Quality Public Education for All New Jersey Students

 

 
     3-20-12 Education Issues in the News
     4-29-11 BOOMERANG! Near 80 per cent of School Budgets Passed in Wednesday'sSchool Elections
     4-26-11 School Elections, Randi Weingarten in NJ, Special Educ Aid, Shared Services bill
     4-3-11Press of Atlantic City - Pending Supreme Court ruling could boost aid to New Jersey schools
     4-2-11 The Record - Charter school in Hackensack among 58 bids
     3-31-11 Charters an Issue in the Suburbs - and - So far, only 7 Separate Questions on April School Budget Ballots
     3-22-11 Special Master's Report to the Supreme Court: State did not meet its school funding obligation
     Attached to GSCS 3-7-11 Testimony: Marlboro Schools strike historic agreement with instructional aides, bus drivers, bus aides
     GSCS Take on Governor's Budget Message
     Gov's Budget Message for Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Today, 2pm
     2-16-11 Commissioner Cerf talks to educators on Tenure, Merit Pay , related reforms agenda
     GSCS FYI
     2-7-11Grassroots at Work in the Suburbs
     1-25-11 Education in the News
     1-24-11 GSCSS Testimony before Assembly Education Committee: Charter School Reform
     Public Hearing on the Impact of Education Aid Cuts, Thursday January 20
     1-20-11 GSCS Testimony before Senator Buono's Education Aid Impact hearing in Edison
     Assembly Education Hearing on Charter School Reform Monday, 1-24-11, 1 pm
     GSCS Board of Trustees endorsed ACTION LETTER to Trenton asking for caution on Charter School expansion
     GSCS testimony on Tenure Reform - Senate Education Committee 12-09-10
     12-7-10 Education Issues continue in the news
     12-5-10 New York Times 'A Bleak Budget Outlook for Public Broadcasters'
     12-5-10 Sunday News - Education-related Issues
     11-19-10 In the News - First Hearing held on Superintendent Salary Caps at Kean University
     11-15-10 GSCS meeting with Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver
     GSCS Education Forum Stayed Focused on Quality Education
     Nov 10 Program Announcement - GSCS & NJSDC Fall Education Forum
     Mark Your Calendars: GSCS-NJ Schools Development Council: Education Forum November 10, 2010 Douglas College Center
     8-23-10 S2208 (Sarlo-Allen prime sponsors) passes 36-0 (4 members 'not voting') in the Senate on 8-23-10
     8-13-10 East Brunswick Public School seeks stay on Hatikvah Charter School opening this fall (re: Hatikvah not meeting minimum enrollment requirement)
     7-22-10 'Summer school falls victim to budget cuts in many suburban towns'
     7-18-10 Troublesome sign of the times? Read article on the growing trend for education foundations - the pressure to provide what the state no longer supports for education...California's Proposition 13 cited
     7-16-10 GSCS Information & Comments - S29 Property Tax Cap Law and Proposal to Reduce Superintendent salaries ....
     7-15 & 16 -10 'Caps - PLURAL!' in the news
     GSCS - High costs of Special Education must be addressed asap, & appropriately
     7-1 and 2- 10 Governor Christie convened the Legislature to address property tax reform
     GSCS On the Scene in Trenton: State Budget poised to pass late Monday...Cap Proposals, Opportunity Scholarship Act in Limbo
     4-21-10 DOE posts election results
     Hear about Governor Christie's noontime press conference tonight
     4-21-10 News on School Election Results
     4-20-10 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
     4-18-10 Sunday Op-eds on school budget vote: Jim O'Neill & Gov Christie
     4-13-10 Testimony submitted to Senate Budget Committee
     GSCS 'HOW-TO' GET TRENTON'S ATTENTION ON STATE BUDGET SCHOOL ISSUES FY '11' - Effective and Well-Reasoned Communication with State Leaders is Critical
     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
     GSCS 'HOW-TO GET TRENTON'S ATTENTION ON STATE BUDGET SCHOOL ISSUES FY '11': Effective & Well-Reasoned Communication with State Leaders is Critical
     3-5-10 HomeTowne Video taping + 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?
     3-3-10 'Public Education in N.J.: Acting NJ Comm of Educ Bret Schundler says 'Opportunity'
     3-4-10 'NJ education chief Bret Schundler tells suburban schools to expect more cuts in aid'
     Flyer: March 2 Education Summit Keynote Speaker - Education Commissioner Bret Schundler - Confirmed
     2-25-10 Gov. Christie's Red Tape Review Comm., chaired by Lt. Gov. Guadagno, to hold public hearings In March
     Flyer: March 2 Education Summit Keynote Speaker Confirmed
     Flyer for March 2 Education 'Summit@Summit'
     GSCS at TRI-DISTRICT MEETING IN MONMOUTH COUNTY January 27
     GSCS Report on its Annual Meeting June 2009
     6-23-09 Grassroots at Work re A4140, A4142 and A1489
     6-26-09 Executive Director to GSCS Trustees; Wrap Up Report - State Budget and Assembly bills this week
