"Wireless Generation stands by its work in support of New Jersey's Race to the Top application," Andrea Reibel said in an e-mail Wednesday. "The company looks forward to providing more information at the appropriate time and in the appropriate forum."
The consultant is part of the controversy over a mistake in the state's most recent application that contributed to New Jersey's losing its bid for the federal grant by three points and led to the firing of Education Commissioner Bret Schundler.
During an Assembly Appropriations Committee hearing Tuesday into the failed grant bid, Daniel Gohl, a Newark school official who helped with the state's application, testified that he pointed out the problem to the consultant in August, days before the state went to Washington to make its case for the aid. However, Gohl said, the consultant told him that it was too late because the application could not be changed after the June 1 submission deadline.
In the Race to the Top application, states were asked to provide education funding information for fiscal years 2008 and 2009. According to state education officials' testimony Tuesday, New Jersey's application had contained that information, but it was removed and state education aid information for fiscal year 2011, which was not requested, was put in its place.
When Schundler and his team members met with Race to the Top judges on Aug. 11, they were asked to find the 2008 and 2009 information in their grant submission but could not, because it wasn't there.
Later, Gov. Christie said Schundler tried to provide the information during the presentation, and went on to blast the Obama administration as having failed to accept it. A videotape, however, showed Schundler did not provide the information.
