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

Annual Meeting President Walt Mahler's Good News on NJ Public Schools

Good News about Public Schools in New Jersey

Students Achieving

Language Arts Scores Are Up: The proportion of New Jersey public school 4th graders who were proficient or higher in language arts in the state proficiency test (ESPA) increased by 45% in the past 6 years. NJA and NJB

Math Scores Are Up: The proportion of New Jersey public school 4th graders who were proficient or higher in math in the state proficiency test (ESPA) increased by 20% in the past 6 years. NJA and NJB

Reading Scores Are Among the Nation's Best: New Jersey ranks 4th in the nation for having the largest proportion of public school 4th graders scoring at the highest two levels in reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). NAR

Reading Scores Are Among the Nation's Best: New Jersey ranks 6th in the nation for having the largest proportion of public school 8th graders scoring at the highest two levels in reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). NAR

Reading Scores Are Up: The proportion of New Jersey public school 4th graders who scored at the highest two levels in reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) increased by 18% between 1994 and 2003. NAR

Math Scores Are Among the Nation's Best: New Jersey 4th graders score 9th highest in the nation in math in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). RCM

Math Scores Are Among the Nation's Best: New Jersey ranks 8th in the nation for having the highest proportion of public school 4th graders scoring at the highest two levels in math in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). RCM

More Students Planning to Go to College Than Ever Before: More than eight out of 10 New Jersey high school graduates plan to continue their education after high school — the highest percentage ever. NJR

SAT Scores Are Rising: More New Jersey students are getting high scores on their SAT college entrance examinations. The proportion of graduating seniors getting high scores on the Verbal SAT has increased by 10% since 2000; the proportion of graduating seniors getting high scores on the Math SAT has increased by 22% since 1994. (A high score is defined as 600 or above). SAT

Students Getting Good Grades: Eighty-seven percent (87%) of New Jersey students taking the SATs have high school grade point averages of "B" or better. SAT

Among Top in Nation in AP Offerings: New Jersey is one of the top 5 states in the nation in the proportion of public high schools offering Advanced Placement (AP) courses through which students can earn college credit. Nearly all (98%) of New Jersey's public high schools offer these courses. AP

AP Scores Are Among the Nation's Best: In New Jersey, 72% of public high school students taking AP exams earn a score high enough to qualify for college credit. New Jersey is one of the top 2 states in the proportion of public high school AP exam takers earning such high scores. AP

More Public Schools Than Private Schools Offer AP: While 98% of New Jersey's public high schools offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses through which high school students can earn college credit, just 62% of New Jersey's private high schools offer these advanced courses. AP

AP Scores Are Among the Nation's Best: New Jersey public school students have the 2nd highest average Advanced Placement (AP) exam scores in the nation. AP

Public School Students Outperform Private Schools on AP Exams: In New Jersey, public school students score higher than private school students on their AP exams. AP

Public School Students Outperform Private School Students on AP Exams: New Jersey public high school students are more likely than private and religious school students to receive grades on Advanced Placement (AP) exams that qualify for college credit. AP

Among the Best in the Nation in Students Taking AP Calculus: New Jersey is one of the top 4 states in the proportion of high school seniors taking the Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus exam. CCS

Among the Best in the Nation in Students Taking AP Science: New Jersey is one of the top 3 states in the proportion of high school seniors taking an Advanced Placement (AP) Science exam. CCS

Among the Best in the Nation in Students Receiving a High Score on AP Science Exams: New Jersey is one of the top 6 states in the nation in the proportion of students (71%) who have received a score high enough to earn college credit on an Advanced Placement (AP) Science exam. CCS

College Entrance Exams Are Among the Nation's Best: New Jersey is one of the top 12 states in the proportion of high school graduates with scores in the top 20% nationally on either ACT or SAT college entrance examinations. HE

The Best Graduation Rates in the Country: New Jersey's public high school graduation rate is the highest--1st out of 50--in the country. EDP

Among the Best in the Nation in Students Going on to College: The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education gives New Jersey a score of 91 for the proportion of students who go on to college, the 11th highest score in the country. HE

Among the Best in the Nation in Students Going on to College: New Jersey is one of the top 3 states in the percentage of high school graduates going on to college. HE

Among the Nation's Biggest Gains in College Entrance Exam Scores: New Jersey is one of the top 7 states in the increase over the past decade in the proportion of school graduates with scores in the top 20% nationally on either ACT or SAT college entrance examinations. HE

High Quality Teachers

Middle and High School Math Teachers Are the Most Qualified in the Nation: New Jersey is the #1 state in the nation in the proportion of 7th through 12th grade public school math teachers with majors in their field. CCS

