Quality Public Education for All New Jersey Students

 

 
     3-30-13 Education in the News - Dept of Education-State Budget, Autism Rates in NJ
     3-20-12 Education Issues in the News
     3-6-12Tenure Reform News - Discussion at Senate Education Committee
     2-23-12 State Aid Figures Released late today: GSCS Statement
     2-29-12 NJTV on NJ School Funding...and, Reporters' Roundtable back on the aire
     S1455 Ruiz TEACHNJ Act, introduced February 2012
     S1455 Ruiz TEACHNJ Act
     November Elections for Schools - Department of Education FAQ's
     1-18-12 GSCS ‘Take’ on the School Elections Law
     1-24-12 Education Issues in the News
     1-24-12 Supreme Court Justices Nominated by Governor Christie
     Committe Assignments for 2012-2013 under the new 215th Legislature rolling out
     Education Transformation Task Force Initial Report...45 recommendations for starters
     9-12-11 Governor's Press Notice & Fact Sheet re: Education Transformation Task Force Report
     Democrat Budget Proposal per S4000, for Fiscal Year 2011-2012
     Additional School Aid [if the school funding formula,SFRA, were fully funded for all districts] per Millionaires' Tax bill S2969
     6-24-11 Democrat Budget Proposal brings aid to all districts
     6-1-11 Supreme Court Justice nominee, Anne Paterson, passed muster with Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday by 11-1 margin
     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
     4-25-11 Charter Schools in Suburbia: More Argument than Agreement
     4-24-11 Major Education Issues in the News
     4-21-11 Supreme Court hears school funding argument
     4-14-11 Governor Releases Legislation to Address Education Reform Package
     4-13-11 Governor's Proposed Legislation on Education Reform April 2011
     4-5-11 Education Issues in the News
     4-8-11 Education Issues in the News
     4-7-11 Gov. Christie - 'Addressing New Jersey's Most Pressing Education Challenges'
     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
     4-1-11 N.J. gets 58 charter school applications
     3-31-11 Charters an Issue in the Suburbs - and - So far, only 7 Separate Questions on April School Budget Ballots
     3-26-11 New Jersey’s school-funding battle could use a dose of reality
     Link to Special Master Judge Doyne's Recommendations on School Funding law to the Supreme Court 3-22-11
     3-22-11 Special Master's Report to the Supreme Court: State did not meet its school funding obligation
     GSCS - Local District Listing : Local Funds Transferred to Charter Schools 2001-2010
     GSCS Bar Chart: Statewide Special Education cost percent compared to Regular & Other Instructional cost percent 2004-2011
     3-4-11 'Teacher Evaluation Task Force Files Its Report'
     3-6-11 Poll: Tenure reform being positively received by the public
     Link to Teacher Evaluation Task Force Report
     GSCS Take on Governor's Budget Message
     Gov's Budget Message for Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Today, 2pm
     Tenure Reform - Video patch to Commissioner Cerf's presentation on 2-16-10
     2-16-11 Commissioner Cerf talks to educators on Tenure, Merit Pay , related reforms agenda
     Assembly Education Committee hearing Feb 2-10-11
     Assembly Education Committee hearing today, Feb 10, 2011
     9-12-10 ‘Schools coping, in spite of steep cuts'
     12-10-10 ‘NJN could get funding to stay on air as lawmakers weigh network's fate’
     2-7-11 Education - and Controversy - in the News
     1-25-11 Education in the News
     1-24-11 GSCSS Testimony before Assembly Education Committee: Charter School Reform
     1-24-11 GSCS Testimony on Charter School Reform before Assembly Eduction Committee today
     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
     12-12-10 'Rash of upcoming superintendent retirements raises questions on Gov. Christie's pay cap'
     12-8-10 Education & Related Issues in the News - Tenure Reform, Sup't Salary Caps Reactions, Property Valuations Inflated
     12-7-10 Education Issues continue in the news
     12-6-10 njspotlight.com 'Christie to Name New Education Commissioner by Year End'
     12-5-10 Sunday News - Education-related Issues
     11-19-10 In the News - First Hearing held on Superintendent Salary Caps at Kean University
