The Governor's School of New Jersey, a member of the National Conference of Governor's Schools, is a summer program for artistically or academically talented high school students from New Jersey, who have completed their junior year. The School is an intensive three-week residential program conducted on six college campuses throughout the state. Emphasis is placed on problem solving of complex issues that exist on the local, state, national, and international levels, leadership training, and creative expression though the medium of fine and performing arts. As an incentive to foster creativity, the program includes no grades or academic credit.
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From inception in 1983 through 2006, the School had been free-of-charge. By 2006, the School had grown to serve more than 600 students per year. As part of Jon Corzine's efforts to control growth of the 2006 budget, the Governor proposed cuts to several education programs. One of his most controversial cuts was the elimination of the entire $1.9mm allocated to the Governor's School. After a healthy backlash from alumni, parents, faculty and others who realized the value of the program, however, the 2006 Schools were held funded entirely with private contributions.
On September 22, 2006, the Star-Ledger reported that Gov. Corzine signed Executive Order 35 (2006) continuing the Governor's School of New Jersey as a privately-funded, tuition-based program.
Learn more about the program by watching the documentary about Governor's School of the Arts, created by the 2006 Video/Film scholars, by visiting the Film/Video scholars' website.
In 2007, the state funded $100,000, or approximately 6% of the total budget of the program. Due to limited financial resources, the program will be shorter and will admit fewer scholars in 2008. On October 10, 2008, The Governor's School of New Jersey website stated that "There will be no Governor's School of the Arts in 2009. It is hoped that this School may be reinstituted for the Summer of 2010."
The Governor's School was chartered by Governor of New Jersey Thomas Kean in 1983. The first school, School of Public Issues-Monmouth University, began with 113 students. In 1984, two additional programs were added, School of the Sciences-Drew University, and School of the Arts-The College of New Jersey. Each program accepted 100 students. In 1989, School on the Environment-Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, was added with an additional 100 students. The Governor's School on International Studies at Ramapo College began in July 2000 and the School of Engineering and Technology housed on the Busch Campus of Rutgers University was established in July 2001.
On July 20, 2006, the Governor's School for International Studies was cancelled due to an outbreak of whooping cough. This closure marked the first premature end of any New Jersey Governor's School program.
Students must be nominated by the guidance counselor in the high school. An interested student should speak with the guidance counselor in September of his/her junior year to express an interest in applying to the program. The program is open to all public, private, and parochial schools in New Jersey, and to all home-schooled students who live in New Jersey.
Since its inception in 1983, the program has served 6,500 students. There are typically 2,400 applications and the program serves approximately 625 students each year.
The 2011 Governor's School of the Sciences accepted 85 students out of 400 applicants, all of whom had to first be nominated by their respective high schools.
The Governor's School on the Environment
The Governor's School of the Sciences
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