Quality Public Education for All New Jersey Students

 

 
     7-14-11 State GUIDANCE re: Using Additional State Aid as Property Tax Relief in this FY'12 Budget year.PDF
     7-14-11 DOE Guidance on Local Options for using Additional State School Aid in FY'12 State Budget.PDF
     FY'12 State School Aid District-by-District Listing, per Appropriations Act, released 110711
     7-12-11 pm District by District Listing of State Aid for FY'12 - Guidelines to be released later this week (xls)
     Democrat Budget Proposal per S4000, for Fiscal Year 2011-2012
     Additional School Aid [if the school funding formula,SFRA, were fully funded for all districts] per Millionaires' Tax bill S2969
     6-24-11 Democrat Budget Proposal brings aid to all districts
     6-1-11 Supreme Court Justice nominee, Anne Paterson, passed muster with Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday by 11-1 margin
     4-26-11 School Elections, Randi Weingarten in NJ, Special Educ Aid, Shared Services bill
     4-25-11 Charter Schools in Suburbia: More Argument than Agreement
     4-24-11 Major Education Issues in the News
     4-3-11Press of Atlantic City - Pending Supreme Court ruling could boost aid to New Jersey schools
     3-31-11 Charters an Issue in the Suburbs - and - So far, only 7 Separate Questions on April School Budget Ballots
     3-26-11 New Jersey’s school-funding battle could use a dose of reality
     3-25-11 Education Week on School Cutbacks Around The Nation
     Link to Special Master Judge Doyne's Recommendations on School Funding law to the Supreme Court 3-22-11
     GSCS 3-7-11Testimony on State Budget as Proposed by the Governor for FY'12 before the Senate Budget Committee
     Attached to GSCS 3-7-11 Testimony: Marlboro Schools strike historic agreement with instructional aides, bus drivers, bus aides
     GSCS - Local District Listing : Local Funds Transferred to Charter Schools 2001-2010
     GSCS Bar Chart: Statewide Special Education cost percent compared to Regular & Other Instructional cost percent 2004-2011
     GSCS Bar Chart: 2001to 2011 Statewide General Fund Transfers Required from Local District Budgets to Support Charter Schools (Increased from $85M to $317M)
     GSCS Take on Governor's Budget Message
     Gov's Budget Message for Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Today, 2pm
     8-18-10 Property Tax Cap v. Prior Negotiated Agreements a Big Problem for Schools and Communities
     7-22-10 'Summer school falls victim to budget cuts in many suburban towns'
     7-12-10 Assembly passes S29 - the 2% cap bill - 73 to 4, with 3 not voting
     7-8-10 Tax Caps, Education in the News
     GSCS:Tax Cap Exemption needed for Special Education Costs
     7-3-10 Governor Christie and Legislative leaders reached agreement today on a 2% property tax cap with 4 major exemptions
     7-1 and 2- 10 Governor Christie convened the Legislature to address property tax reform
     6-29-10 GSCS - The question remains: ? Whither property Tax Reform
     GSCS On the Scene in Trenton: State Budget poised to pass late Monday...Cap Proposals, Opportunity Scholarship Act in Limbo
     6-28-10 State Budget tops the news today
     GSCS On the Scene in Trenton: Cap Proposals, Opportunity Scholarship Act in Limbo
     6-25-10 Appropriations Act bills for Fiscal Year 2010-2011 available on NJ Legislature website - here are the links
     6-23-10 Trenton News: State Budget on the move...Education Issues
     6-22-10 The Appropriations Act for the State Budget Fiscal Year 2010-2011
     6-22-10 Budget , Cap Proposals & Education News - njspotlight.com
     6-11-10 In the News: State Budget moving ahead on schedule
     6-10-10 Op-Ed in Trenton Times Sunday June 6 2010
     6-8-10 (posted) Education & Related Issues in the News
     Office on Legislative Services Analysis of Department of Educaiton - State Budget for FY'11
     4-23-10 Education issues remain headline news
     4-22-10 School Elections - in the News Today
     4-21-10 DOE posts election results
     Hear about Governor Christie's noontime press conference tonight
     4-21-10 News on School Election Results
     4-21-10 Assoc. Press 'NJ voters reject majority of school budgets'
     4-20-10 Today is School Budget & School Board Member Election Day
     4-18-10 It's About Values - Quality Schools...Your Homes...Your Towns: Sunday front page story and editorial
     4-19-10 GSCS Testimony before the Assembly Budget Committee on State Budget FY'11
     4-13-10 Testimony submitted to Senate Budget Committee
     4-13-10 Commissioner Schundler before Senate Budget Committee - early reports....progress on budget election issue
     4-12-10 'Gov. urges voters to reject school districts' budgets without wage freezes for teachers'
