Court denies Christie effort to overrule teacher contracts

New Jersey 101.5 video

TRENTON — New Jersey's Supreme Court has rejected Gov. Chris Christie's request to overrule teacher contracts.

The court on Tuesday denied the administration's petition but declined to weigh in on the merits of the governor's legal arguments.

Instead the court says the governor could petition a trial court.

The governor sought last year for the high court to allow the state to override teacher contract rules in 31 mostly urban, poorer districts. The administration says they "serve as impediments to a thorough and efficient education."

Christie also sought to freeze the current level of funding to the districts while he attempts to create a new formula that would split the state's education money equally among all districts rather than giving poorer districts more money.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.