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5-11-17 Education in the News

The Record--State legislators rail against governor, applaud 'grass-roots' campaign for fair school funding

 CLIFTON – Legislators called to a public forum Wednesday night railed against Gov. Chris Christie and criticized the New Jersey Department of Education over the state’s school funding policies.

The 34th Legislative District representatives – Senator Nia Gill, Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver and Assemblyman Thomas Giblin, all Democrats – said they were compelled to participate in the meeting after Clifton taxpayers, students and district officials barraged their offices with emails, letters and postcards demanding action.

The collective message from Cliftonites was simple: the city’s school system had been underfunded $50 million per year since 2008 or a total of nearly half a billion dollars.

According to Department of Education data, the Clifton school system receives about $25 million in state aid each year, approximately one-third of its $75 million entitlement.

Last year, the district cut school programs and 24 certificated positions to meet cap requirements.

http://www.northjersey.com/story/news/passaic/clifton/2017/05/11/state-legislators-rail-against-governor-applaud-grass-roots-campaign-fair-school-funding/313248001/

Tony Gicas , NorthJersey Published 10:25 p.m. ET May 10, 2017 | Updated 8 hours ago

 

 

Education Week--ESSA, School Choice Firing Up State Legislatures

Spurred on by new flexibility under the Every Student Succeeds Act and revenue shortfalls, and amid one-party control in most states, legislators this year tackled longstanding questions over who should be in charge of education policy, how to better spend K-12 dollars, and what school success should look like.

In state after state, lawmakers sought to overhaul school funding formulas, rearrange accountability systems, and expand school choice options like vouchers, education savings accounts, and the charter school sector.

All 50 states held legislative sessions this year, and 15 of those states already had wrapped up business as of late last week, with more expected to adjourn by mid-May.

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/05/10/essa-school-choice-firing-up-state-legislatures.html

Daarel Burnette II| May 9, 2017Article Tools