     GSCS 'HOW-TO' GET TRENTON'S ATTENTION ON STATE BUDGET SCHOOL ISSUES FY '11' - Effective and Well-Reasoned Communication with State Leaders is Critical
     4-6-10 'Gov. Chris Chrisite extends dealdine for teacher salary concessions'
     4-6-10 'NJ school layoffs, program cuts boost attention to Apri 20 votes
     4-2-10 Press of Atlantic City lists county impact re: school aid reduction
     4-2-10 'On Titanic, NJEA isn't King of the World'
     Administration's presentation on education school aid in its 'Budget in Brief' published with Governor Christie's Budget Message
     PARENTS ARE CALLING TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS FOR THE SCHOOL AID PICTURE - GSCS WILL KEEP YOU UP-TO-DATE
     4-1-10 Courier Post article reports on Burlington and Camden County district budgets
     4-1-10 Education in the News today
     4-1-10 New Initiatives outlined to encourage wage freezes - reaction
     3-31-10 What's Going on in Local Districts?
     3-29-10 The Record and Asbury Park Press - Editorials
     3-26-10 GSCS: Effective & Well-Reasoned Communication with State Leaders is Critical
     FAQ's on Pension Reform bills signed into law March 22, 2010
     3-26-10 School Aid, Budget Shortfall - Impt Related Issues - Front Page News
     3-25-10 STATE BUDGET FY11 PROCESS - IMPORTANT TRENTON DATES - April through May 2010
     3-23-10 GSCS Testimony presented to Senate Budget Committee on State Budget FY'11
     GSCS - Formula Aid Loss and Percent Loss by District - Statewide
     GSCS - Formula Aid Loss under 50%, by County
     GSCS - Formula Aid Loss of 50% or more, by County
     3-23-10 ' N.J. Gov. Chris Christie signs pension, benefits changes for state employees'
     3-23-10 State Budget Issues in the News
     3-21-10 Reform bills up for a vote in the Assembly on Monday, March 22
     GSCS FYI - GSCS will be testifying onTuesday in Bergen County on the State Budget
     3-21-10 Sunday News from Around the State - School Communities, School Budgets and State Budget Issues
     3-17-10 Budget News - Gov. Chris Christie proposes sacrifices
     3-17-10 Budget News - NJ Schools Stunned By Cuts
     3-16-10 Link to Budget in Brief publication
     3-15-10mid-day: 'Gov. Christie plans to cut NJ school aid by $800M'
     3-14-10 'Christie will propose constitutional amendment to cap tax hikes in N.J. budget'
     3-15-10 'N.J. taxpayers owe pension fund $45.8 billion' The Record
     3-11-10 Public Hearings on State Budget for FY11 posted on NJ Legislature website
     3-11-10 'GOP vows tools to cut expenses, tighter caps'
     3-9-10 'NJ leaders face tough choices on budget'
     Flyer: March 2 Education Summit Keynote Speaker - Education Commissioner Bret Schundler - Confirmed
     3-5-10 HomeTowne Video taping plus interviews of GSCS Summit@Summit
     3-5-10 GSCS Summit@Summit with Bret Schundler to be lead topic on Hall Institute's weekly 2:30 pm podcast today
     3-4-10 GSCS Email-Net: Summit @ Summit Report - A New Day in Trenton?
     3-4-10 'NJ education chief Bret Schundler tells suburban schools to expect more cuts in aid'
     3-4-10 'School aid cuts unavoidable during NJ budget crisis'
     3-3-10 'Public Education in N.J.: Acting NJ Comm of Educ Bret Schundler says 'Opportunity'
     2-24-10 'Tight funds raise class sizes that districts long sought to cut'
     2-22-10 Christie and unions poised to do batttle over budget cuts'
     2-22-10 Trenton Active Today
     2-19-10 'Acting NJ education commissioner hoping other savings can ward off cuts'
     Flyer for March 2 Education 'Summit@Summit'
     2-16-10 'Christie Adopts Corzine Cuts, Then Some'
     2-14-10 'FAQ's on NJ's state of fiscal emergency declaration by Gov. Christie'
     State Aid 2010 Reserve Calculation and Appeal Procedures
     2-12-10 News Coverage: Governor Christie's message on actions to address current fiscal year state budget deficits
     FY2010 Budget Solutions - PRESS PACKET
     School Aid Withheld Spreadsheet
2-22-10 Trenton Active Today
GSCS: As part of the confirmation process, Acting Commissioner Schundler was interviewed by the Judiciary Committee this morning. Chairman Scutari announced, after approximately 2 hours of questioning, that the committee needed more time and that the hearing would be reconvened this coming Monday, March 1.
Acting Treasurer Eristoff spent over 2 hours before the Assembly Budget Committee in a Q & A session dealing with the Governor's current year decifit plan for state aid cuts and state spending reductions. Among other things, the Treasurer told the committee that the FY10 deficit plan is in place already, and that the administration is now focused on FY11 and the Governor's March 16 Budget Message. Assembly Budget Chairman Lou Greenwald cotinues to press for clarity on what actions, including the surplus reduction proposal, specifically may require legislative action.