     11-19-10 NJ Spotlight reports on 'National Report Card (NAEP) Rates NJ Schools'
     11-15-10 GSCS meeting with Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver
     GSCS Education Forum Stayed Focused on Quality Education
     Governor's Toolkit Summary - Updated November 2010
     11-18-10 Superintendent Salary Caps to be publicly discussed tonight at Kean University
     10-8-10 Education Issue in the News
     9-15-10 'Governor Christie outlines cuts to N.J. workers' pension, benefits'
     GSCS Heads Up - County-wide school district governance legislation getting ready to move
     9-1-10 Education in the News
     8-31-10 Latest development: Schunder's margin notes reveal application error
     8-27-10 later morning - breaking news: Statehouse Bureau ‘Gov. Chris Christie fires N.J. schools chief Bret Schundler’
     8-27-10 Star Ledger ‘U.S. officials refute Christie on attempt to fix Race to the Top application during presentation’
     8-25-10 Race to the Top articles - the 'day after' news analysis
     8-24-10 Race to the Top Award Recipients named
     8-23-10 S2208 (Sarlo-Allen prime sponsors) passes 36-0 (4 members 'not voting') in the Senate on 8-23-10
     8-16-10 Senate Education hears 'for discussion only' comments re expanding charter school authorization process; Commissioner Schundler relays education priorities to the Committee
     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'
     7-21-10 List of bills in Governor's 'Toolkit'
     Governor's Toolkit bills listing
     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
     7-12-10 Assembly passes S29 - the 2% cap bill - 73 to 4, with 3 not voting
     GSCS re:PropertyTax Cap bill - Exemption needed for Special Education enrollment costs
     7-8-10 Tax Caps, Education in the News
     GSCS:Tax Cap Exemption needed for Special Education Costs
     7-3-10 Governor Christie and Legislative leaders reached agreement today on a 2% property tax cap with 4 major exemptions
     7-1 and 2- 10 Governor Christie convened the Legislature to address property tax reform
     6-29-10 GSCS - The question remains: ? Whither property Tax Reform
     GSCS On the Scene in Trenton: State Budget poised to pass late Monday...Cap Proposals, Opportunity Scholarship Act in Limbo
     GSCS On the Scene in Trenton: Cap Proposals, Opportunity Scholarship Act in Limbo
     6-25-10 Appropriations Act bills for Fiscal Year 2010-2011 available on NJ Legislature website - here are the links
     6-23-10 Trenton News: State Budget on the move...Education Issues
     On the GSCS Radar Screen: Recently proposed (early June '10) legislation S2043 brings back Last Best Offer (LBO) for school boards in negotiations
     On the GSCS RADAR SCREEN S2021 (June '10) sponsored by Senator Tom Kean
     On the GSCS Radar Screen: Recently proposed legislation S2043 brings back Last Best Offer (LBO) for school boards in negotiations
     6-8-10 Education issues in the news today - including 'hold' on pension reform, round two
     On the GSCS Legislative Radar Screen
     6-4-10 S1762 passed unanmiously out of Senate Education Committee yesterday
     6-3-10 RTTT controversy remains top news - articles and editorials, column
     6-2-10 RACE TO THE TOP (RTTT) 'NJ STYLE': It is what it is ...but what exactly is it? Race to the Top application is caught in a crossfire of reports - more information and clarity is needed
     Senate Education Committee Agenda for 6-3-10
     5-11-10 njspotlight.com focuses on NJ's plans for and reactions to education reform
     ADMINISTRATION'S PLANS CITED FOR ROUND 2 - RACE TO THE TOP GRANT
     5-8 & 9-10 Education Reform Proposals Annoucned
     5-9-10 'Gov Christie to propose permanent caps on salary raises for public workers'
     5-3-10 NY Times 'Despite Push, Success at Charter Schools is Mixed
     3-30-10 Race to the Top winners helped by local buy-in
     3-31-10 What's Going on in Local Districts?
     3-26-10 GSCS: Effective & Well-Reasoned Communication with State Leaders is Critical
     3-26-10 School Aid, Budget Shortfall - Impt Related Issues = Front Page News
     3-25-10 NEW PENSION REFORM LAW - INFORMATION
     FAQ's on Pension Reform bills signed into law March 22, 2010
     3-23-10 GSCS Testimony presented to Senate Budget Committee on State Budget FY'11