     5-27-09 GSCS 18th ANNUAL MEETING - All INVITED GUESTS HAVE CONFIRMED, INCLUDING GOVERNOR CORZINE
     4-17-09 Model letter to community re required language on budget election ballot
     FIND OUT & STAY TUNED - www.gscschools.org has nearly 1,000,000 verified hits and approximately 90,000 individual visits to date ... and counting
     3-27-09 GSCS Travels the State
     March 25 GSCS-HADDONFIELD OPEN MEETING 7pm
     Haddonfield On Line posts Commissioner Davy's appearance with GSCS at Wednesday March 25 meeting hosted by Haddonfield School District Board of Education
     GSCS-Leonia 3-18-09 meeting Press Release
     March 25-GSCS-HADDONFIELD GENERAL MEMBERSHIP-OPEN MEETING 7pm
     RESCHEDULED to MARCH 18 - GSCS MEETING IN LEONIA
     CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR SCHOOLS? YOU ARE INVITED-GSCS General Membership Open Meeting Leonia Feb 25 7 pm
     SAVE THE DATE - GSCS GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING IN BERGEN COUNTY
     More good examples - Grassroots advocacy: letters- to-the-editor published
     11-6-07 GSCS Parent Advocates help clarify election issues...the Millburn Example
     10-23 Media reports & Trenton responses to date re GSCS Press Conf
     GSCS 'NOV 6th LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS 'ADVOCACY PACKET
     7-10-07 EMAILNET GSCS ADVOCACY PACKET Need for new school funding formula, more
     2-20-07 FAIR HAVEN SCHOOL FUNDING & PROPERTY TAX FORUM
     3-15-07 Millburn-Short Hills Advocates for Education ask for you help in contacting Governor
     Grassroots Forum set for 3-8 in Millburn-Short Hills
     GRASSROOTS SPEAK UP re State Aid for FY07-08 & Recent Legislation that can negatively impact school communities
     11-2-06 GSCS Parent Press Conference Coverage
     11-1-06 Press Conference packet
     10-31-06 PRESS ADVISORY
     DIRECTIONS to Statehouse
     SPECIAL SESSION ADVOCACY TIPS
     Parent & Member Information Packet on Special Session
     October 2006 Quality Education At Risk
     7-18-06 Summit PTO-PTA communication
     7-17-06 Bernards Twp communication to citizens
     Contact info for Letters to the Editor - Statewide newspapers
     6-22-06 GSCS Parent Coordinator Letter to the Editor
     NEW to our website...WHAT'S THE 'BUZZ' ?
     4-24-06 Citizens for Hopewell Valley Schools letter to Senator Shirley Turner
     4-16 Courier Post 'Do Nothing Leaders'
     Grassroots at work - Ridgewood Board member testimony of FY07
     3-24-06 Schools learn who wins, loses in Corzine budget
     3-9-06 Governor speaks to S1701 at town meeting
     EMAILNET 3-9-06 to South Jersey districts
     COFFEE a coalition of families for excellent education
     1-29-06 Asbury Park Press Sunday Front Page Right
     Posted 1-17-06 December 2005 article from the NewsTranscript of Monmouth County
     12-16-05 EMAILNET
     1-17-06 Asbury Park Press "Viewpoint" comments by parents Kim Newsome & Marianne Kligman
     1-12-06 Asbury Park Press letter to the editor
     12-12-05 EMAILNET Bills move out of Assembly Education Committee
     Nora Radest Summit Parent, Glen Ridge Supt. Dan Fishbien, Glen Ridge Parenet and Board of Education President Betsy Ginsburg
     UPDATE on 12-8-05 Assembly Education Committee hearing
     12-2-05 Hopewell Valley letter to Senate Education Committee Chair Shirley Turner re: school budget amendment bills & S1701
     Madison parents and Morris County Outreach Efforts on S1701 Amendment legislation 11-28-05
     Parent Network FYI re EMAILNET 11-28-05 on S1701
     10-14-05 EMAILNET Parent question for Gubernatorial Candidates aired on 101.5 debate, SCC funds, Next Board meeting, press briefing notes
     Readington Forum on School Funding & Meet the Assembly Candidates 11-1-05
     Bergen County's 'Dollars & Sense' organization hosts informational meeting on
     Bergen County's 'Dollars & Sense' organization hosts informational meeting on "Bergen County United" Wed. Oct 19th Paramus High School Cafe 7:30 p.m.
     Parents in Trenton 9-21-05 Press Conference
     Annual Meeting President Walt Mahler's Good News on NJ Public Schools
     Glen Ridge community group 'New Jersey Citizens for Education Equity in Funding'
     Glen Ridge Schools and GSCS Dec 9 Meeting
     Red Bank Area December 6, 2004 Forum
     Rumson PTA, Monmouth Parents, May 2005
     Princeton Marh 2005 Education symposium
     Grassroots 'faces'
     Regional Forums: Quality Education Counts - School Funding Reality and S1701
     A99 and S1701
     GSCS Web Servey Results
7-18-06 Summit PTO-PTA communication
Dear PTA.PTO Legislative Committee and Presidents Council: If it wasn't already 'hot' enough while New Jersey faces the bleak outlook not only of unseasonably 'hot' weather but also the possibility of more unsound 'hot' legislation this summer from Trenton, Congress seems to be considering an additional $500 million cut to the funding of the already woefully under-funded No Child Left Behind (NCLB) mandate.

