newark superintendent Clifford Janey's contract is not renewed
• Ousted Newark superintendent to remain in post at start of school year
| Christie speaks in Washington DC, calling Newark schools 'absolutely disgraceful' |