     3-21-10 Reform bills up for a vote in the Assembly on Monday, March 22
     3-11-10 'GOP vows tools to cut expenses, tighter caps'
     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
     2-26-10 'NJ average property taxes grow 3.3 percent to an average of $7,300'
     2-25-10 Gov. Christie's Red Tape Review Comm., chaired by Lt. Gov. Guadagno, to hold public hearings In March
     2-24-10 Pension Reform bills to be introduced in Assembly this Thursday
     2-24-10 'Tight funds raise class sizes that districts long sought to cut'
     2-22-10 Christie and unions poised to do batttle over budget cuts'
     2-19-10 'Acting NJ education commissioner hoping other savings can ward off cuts'
     2-22-10 Trenton Active Today
     Flyer for March 2 Education 'Summit@Summit'
     MARK YOUR CALENDARS! GSCS GENERAL MEMBERSHIP-STATEWIDE MEETING 'THE SUMMIT AT SUMMIT', TUESDAY MARCH 2, 7:30 p.m., Details to follow
     2-14-10 'FAQ's on NJ's state of fiscal emergency declaration by Gov. Christie'
     2-12-10 Assembly Budget hearing posted for this Wednesday, Feb. 17
     FY2010 Budget Solutions - PRESS PACKET
     School Aid Withheld Spreadsheet
     2-12-10 News Coverage: Governor Christie's message on actions to address current fiscal year state budget deficits
     2-11-10 Gov Christie address to Joint Session of the Legislature on state budget and current year aid reduction remains scheduled for today
     2-10-10 'Schools are likely targets for NJ budget cuts'
     2-9-10 News article posted this morning notes potential for large loss of current year school aid
     2-8-10 Northjersey.com editorial 'Tightenting our Belts'
     2-8-10 'School leaders around N.J. wait and worry over state aid figures'
     2-8-10'Gov Christie, lawmakers proporse sweeping pension, health care changes for public employees'
     2-4-10 'Christie advisers call for tough new school rules'
     1-28-10 School Surplus plan to supplant State Aid in this year gaining probability
     Governor Christie Education Transition Team Report , released 1-22-10
     1-22-10 "N.J. poll finds support for easier teach dismissal, merit pay'
     1-20-10 'N.J. files application for federal Race to the Top education money'
     1-20-10 Editorials, Commentary on New Governor in Trenton
     1-18-10 Advance news on 'Christie as new Governor'
     GSCS to speak at Tri-District 'Open' meeting in Monmouth on January 27
     1-15-10 Education News-Race to the Top incentives, NCLB annual results, supermajority vote upheld
     1-14-10 'N.J. Gov.-elect Christie targets teachers' union with Schundler appointment'
     1-14-10 'To lead schools, Christie picks voucher advocate'
     1-12-10 Lame Duck Session is over
     1-11-10 Transition News
     1-10-10 'Educators say consolidating school districts doesn't add up'
     1-8-10 Of Note for schools - from Lame Duck session yesterday, 1-7-10
     1-6-10 Race to the Top Plans on the move, not without conflict
     1-6-10 Lame Duck Legislative Calendar Updated
     12-31-09 Commissioner invites chief school administrators to Race to the Top meeting
     1-5-10 GSCS: Update on January 4 Lame Duck Session & State School Aid Proposal
     1-5-10 Lame Duck Legislative Calendar through January 12th
     1-5-10 Update on January 4 Lame Duck Session
     12-23-09 Gannett article provides details on Gov. Corzine's proposal to use additional surplus in place of state aid
     12-23-09 GSCS: Governor Corzine targets excess school surplus to replace state aid payments starting in Feb '10 - lame duck legislation anticipated
     1-4-10 Legislative Calendar through January 12th
     1-4-10 Assembly Education Committee Agenda
     12-30-09 January 4th Senate Quorum -Committee Schedule (Assembly not yet public information)
     January 2010 Lame Duck Legislative Schedule
     12-15-09 Also on the GSCS Radar Screen
     12-15-09 On the GSCS Radar Screen: S2850 poised for a vote
     11-17-09 Politickernj's 'Inside Edge' on Possible Education Committee Chairs
     11-19-09 GSCS HEADS UP: Prevailing Wage bills on 'lame duck fast track' to be heard on 11-23-09
     11-13-09 Education Week on: Gov-elect Christie's Education Agenda; Race to the Top Funds Rules
     11-12-09 p.m. Lame Duck Schedule Announced
