NJ Spotlight--School-Aid Reform: Not Enough Legislative Action to Keep Topic at Top of Agenda?
School-funding inequities have plagued New Jersey for almost a decade; is this finally the time to set things right?
For the past several weeks, lawmakers in both the Senate and the Assembly have been holding a series of hearings to analyze growing state school-aid inequities. But legislative leaders are not any closer to agreeing on specific solutions, fueling concerns that the issue could once again be pushed off the top of the agenda.
The lack of consensus on the school-funding issue comes just weeks before Gov. Chris Christie is due to present the next state budget, and also release state-aid figures that school districts throughout New Jersey typically rely on as they set their own annual spending plans, which is adding to the anxiety.
John Reitmeyer | February 9, 2017
NJ Spotlight--What Does It Mean When State Supreme Court Says ‘No’ to Christie?
NJ Spotlight’s education writer visits WHYY to discuss top court’s refusal to hear governor’s case for reopening Abbott v. Burke decision
A week ago, the state Supreme Court passed on Gov. Chris Christie’s bid to reopen New Jersey’s Abbott v. Burke school equity case, refusing to even hear the petition. NJ Spotlight’s John Mooney yesterday joined WHYY’s Radio Times host Mary Cummings-Jordan to discuss the decision and what it means for New Jersey public schools and school policy and politics as whole.
NJ Spotlight Staff | February 9, 2017
Jersey Journal--Weehawken school district one of 12 to win 'Innovative' honor
The Weehawken school district has been named an "Innovative District" for 2017 by the International Center for Leadership in Education, officials announced.
Weehawken is one of the 12 districts chosen for the award, and representatives from the district will share its best practices at the 25th annual Model Schools Conference in Nashville in June.
Weehawken Superintendent Robert R. Zywicki attributed the district's selection to "the concerted efforts of our teachers, who have infused blended learning strategies and tools throughout the curriculum." http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2017/02/weehawken_school_district_one_of_12_to_win_innovat.html#incart_river_index
Ron Zeitlinger | The Jersey Journal|February 08, 2017 at 11:26 AM, updated February 08, 2017 at 11:29 AM
Education Week--Big Stakes for K-12 as Federal Budget Process Gears Up
Congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump, aiming to break years of fiscal gridlock, could make significant changes to the U.S. Department of Education's budget—changes that might include major cuts. There are conflicting signals about whether they'll impose big cuts that hit students in special education, educators in teacher training, and other beneficiaries of federal education programs.
Budget sequestration, the mandated caps on spending that have defined the fiscal environment in Washington in recent years, may not make the headlines it used to. But lawmakers still have to decide if they want to end that constraint for education and other domestic programs—and if so, how those budgets will look for what's left of fiscal 2017 and for fiscal 2018, which begins Oct. 1.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/02/08/big-stakes-for-k-12-as-federal-budget.html
By Andrew Ujifusa| February 7, 2017