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
2-24-10 'Tight funds raise class sizes that districts long sought to cut'
Press of Atlantic City - "..It is a tight fit. The room holds 28 desks and chairs... The average kindergarten through eighth-grade class size statewide was 18 to 20 students in 2008-2009 according to the state school report card. The small size reflects a decade of efforts, spurred by the No Child Left Behind law, to reduce class size and improve student achievement.

But public demand to control property taxes and fears that state school aid may be cut by as much as 15 percent next year have school officials concerned that staff may have to be cut to balance the budget..."

Press of A.C. ‘Tight funds raise class sizes that districts long sought to cut’

By DIANE D’AMICO Education Writer | Posted: Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Smithville Elementary School teacher Jenna Smith works with her sixth-grade students in a class of 28. Smith says a challenge of the large class size is finding time to work individually with students.

“It’s hard to move around,” Najae Ephraim, 12, said.

Click here to check class sizes by town, district and school

It is a tight fit. The room holds 28 desks and chairs, one horseshoe-shaped table and chairs and one buffet table and chairs for small-group instruction, two more tables topped with five computers, a cart with some laptops, a book case, and the teacher’s desk, tucked in a corner.

“Its the fourth configuration of the desks this year,” teacher Jenna Smith said. “I think this one’s working OK.”

It’s OK, but definitely crowded. With 28 students, Smith and Mark Bisignaro teach in one of the largest classes in the district, a situation necessitated by a large sixth grade and a budget too tight to add another class.

The average kindergarten through eighth-grade class size statewide was 18 to 20 students in 2008-2009 according to the state school report card. The small size reflects a decade of efforts, spurred by the No Child Left Behind law, to reduce class size and improve student achievement.

But public demand to control property taxes and fears that state school aid may be cut by as much as 15 percent next year have school officials concerned that staff may have to be cut to balance the budget.

“If they cut state aid 15 percent, we’d have to cut staff,” said George Papp, superintendent in rural Dennis Township, where class sizes have dropped into the teens. “There’s just no large amount of money anywhere else left we can cut. “

Galloway Township is already feeling the squeeze in the fifth and sixth grades.

“We decided last year we couldn’t increase staff,” Galloway schools Superintendent Douglas Groff said. “And we just had that discussion for next year, looking at who’s retiring and asking, ‘Do we need to replace them?’”

For large districts, the challenge is finding room for all students without adding staff. For very small districts the decision may be whether to combine two small classes into one big one to eliminate staff.

“It’s like a chess game,” said John Cressey, superintendent in Estell Manor, which has about 220 students in kindergarten through eighth grade and has tried to keep classes in the primary grades to about 20 students.

In high schools, the challenge is keeping small but vital programs, such as Advanced Placement and specialty electives that may have only 10 students in a class.

“You want to give students opportunities,” Lower Cape May Regional Superintendent Jack Pfizenmayer said. “But it does become an issue of how small is too small.”

The state Department of Education does not mandate class sizes for most districts.

But state code that takes effect in the 2010-11 school year requires that districts with 40 percent or more “at risk” students maintain class sizes of a maximum 21 students in kindergarten through third grade, 23 students in grades four and five, and 24 students in grades six through 12. At-risk is defined as students eligible for the federal free and reduced-price meal program.

Affected districts that do not comply can be cited during state monitoring.

“I know that,” Hamilton Township school superintendent Michelle Cappelluti said with a frustrated sigh. “But what are we going to do?”

The district’s at-risk student population exceeded 40 percent last year, and has continued to rise. The district also had an enrollment spike in fifth grade, reporting an average class size of 27.

“It’s more than likely we will have to reduce personnel next year,” Cappelluti said. “But we’re going to try to plan differently to keep class sizes as small as we can.”

Galloway and Hamilton both do some “team teaching.” The districts include students with learning disabilities in regular classes with a support teacher, rather than place them in a separate small class.

Bisignaro and Smith teach their sixth-grade class at the Smithville school as a team, though Bisignaro focuses on five special education students.

“It’s challenging,” he said. “There are also regular students who are right on the borderline, and they need help, too.”

Smith said the greatest challenge is trying to give each student individual attention.

“You just run out of time,” she said. “Even in small groups, if you have four or five groups it’s a stretch to get them all in.”

The students have mixed feelings about their big class. In previous grades they were used to about 20 students per class.

“It is crammed up, and it’s harder to get the teacher’s attention,” Emma Nickerson, 12, said.

But Eric Stobel likes having more friends in his class, and Carson Hessler said he likes working in the groups.

Still, Taylor Mooney, 11, said it can be noisy, and Dante Grasso, 11, said they run out of supplies.

Smith said the supplies budget did not increase with the class size, so she distributes paper and pencils judiciously. In past years, ordering 25 copies of a novel was plenty. This year she had to order a few more.

“You get 1,000 pencils, and that’s supposed to last the year,” she said. “But some kids need one every day. ”

Contact Diane D'Amico:

609-272-7241

DDamico@pressofac.com