Math Teacher Qualification in Middle and High Schools Are on the Rise: The proportion of 7th through 12th grade public school math teachers with majors in their field has increased by 30%, making New Jersey the #1 most improved state in the nation. CCS

Middle and High School Science Teachers Are Among the Most Qualified in the Nation: New Jersey is the #1 state in the nation in proportion of 7th through 12th grade public school science teachers with majors in their field. CCS

Science Teacher Qualification in Middle and High Schools Are on the Rise: The proportion of 7th through 12th grade public school science teachers with majors in their field has increased by 13%, making New Jersey one of the top 8 most improved states in the nation. CCS

Even More Good News

Among the Nation's "Smartest States": New Jersey has been named as one of the four "smartest states" in the country based on the quality of its public elementary and secondary schools. ESR

High School Graduation Rate the Best in the Nation: New Jersey ranks at the top of all states in the percent of entering 9th graders who go on to graduate high school. ESR

Among the Best in the Nation in Preparing Students for College: The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education gives New Jersey a grade of "A" for how well its schools prepare students for college. HE

Foreign Language Programs Are Among Nation's Best: New Jersey leads the nation in cutting edge foreign language immersion programs for elementary school students-taking advantage of the natural capacity of young children to learn languages. It is one of the top 2 states in the nation in the percentage of public primary schools offering foreign language immersion programs. ESR

Best State in School Attendance: New Jersey is the #1 state in the country in the percentage of public school 8th graders attending schools without an absenteeism problem. EWQ

High Attendance Rate: On a typical school day, the attendance rate of New Jersey's public school students is about 94%. NJA

Computers Highly Available: There is one computer available for instruction for every 3.7 public school students in New Jersey. MDR

Widespread Internet Access: Almost all of the public schools in New Jersey (98%) have internet access. MDR

Yet Challenges Remain

Teacher Salaries Are Declining: Nationwide in the past 10 years, teacher salaries have increased in constant dollars. However, in New Jersey, teacher salaries have declined by 1%. NEA

High Schools Are Among the Nation's Largest: The average size of a New Jersey high school is 42% higher than the national average. With an average of 1071 students per school, New Jersey is the 6th largest state in the nation in the average size of its high schools. ESR

Public School Spending Has Declined: Public education spending per pupil has declined in New Jersey. Since 2001, per pupil spending in constant dollars has declined by 5%. DEF, NRE and ESR

Schools Need Major Repairs: Fifty-three percent (53%) of New Jersey's schools have at least one inadequate building feature (e.g., roofs, plumbing, electric wiring), and 69% have at least one unsatisfactory environmental condition (e.g., poor air quality, poor heating, too much noise). ASC

Endnotes

ASC - American Society of Civil Engineers. 2005 Report Card for America's Infrastructure.

AP - College Board. 2004 AP National and State Summary Report Tables.

SAT - College Board. 2004 SAT National and State Reports. Data published on College Board Online Web site. (Similar data exist for earlier years.)

CCS - Council of Chief State School Officers. State Indicators of Science and Mathematics Education 2003.

ESR - Education State Rankings 2004-2005: Pre K-12 Education in the 50 United States. (Morgan Quitno Press: Lawrence, KS). September, 2004.

EWQ - Education Week. Quality Counts 2005: State of the States.

EDP - Haney, Walt, et al. The Education Pipeline in the United States 1970-2000. (The National Board of Education Testing and Public Policy). January, 2004.

MDR - Market Data Retrieval. Technology in Education 2004.

NBP - National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. State-by-State Listing. November 2004.

DEF - National Center for Education Statistics. Digest of Education Statistics 2003. December 2004.

RCM - National Center for Education Statistics. Nation's Report Card: Mathematics Highlights 2003. November 2003.

NAR - National Center for Education Statistics. Nation's Report Card: Reading 2002. June 2003.

NRE - National Center for Education Statistics. Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2001-2002. June 2004.

HE - National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. Measuring Up 2004: The State-by-State Report Card for Higher Education. November 2004.

NEA - National Education Association. Rankings and Estimates: Rankings of the States 2003 and Estimates of School Statistics 2004. May 2004.

NJB - New Jersey Department of Education. May 2004 Elementary School Proficiency Assessment (ESPA) State Summary.

NJA - New Jersey Department of Education. May 1999 Elementary School Proficiency Assessment (ESPA) State Summary.

NJR - New Jersey Department of Education. New Jersey School Report Card, 2003-2004.

NJV - New Jersey Department of Education. Vital Education Statistics, 2002-2003.