Sources say former D.C. education chancellor considering N.J. job

Michelle A. Rhee, who is resigning as schools chancellor of Washington, D.C., is seriously considering becoming New Jersey's next education commissioner, according to a published report that cited two unidentified people familiar with the negotiations.

Gov. Christie's office asked Rhee, 40, to become education commissioner, the Star-Ledger of Newark reported Wednesday.

Rhee's stated desire to be close to family may prove too big an obstacle, however. Her husband, former NBA all-star Kevin Johnson, is the mayor of Sacramento, Calif.

She initially turned down the offer after assuming the state wanted her to run Newark's public schools, according to the sources.

The state's top schools job came open Aug. 27 when Christie fired Bret Schundler, who he said had lied about attempts to correct a bungled application for $400 million in federal education aid.

After one of her strongest allies, Mayor Adrian Fenty, was defeated in Washington's Democratic primary, Rhee announced last week that she would leave her post at the end of the month.

Rhee, who took the job in 2007, made national headlines for her confrontations with the teachers' union over issues such as tenure and tying salaries to test scores. Her stands would put her in agreement with the Christie administration.

Rhee was traveling Wednesday and unavailable to comment, said Emily Lenzner, her spokeswoman. Lenzner referred to an earlier statement in which her office said Rhee had made no decisions about her next career move.

Christie's office declined to discuss or identify potential candidates before a nomination, spokesman Michael Drewniak said. The New Jersey Department of Education referred calls to the governor's office.