Dear PTA.PTO Legislative Committee and Presidents Council:
 
If it wasn't already 'hot' enough while New Jersey faces the bleak outlook not only of unseasonably 'hot' weather but also the possibility of more unsound 'hot' legislation this summer from Trenton, Congress seems to be considering an additional $500 million cut to the funding of the already woefully under-funded No Child Left Behind (NCLB) mandate.  Is it any wonder then that the NCLB Act is often referred to as the "No Cash Leaves the Beltway" Act. 
 
The following summary and article discuss the possible cut to NCLB funding of $500 million.
 
Best regards,
 
Steve
 
NEA President Wants NCLB Fully-funded
FLORIDA - At the 14th Annual Meeting of the National Education Association Representative Assembly, President Reg Weaver emphasized that "everyone has a responsibility to protect the basic right of all children to a quality public education, including fixing and funding the so-called No Child Left Behind Act." The NEA is composed of teachers, professors, education support professionals, and others employed in education areas. President Weaver also voiced concern over Congressional plans to cut an additional $500 million in NCLB funds.

NEA President Tells Educators "No More Excuses"
Weaver addresses 9,000 delegates at the NEA Representative Assembly

By cfAdvocate.com

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Everyone has a responsibility to protect the basic right of all children to a quality public education, including fixing and funding the so-called No Child Left Behind Act, the president of the National Education Association told 9,000 educators.

"There are no more excuses," said Reg Weaver, NEA president. "There are no more excuses for schools where the textbooks and technology are as old as the parents of some of the children. There are no more excuses for parents being absent when it comes to not only educating their children, but rearing their children. There are no more excuses for children and students who are not learning. Every American has a shared responsibility to create quality public schools, and no American should tolerate any excuses for why educators aren't given the tools and resources they need to get the job done."

Weaver urged educators to remember why they entered the profession. "Public education only has room for those who have a passion for teaching and learning. Public education only has room for those who are truly committed. Public education only has room for those who believe that every child can learn and that great public schools are the basic right of every child."

Weaver addressed delegates representing teachers, education support professionals, higher education faculty and other education employees gathered in Orlando, Fla., for NEA?s 144th Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly. The NEA Representative Assembly is the largest democratic decision-makingbody in the world. During the annual event, delegates vote on critical issues facing public education.

Weaver said access to fully-funded pre-kindergarten programs would help at-risk children level the academic playing field and realize the joy of learning at an early age. Such programs, he insisted, would be the foundation on which to move many children from poverty, ignorance, drugs and fear to a life of achievement and success.

Weaver told delegates that there is no doubt that public education faces challenges. He pointed to cuts pending in Congress that would reduce spending on the already-underfunded No Child Left Behind Act by almost $500 million, on top of last year?s cut of over $1 billion. He also cited the one-size-fits-all approach to education promoted in the No Child Left Behind that forces educators to teach to the test, and hinders their ability to cater to student needs.

"NEA members have a responsibility to educate the community about education," Weaver said. "We have a responsibility to inform them of the role of school boards, state legislators, mayors, the U.S. Congress and why it is important that they make it their personal responsibility to hold each of these individuals as accountable as they do us."

Weaver stressed that the Association has focused its efforts on five strategic goals: closing the gaps in student achievement between white and minority students; reaching out to ethnic communities; creating a plan for reforming unfunded mandates during the re-authorization of the No Child Left Behind Act; ensuring that teachers have a minimum salary of $40,000 and providing a living wage for education support professionals, like bus drivers and custodians; expanding membership to offer support to more education employees and working to achieve adequacy and equity in public school funding.

Copyright:cfAdvocate.com