     10-26-09 'High school sports spending grows as budgets get tighter inNew Jersey'
     10-2009 On the GSCS Radar Screen
     10-1-09 Education Week on Acheivement Gap narrowing; Algebra Testing
     10-1-09 Information on S2850 Prevailing Wage bill - food service workers included
     9-29-09 My Central NJ article on merging v home rule struggle
     GSCS Report on its Annual Meeting June 2009
     9-27-09 Education News of Note
     9-23-09 'Tests changing for special ed students'
     9-13-09 As an issue for N.J.(Gubernatorial election), schools are in'
     8-10-09 News of Note
     8-7-09 'Bill would strengthen teacher tenure rights'
     7-14-09 Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial
     6-26-09 Floor Amendment to A1489 re Extracurricular fees
     6-26-09 Executive Director to GSCS Trustees; Wrap Up Report - State Budget and Assembly bills this week
     6-26-09 Education Issues in the News
     6-23-09 A4141 & S3000 clarifies how to eliminate Non-Operating school districts
     6-23-09 Grassroots at Work re A4140, A4142 and A1489
     6-23-09 Press of Atlantic City on Assembly Education hearing yestserday
     6-22-09 Assembly Education moves bills out of committee
     6-22-09 GSCS Testimony A1489, A4140, A4142
     6-22-09 Bills A4140, 4142, and A1489
     6-21-09 Assembly Education hearing for 6-22 9 am
     6-15-09 GSCS Testifies on its concerns re S2850
     6-11-09 GSCS - it sometimes defies logic
     4-5-09 The Record, Sunday April 5, Front Page Opinion
     4-5-09 A new approach to an old math problem'
     12-28-08 NY Times 'Pension Fight Signals What Lies Ahead'
     12-29-08 NJ to new leaders - Fund our schools
     12-21-08 GSCS EMAILNET - Excerpts
     11-25-08 Perspective piece criticizes recent Supreme Court Abbott decision
     11-24-08 Editorial asks for preschool initiative slow down
     11-23-08 'State lacks financial incentives to sell concept of school mergers'
     11-4-08 NCLB early test results
     10-6-08 D.O.E. October Workshops on Transforming High Schools
     10-6-08 October Workshops on Tranforming High Schools
     GSCS, Special Education Coalition for Funding Reform, and Rutgers Institute co-sponsor Forum Oct 7th
     10-8-08 GSCS spotlights preschool expansion implementation issues as a prioirty
     9-30-08 Senate Education Committee meets 10-2-08
     9-24-08 Editorials re High School Redesign issues
     9-24-08 Commissioner of Education at Assembly Education Committee yesterday
     9-24-08 Supreme Court hearing on constitutionality of School Funding Reform Act
     9-17-08 HIGH SCHOOL 'REDESIGN' PLAN TO BE DISCUSSED AT STATE BOARD OF ED TODAY
     SAVE THE DATE - OCT. 7TH
     6-17-08 School bills passed in Assembly yesterday
     6-13-08 News on Education Committee actions yesterday in Trenton
     4-07 The CORE bill 'A4' in its entirety
     5-15-08 Bills A10 and A15 already posted for a vote in the Assembly this Monday 5-19-08
     9-20-07 New Jersey School Boards Assoc. Releases its Report on Special Education
     9-20-07 With eyes on the future, justices look back at Abbott
     7-31-07 EMAILNET Status of School Funding Formula, more
     Public Education Institute Forum 9-19-07
     Recent education Research articles of note from Public Educ Network
     APRIL '07 MOODY's OUTLOOK ON SCHOOLS -NEGATIVE
     8-9-06 Special Session Jt Comm on Consolidation of Govt Services meeting 8-8-06
     8-2-06 Special Session 4 committees description
     8-2-06 Legislature's descriptoin of Jt Comm on School Funding Reform
     7--31-06 Legislature appoints Joint Committees on Property Tax Reform
     7-29-06 School Funding formula draws mixed reactions
     7-28-06 Gov to legislature: make history, cut taxes
     7-27-06 Trenton begins its move to address property taxes
     7-25-06 Associated Press Prop Tax Q & A
     7-19-06 Ledger -Advocates sue for release of report on school funding
     7-16-06 (thru 7-21-06) Bergen Record series investigate cost of NJ public services & property tax link
     7-18-06 Live from the Ledger
     7-18-06 Education Law Center takes state to court over funding study
     7-18-07 Star Ledger on high taxes & quality education in one town
     7-16-06 Bergen Record series investigate cost of NJ public services & property tax link
     7-14-06 EMAILNET