Fast Track: Pension reform legislation passed the Senate 36-0 earlier in the afternoon today. The Assembly is introducing that legislation today, setting the stage to vote on it shortly.


Click on more below to see articles: "N.J. Senate panel delays vote on Bret Schundler's nomination for education chief" ... "N.J. acting treasurer, Assembly committee spar over Gov. Chris Christie's budget cuts" ... "N.J. Senate approves sweeping pension changes for public employees" ... "N.J. Senate approves ban on 'diploma mills' for school administrators, teachers to boost salaries"


Below are the pension reform bills that passed today 2-22-10, as well as the employee school tuition approval bill which also passed. Links should take you to the New Jersey Legislature Home Page for bills' details.:

    Monday, February 22, 2010 - 2:00 PM

    Senate Chambers

 

Voting Session:  

    


Bill

Abstract

 

Current Status

LDOA

 


S2

Pub emp pensions-elig, allowance, rights

 

PS

2/22/2010

 

S3

SHBP, SEHBP-elig, cost share, waiver

 

PS

2/22/2010

 

S4

Sick leave, disab. benf.-PERS, TPAF

PS

2/22/2010

 

 

S826

Sch. dist. emp.-concerns tuition assist.

 

PS

2/22/2010

 

________________________________

 

N.J. Senate panel delays vote on Bret Schundler's nomination for education chief

By Jeanette M. Rundquist

February 22, 2010, 5:24PM

.
TRENTON Acting Education Commissioner Bret Schundler was questioned about issues ranging from school funding to his opinion of prayer in school, as the Senate Judiciary Committee began his confirmation hearing today.

 

Schundler, 51, took questions for about an hour and a half about such topics as a potential state aid cut of 15 percent announced last week by Gov. Chris Christie; the benefits of preschool; and sex education.

 

The committee did not vote, however. Over the objections of Republican members, the hearing was adjourned so Democratic lawmakers could attend a caucus meeting. It is set to resume Monday.

 

The Republican former mayor of Jersey City, most recently chief operating officer of the King’s College, a Christian liberal arts school in New York, Schundler repeatedly pushed aside questions about his opinions on issues such as abstinence-only sex education, saying the job is not "about the commissioner using it to advance his preferences."

 

Under questioning by committee chair Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Union), Schundler said rather than the commissioner dictating sex ed curriculum, districts should make decisions within state parameters.

 

Pushed again for an opinion, he finally said "I encourage my daughter to abstain from sexual activity." His daughter, 18, and son, 11, attend private school.

 

Schundler also said he doesn’t endorse prayer in school, but felt for many people faith is "that thing that undergirds all we do."

 

"I suspect there are many people of faith in the Legislature," he said.

 

Schundler told the panel he favors "standards-based reform" and "small learning communities" within schools. He and Christie also support school-choice legislation. He said Christie is still considering approaches to cutting state aid.

 

The gallery was full of education advocates. Lynne Strickland, director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools, said she wished the committee had voted today.

 

"We need a Department of Education that can move forward," Strickland said

 

 

N.J. acting treasurer, Assembly committee spar over Gov. Chris Christie's budget cuts

By Lisa Fleisher/Statehouse Bureau

February 22, 2010, 6:22PM

 


TRENTON -- Facing questions on mid-year cuts to the current state budget, Gov. Chris Christie’s acting treasurer today stressed he’s focusing on next year instead.

 

Acting Treasurer Andrew Eristoff told the Assembly Budget Committee it is time to stop picking over funds Christie earlier this month sliced from this year’s budget, known as the Fiscal Year 10 budget because it runs through this June. He said the administration doesn’t have much time to create a plan for the year that runs through June 2011. Christie will deliver his budget address on March 16.

 

“I don’t want to sound absolutist, but the fact is that action was taken, and now we are focused on Fiscal ‘11,” said Eristoff, whose appointment was approved today by the full Seante. “Fiscal ‘10 is over.”



