GARDEN STATE COALITION OF SCHOOLS

2022-2023 CRITICAL ISSUES SHEET

Every year GSCS puts together a “Critical Issues Sheet” to help define focus areas for the school year

• Staffing: Advocate vigorously for elimination of barriers to entry to education professions, while maintaining quality and professionalism.

• Finance: Support policies that ensure financial sustainability post-pandemic for all districts, especially those affected by S-2.

• Special Education: Advocate for full funding for special education and support policies and legislation that eliminate educational and other barriers for special education students.

• School Security: Advocate for rational school security measures and the funding needed to support them.  Continue to focus on the educational, physical and mental wellbeing of students, prioritizing remediation of the ongoing aftereffects of the pandemic.

• Mandates: Continue to oppose unfunded mandates.

• Timelines: Advocate with DOE for timelines that provide educators with adequate time to prepare for regulatory or other significant changes to requirements for instruction, curriculum, finance, facilities, assessment, or governance.