     7-13-06 Articles - Property tax issues, teacher salaries, voucher suit filing
     7-12-06 Statehouse starts talking specifics about property tax reform
     7-11-06 Talk of Special Session on Property Tax Reform
     6-15-06 Star Ledger, Gannet articles- Abbott advocates demand school reform at educ. dept
     A54 Roberts - Revises title and duties of county supterintendent
     Status of Senate bills related to SCI report
     6-12-06 EMAILNET - Extraordinary Special Education student aid; FY07 Budget 'crunch' is on; news clips
     6-6-06 Legislative Leaders announce initial plans for property tax reform
     S1546 Moves School Elections - GSCS Position
     Representative GSCSTestimonies
     Funding Coalition submits paper 'Beginning Discussions on School Funding Reform'
     Find Your Legislator
     5-14-06N Y Times 'For school budgets the new word is NO'
     Assembly Speaker Roberts proposes 'CORE' plan for schools & towns
     AR168 WatsonColeman-Stanley
     5-16-06 EMAILNET Action in Trenton
     5-10-06 A Lot is going on - Major News fromTrenton
     5-9-06 Supreme Ct freezes aid & Asm Budget Comm grills DOE Commissioner
     4-21-06 School budget election fallout - politicians & press comment
     3-28-06 GSCS testimony before Assembly Budget Comm today
     4-17-06 EMAILNET
     4-8-07 Corzine Administration files brief with Supreme Court re Abbott funding
     4-16-06 Star Ledger editorial & article re Gov v. Abbott from 4-15-06
     3-28-06 GSCS testimony before Assembly Budget Comm
     Legislative Calendar during State Budget FY07 process
     3-24-06 Schools learn who wins, loses in Corzine budget
     3-10-06 Star Ledger 'Time is ripe for poorer districts to contribute.
     2-22-06 New York Times NCLB - 20 states ask for flexibility
     2-1-06 EMAILNET GSCS Advocacy FY07 Budget; On the Homepage Today
     Governor Corzine's Transition Team Reports
     1-25-06 Star Ledger 'School District's Woes Point to Rising Tax Resistance'
     1-19-06 EMAILNET Quick Facts, On the Homepage Today
     The Record7-10-05 Sunday Front Page Must Read
     GSCS submission to Governor Corzine's Education Policy Transiton Team
     1-15-06 The Record 2 Sunday Articles anticipating top issues confronting the Corzine administration
     1-15-06 Sunday Star Ledger front page on Property Taxes
     1-12-06 Star Ledger 'Lawmaker pushes tax relief plan'
     12-14-05 Asbury ParkPress Editorial 'Re-assess the ABC's of School Funding' notes the Governor's role is critical in making positive change occur
     Star Ledger 6-17-06 Seniors call for Tax Convention Senate Prefers Special Session
     Activists Hope to Revive School Funding Issue
     December 2005 Harvard Famiily Research Project Links
     12-5-05 Governor-elect Corzine selects policy advisory groups
     EMAILNET 12-3-05 Heads Up!
     YOU ARE INVITED - GSCS Invitation: Members and friends of education are invited to a December 7 Symposium on School Funding 'It's Time to get off the Dime - Pitfalls, Priorities and Potential'
     10-19-05 Courier Post-Gannett article on Gubernatorial Debate
     11-1-05 EMAILNET More information on Gubernatorial Candidates
     Lameduck Legislative Calendar November 10 2005 - January 9, 2006
     11-9-05 8 a.m. Election November 8 2005 information
     11-8-05 EMAILNET You are invited to Dec & Symposium on School Funding
     10-14-05 EMAILNET Parent question for Gubernatorial Candidates aired on 101.5 debate, SCC funds, Next Board meeting, press briefing notes
     November 8 2005 YOUR VOTE TODAY COUNTS ... Some news articles worth reading
     Education Law Center Issues Guildlines for Abbot School Districts
     10-16-05 Sunday Star Ledger & Gannet news articles on gubernatorial candidates take on important issues related to public education issues
     10-5-05 PRESS BRIEFING ON SCHOOL AID & FUNDING SPONSORED by Ad Hoc School Finance Discussion Group, GSCS is participant...10-6-05 ASbury Park Press (Gannett) & Press of Atlantic City articles
     Proposed State Budget for Fiscal Year 2006 - GSCS Testimony
     GSCS Testimony before Constitutional Convention Task Force
     NCLB
4-29-11 BOOMERANG! Near 80 per cent of School Budgets Passed in Wednesday'sSchool Elections
Press of Atlantic City - Some school budgets defeated in Wednesday's vote had no tax hikes

