NJ Spotlight-- Assembly Budget Committee Hears Pleas to Stick to State’s School-Aid Formula...Crowded classrooms and disrepair of buildings in Paterson cited as examples of impact of annual funding shortfall 'Complaints that local school districts will see only slight increases in funding in Gov. Chris Christie’s proposed spending plan for the next fiscal year are becoming a common refrain, as the proposed budget will again fall short of what’s called for in New Jersey’s school-aid law. School officials and members of the public are drawing attention to the fact that Christie continues to underfund the mandated school-aid formula established with bipartisan support in 2008, and that needy districts, like Paterson, are truly struggling.
NJ Spotlight--Lead Scare Over Water in Newark Schools Underscores NJ’s Toxic Problem...Testing at 30 schools reveals lead levels above federal EPA action guidelines, triggers emergency response including use of bottled water High levels of lead found in the water at 30 Newark public schools, which forced authorities to switch to bottled water for thousands of students, is just the latest sign that the state is far from resolving this problem, advocates said yesterday.The findings, detected in annual testing of fountains, taps and faucets in the school system’s 65 buildings, triggered an emergency response by city, state, and other agencies, compelling them to truck in alternative water sources overnight Tuesday. The elevated levels were first reported to school officials Friday and confirmed over the weekend...'
Cherry Hill Courier Post--EDITORIAL: Superintendent salary cap needs more than tweak 'We’ve written before about how the state’s salary cap on school superintendents is badly broken. A story in Sunday’s Press, “Soaring Salaries,” reinforced just how badly.
In an attempt to rein in some of the exorbitant salaries granted superintendents by deferential school boards, in 2011 the state Department of Education rewrote regulations to cap salaries at between $125,000 and $175,000, depending on the district’s student enrollment.It became clear soon after the cap was instituted that it was poorly conceived — clear, at least, to everyone except those in Gov. Chris Christie’s administration. State Education Commissioner David C. Hespe has said he will decide by November whether to revise, renew or lift the salary cap. Renewing it as is should be taken off the table. The cap has had a host of negative, unintended consequences...'
NJ Spotlight-- Assembly Budget Committee Hears Pleas to Stick to State’s School-Aid Formula
Crowded classrooms and disrepair of buildings in Paterson cited as examples of impact of annual funding shortfall
Complaints that local school districts will see only slight increases in funding in Gov. Chris Christie’s proposed spending plan for the next fiscal year are becoming a common refrain, as the proposed budget will again fall short of what’s called for in New Jersey’s school-aid law.
School officials and members of the public are drawing attention to the fact that Christie continues to underfund the mandated school-aid formula established with bipartisan support in 2008, and that needy districts, like Paterson, are truly struggling.
John Reitmeyer | March 10, 2016
NJ Spotlight--Lead Scare Over Water in Newark Schools Underscores NJ’s Toxic Problem
Testing at 30 schools reveals lead levels above federal EPA action guidelines, triggers emergency response including use of bottled water
High levels of lead found in the water at 30 Newark public schools, which forced authorities to switch to bottled water for thousands of students, is just the latest sign that the state is far from resolving this problem, advocates said yesterday.
The findings, detected in annual testing of fountains, taps and faucets in the school system’s 65 buildings, triggered an emergency response by city, state, and other agencies, compelling them to truck in alternative water sources overnight Tuesday. The elevated levels were first reported to school officials Friday and confirmed over the weekend.
Tom Johnson | March 10, 2016
Cherry Hill Courier Post--EDITORIAL: Superintendent salary cap needs more than tweak
We’ve written before about how the state’s salary cap on school superintendents is badly broken. A story in Sunday’s Press, “Soaring Salaries,” reinforced just how badly.
In an attempt to rein in some of the exorbitant salaries granted superintendents by deferential school boards, in 2011 the state Department of Education rewrote regulations to cap salaries at between $125,000 and $175,000, depending on the district’s student enrollment.
It became clear soon after the cap was instituted that it was poorly conceived — clear, at least, to everyone except those in Gov. Chris Christie’s administration. State Education Commissioner David C. Hespe has said he will decide by November whether to revise, renew or lift the salary cap. Renewing it as is should be taken off the table. The cap has had a host of negative, unintended consequences.
(This editorial originally appeared in the Asbury Park Press) March 8, 2016