Previous coverage

N.J. Senate committee approves Andrew Eristoff as treasurer

N.J. Democrats question Gov. Christie's treasurer nominee Andrew Eristoff on budget cuts

Gov. Chris Christie says he will need N.J. Legislature to move money into general funds

Full N.J. budget coverage


Democrats, however, questioned the analysis that went into $2.2 billion in mid-year funding cuts to areas such as hospitals, schools and charities.

 

“The impact on people’s lives are worthy of a greater debate,” Assemblyman Louis Greenwald (D-Camden) said after the hearing. “There wasn’t a lot of depth put in to the look at the cuts and how far that ripple effect went.”

 

Several Democrats on the committee said the administration did not think hard enough about the “ripple effects” of the budget cuts, such as jobs lost and federal matching funds sacrificed.
Eristoff said the cuts had to be made quickly because the administration was dealing with a “gathering financial storm” and could not launch a full-blown budget process.

 

Greenwald said lawmakers could have given input to save jobs. “I’m not asking for a full-blown budget process,” he said. “Just pick up the phone and call me.”

Christie made many cuts, and sliced $475 million from local school district aid, equal to an amount the schools had above a 2 percent surplus level. Critics say the cuts punish schools that were prudent. Democrats argue the state should have cut into its own $500 million surplus instead. Republicans counter that schools still have a 2 percent cushion, while the state surplus is less than 2 percent of the current $29 billion budget.

N.J. Senate approves sweeping pension changes for public employees

By Lisa Fleisher/Statehouse Bureau

February 22, 2010, 3:16PM

With hundreds of union workers looking on from the gallery and waiting in the hallway, the Senate this afternoon easily passed three bills that made sweeping changes to public employee pensions.

The bills passed 36-0, with four senators not voting. The Assembly is expected to introduce its versions of the bills on Thursday.

 

The one bill not voted on would have put a constitutional amendment on the ballot in November asking voters to require the state to contribute money to the pension fund. The Senate is expected to hold a required public hearing on the amendment Monday and can bring the amendment up for a vote 20 days after that.

State and local workers in the state system -- about 700,000 in all -- said New Jersey's politicians have put the $68 billion pension fund in peril by not contributing their fair share.

But legislators see it differently.

 

"We're here trying to save this pension system. We're not trying to rob it," said Sen. Jim Whelan (D-Atlantic), said last week when the State Government Committee he chairs approved the bills for release to the full house. "We're trying to save it for future generations."

 

All four bills have at least 23 Senate sponsors, more than the 21 required for passage. Senators from both parties who cleared the package last week stressed urgency in fixing the struggling retirement funds.

"We have to get something done. We can't spend six months, a year, the next 18 months arguing about a perfect pension reform bill," Whelan said last week.

 

Public workers and their unions said changes in benefits should be made at the bargaining table and they are being treated as scapegoats. A police union official ripped up a letter Gov. Chris Christie wrote during his gubernatorial campaign that called pensions a "sacred trust."

"We don't ask the public to absorb 1 percent of the smoke we inhale," said Bill Lavin, an Elizabeth firefighter and union official. "We don't feel that we therefore should have to share in the very medical attention to keep us safe and put us back on the job."

 

Christie has said the bills would not "do harm to the future benefits of police and firemen. But everybody needs to step up to the plate and contribute."

 

The pension system was underfunded by about $34 billion as of the last official accounting.

The bills would require workers and retirees to contribute to their own health care costs, ban part-time workers from the pension system, cap sick-leave payouts, trim the size of pensions and constitutionally require the state to fully fund its pension obligations. Most changes would apply to future workers, but current employees would contribute to their health care costs.

Staff writer Claire Heininger contributed to this report

 

 

N.J. Senate approves ban on 'diploma mills' for school administrators, teachers to boost salaries

By Peggy Ackermann/Statehouse Bureau

February 22, 2010, 6:41PM

The state Senate today voted 38-0 to approve a bill that cracks down on the use of “diploma mills” — unaccredited institutions of higher learning — by school administrators and teachers who obtain advanced degrees and then are able to boost their salaries.

 

Under the bill sponsored by Sen. Richard Codey (D-Essex) and Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth), those seeking tuition assistance or higher pay must earn their advanced degrees or additional credits from authorized institutions of higher education.

 

They also must receive approval from their school superintendents before enrolling in the courses for which they will seek tuition reimbursement.

 

School superintendents must have approval from their school boards.

 

Courses and degrees have to be related to employees’ current or future jobs, and the bill allows school boards to adopt more stringent requirements than those in the bill.

 

Administrators and teachers who are denied can appeal those decisions to their school boards.

The bill now goes to the full Assembly for a vote.

If approved and signed by Gov. Chris Christie, it would take effect on July 1 of the school year following the date of enactment.