Njspotlight.com - Garden State Voters Approve 80 Percent of School Budgets...Light voter turnout revives various plans to move school elections to a more auspicious date

Star Ledger - Nearly 80 percent of N.J. school budgets pass, representing highest rate in a decade

Press of Atlantic City - Some school budgets defeated in Wednesday's vote had no tax hikes

By Diane D’Amico Posted: Thursday, April 28, 2011 10:54 pm | Updated: 10:59 pm, Thu Apr 28, 2011.

Some school budgets defeated in Wednesday's vote had no tax hikes By DIANE D'AMICO Education Writer pressofAtlanticCity.com | 0 comments

Officials in districts with school budgets that were defeated in Wednesday's elections are hoping to convince their local municipal officials to not make additional staff and program cuts, especially in districts where the budget contained no property-tax increase.

"I'm going to wait to see what they want," said Greater Egg Harbor Regional Superintendent Steven Ciccariello, whose budget was voted down by voters in all four sending districts - Galloway Township, Hamilton Township, Egg Harbor City and Mullica Township. Only Mullica voters approved their own local K-8 school budget, leaving officials in the other three municipalities with two defeated school budgets to review.

Results are still not official, and at least one school budget, in Egg Harbor Town-ship, appears to have been rescued from defeat by the results of absentee ballots still being counted Thursday. County clerks must certify the final results before they are released, and tallies in a few local school budget and school board races were so close that absentee ballots could change the results.

State law requires that defeated school budgets be reviewed by municipal governing bodies, whose members can ask for additional cuts. The municipal body can also approve the defeated budget as is. In two districts with defeated budgets, Wildwood and Hamilton Township, the school portion of the local property-tax levy is already at the minimum allowed by the state, so no additional cuts can be made.

As part of the school funding process, the state sets the minimum dollar amount a school district must contribute to its budget. That amount is dictated by formula, and the so-called "local fair share" is based on the district's economic and social characteristics and its ability to pay.

Statewide, 80 percent of school budgets were approved by voters, an improvement over last year, when only 42 percent were approved. Raymond R. Wiss, president of the New Jersey School Boards Association, said voters recognized district efforts to stay within the new 2 percent cap on local property-tax levies.

New Jersey Education Association President Barbara Keshishian said voters agreed that children have suffered enough after last year's cuts.

Atlantic County voters, however, appeared to disagree, rejecting seven of 11 budgets, including some with tax cuts. Based on the regional funding formula, the Greater Egg budget would have reduced tax rates in Mullica and Hamilton, and raised them less than a penny in Galloway. Ciccariello said the budget maintained all academic, extracurricular and athletic programs, but that's only after they were already cut back this year.

