Yesterday’s Quinnipiac poll showed a bit of a dip in Chris Christie’s numbers in New Jersey, but it sounds like that state’s voters are broadly on board with most of his education proposals:

New Jersey voters approve 50 – 46 percent of the way Gov. Christopher Christie is handling the state budget, but disapprove 52 – 44 percent of the way he is handling education. Gov. Christie’s proposal to limit school superintendent salaries is a good way to balance the budget, 69 percent of voters say, while 27 percent say it is meddling.
By a 64 – 16 percent margin, voters have a favorable opinion of public school teachers, but by 45 – 30 percent they have an unfavorable opinion of the New Jersey Education Association. Teachers unions play a negative rather than a positive role in improving education, voters say 51 – 39 percent.
New Jersey voters favor merit pay for good teachers 69 – 27 percent and support Christie’s proposal to limit teacher tenure 62 – 32 percent.
“The outlines of Gov. Christopher Christie’s new schools plan win approval,” [Quinnipiac Polling Director Maurice] Carroll said. “Voters like merit pay and changing tenure to make it easier to get rid of bad teachers. They like the people who teach their kids, but they don’t like the teachers union. And they endorse Christie’s move to curb school superintendents’ pay.”