Almost lost in the blame game over the state’s bungled chance to get up to $400 million in federal education dollars is what the money might have bought to help New Jersey’s children. More frequent testing to gauge student progress. Computer databases for tracking academic performance. Support for turning the worst schools into charter schools. After a week consumed by political turmoil and administration in-fighting, education experts and elected officials said those goals are in jeopardy.

The week started with controversy over a botched answer in the state’s 1,000-page application for Race to the Top funding. It ended with Gov. Chris Christie’s messy firing of Education Commissioner Bret Schundler.

Now the governor will try to get his agenda back on track without the money he needs and the man who was leading the effort.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” said New Jersey School Boards Association spokesman Frank Belluscio. “It’s been a very unusual week.”

A spokesman for the governor said the administration’s reform efforts will continue despite the setbacks.

“The governor’s education reform policies are bigger and more important than any one person,” Michael Drewniak said. “In our Race to the Top application, we laid out bold reforms that were praised by the reviewers and received high marks. We are more determined than ever to press on with reforms that will benefit our state’s children.”

Christie appointed an acting education commissioner, and two sources close to the administration said the governor hopes to install Andrew Smarick, a former federal education official and think-tank analyst, as Schundler’s permanent replacement. He started his job as deputy education commissioner this month. Considered an expert on Race to the Top, he advised the state on its application but may be leading a school system without any money from the federal program. Read more in Star Ledger.