School officials said they think the rejections reflect a local economy that is still struggling. Budgets in Weymouth Township, Wildwood, Hamilton Township and Upper Township all had no property-tax increases, yet were still defeated. Voted-down budgets in Galloway Township, Wildwood Crest and Egg Harbor City had tax increases well under the 2 percent cap, adding a penny or less to the tax rate.

"I just think people are still unemployed and tired of paying taxes," Hamilton School Business Administrator Martha Jamison said.

Galloway Township Superintendent Annette Giaquinto said the tax increase there would cost a taxpayer with a house assessed at $200,000 about $16 a year. The budget was defeated by 27 votes, and she is hoping the Township Committee takes that into consideration. Reducing the tax rate back to this year's level would mean having to cut about $500,000.

"The tax rate is already less than it was two years ago," she said. "But the economy is still challenged."

Egg Harbor City Superintendent John Gilly also hopes the closeness of the vote there - 95-80 - will convince city officials not to make drastic cuts.

A 5-cent tax-rate increase was proposed in Absecon, but solely to cover increased tuition for a record number of the district's high school students opting to attend public high schools rather than private schools, as they had in the past. Superintendent James Giaquinto said that since the tuition must be paid, cuts can be made only from the district's K-8 programs.

Absecon's budget was defeated 262-207.

"I think the council understands the situation," he said. "We did our best to get the message out."

School officials said so many cuts were made last year that any additional cuts for next year will likely have to come from programs and staff.

"If they want more cuts, it will likely lead to layoffs," Upper Township school Business Administrator Laurie Ryan said. "But we're hoping (township officials) recognize there was no tax increase, and ask for no more cuts."

Wildwood Crest school Business Administrator Greg Rohrman said his district may have to consolidate more classrooms if more cuts are made.

"Right now we're down to just programs and staff," he said. If the proposed half-penny tax increase is cut, it would mean reducing the budget $120,000, or two positions.

Weymouth Township Superintendent Donna Van Horn said the small district cannot budget any tighter, and since the Township Committee was supportive of the budget, she is hoping they will not ask for more cuts. She wished the sample ballots would tell people if the tax rate is going up or down.

"The wording includes nothing that says there is no tax increase," she said. "We don't have the money to spend on advertising, so it's hard to get the word out to the community."

Contact Diane D'Amico: 609-272-7241 DDamico@pressofac.com

Garden State Voters Approve 80 Percent of School Budgets

Light voter turnout revives various plans to move school elections to a more auspicious date

By John Mooney, April 29 in Education |1 Comment

The 80 percent of school budgets approved by voters on Wednesday was notable. So was how few voters cast ballots, even by school election standards.

Related Links

The state has not yet released statewide voter turnout figures, but county-by-county numbers showed that the annual budget votes were lightly attended in many places.

In Hudson, fewer than 10 percent of registered voters cast ballots. In Cumberland, it was below 6 percent, according to the county clerks’ preliminary results. In Union, it was just about 12 percent.

There were exceptions, of course, with Ocean topping 20 percent and Morris close at 18 percent. But it still looked to be a sharp drop statewide from the better than 26 percent who went to the polls last year, and maybe even below the paltry 14 percent to 15 percent that is the norm. (The low of 7 percent in 1985 still seems a safe record.)

The reasons for the light turnout were varied. The lack of budget rhetoric may have contributed, as well as the unusual Wednesday vote. The latter also renewed talk of moving the school elections to a more recognizable day.

"It‘s like having a party and nobody showing up," said state Sen. Shirley Turner (D-Mercer), the sponsor of a long-running bill to move the school elections to November. "Just think of the waste of money for the elections alone."

Still, she and others conceded that the prospects for the bill appear no closer than ever, despite Gov. Chris Christie making a new election date part of his "toolkit" for reigning in municipal and school spending.

"It seems like it has stalled every since [former Assembly Speaker] Joe Roberts left," Turner said, referring to the Assembly speaker who pressed the bill while in office. "It gets through a few committees but never gets posted for a final vote."

The move to November has been raised every few years. The chief arguments against it are that it would devolve into a partisan election and also that it would disrupt a school budget calendar than now runs July to June.

Turner said many school elections are already partisan, but she conceded a springtime vote could be preferable for school budgeting. She also has a bill to move the vote to the June primary election date, while a bill from state Assemblyman Joseph Cryan (D-Union) would combine all nonpartisan local elections in May.

Turner blames her bill's lack of progress on Trenton’s intractability when it comes to the status quo.

"I think some people are worried that sometimes when you increase turnout, you lose control," Turner said. "But when it’s this kind of money, we should have more people weighing in."

This year’s low turnout may in part have been a response to last year, when 59 percent of budgets were rejected – the highest rejection rate on record.

"After all the tempest last year and people up in arms for districts to tighten their belts, they felt this year that schools had gotten the message," said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.

"So much so, they didn’t even feel they needed to vote," he said. "And those who did, it was the people who normally come out, the families and the parents."

Murray said the new 2 percent tax cap also was a big factor, keeping the outraged away from the polls. A vast majority of districts came in well below the 2 percent cap.

"Districts worked extra hard to make sure nobody was upset," Murray said. "The fact the turnout was low is one of the hallmarks of that."

Still, it’s a perennial debate as to what can be done to engage more citizens in the school vote, the only one in which citizens vote directly on government spending -- local, state or national.

 

Star Ledger - Nearly 80 percent of N.J. school budgets pass, representing highest rate in a decade

Published: Friday, April 29, 2011, 7:30 AM     Updated: Friday, April 29, 2011, 8:12 AM

By Jessica Calefati/The Star-Ledger The Star-Ledger

Bound Brook Superintendent Edward Hoffman was not expecting his district’s budget to pass — voters in the Somerset County town have only approved the school budget twice in the past 15 years.

"In the best of years, you don’t expect our budget to pass," Hoffman said.

But for Bound Brook and hundreds of other school districts across the state, the consequences of leaner budgets last year — including program cuts, teacher layoffs, and higher extracurricular activity fees — spelled a new result:

New Jersey voters approved nearly 80 percent of the school budgets considered Wednesday, the highest rate of passage in a decade and a stunning reversal of last year’s record budget defeats, according to the New Jersey School Boards Association.

"Voters understood the difficult choices many school boards had to make this year when developing their budget proposals," said Raymond Wiss, president of the school boards association.

In total, New Jerseyans approved 429 of the 538 budgets considered, with 100 percent passage rates in Somerset, Essex and Morris counties. Most districts proposed budgets at or below the 2 percent tax cap Gov. Chris Christie and the state Legislature imposed last year.

Last year, Christie became a lightning rod for taxpayer fury over the economy by urging voters to "send a message" and defeat budgets in districts where teachers refused a pay freeze. His rhetoric helped lead six in 10 budgets to fail.

This year, Christie kept quiet on school budgets, and results swung dramatically in the opposite direction. Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for the governor, said the effective tax cap is the reason behind this year’s high budget approval rate, not Christie’s silence.

"What we take away from the results is that the new cap law worked as intended, keeping local spending under control and predictable and giving voters who pay the taxes final say on whether to exceed the cap," Drewniak said.

Plainfield, Woodbridge and Bound Brook are a few of many districts where budgets were approved Wednesday after having been rejected last year. Other districts, however, had their spending plans rejected two years in a row, including Dunellen, Spotswood and Delaware Valley Regional.

New Jersey Education Association president Barbara Keshishian said voters sent a clear message in yesterday’s school budget elections: "Our students have suffered enough.

"Even though voters are still concerned about rising property taxes, yesterday’s results show that they are not willing to sacrifice out children’s future by cutting off funding for public education," Keshishian said.

Sandy Giercyk, president of the Parsippany-Troy Hills Parent Teacher Association, said voters are starting to understand what it means to vote down a school budget. After voters defeated Parsippany’s budget last year and the district endured Christie’s repeated attacks on Superintendent Leroy Seitz’s salary, Giercyk said she was "ecstatic" about Wednesday’s approval.

"You as a taxpayer vote no, but you don’t get to pick what goes," Giercyk said. "A ‘no’ vote loses programs and services. People think it’s going to decrease teacher benefit packages. It’s not."

Staff writers Dan Goldberg and Eugene Paik contributed to this report.