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
4-8-11 Education Issues in the News
Star Ledger - N.J. lawyers, advocates for poor students gear up for N.J. Supreme Court hearing on school funding

Njspotlight.com – 1) Christie's Tenure Reform Remains A Work in Progress, and, 2)Fine Print: Abbott Briefs With the latest filings in the Abbott v. Burke school equity case, both plaintiffs and defendants are ready for oral arguments

Courier Post - Views split on charter schools

Newsroomnewjersey.com - Poll: Black voters strong supporters of Gov. Christie's plan for charter school expansion

 

Star Ledger - N.J. lawyers, advocates for poor students gear up for N.J. Supreme Court hearing on school funding

Published: Thursday, April 07, 2011, 9:45 PM     Updated: Friday, April 08, 2011, 6:52 AM

By Chris Megerian/Statehouse Bureau The Star-Ledger

TRENTON — State lawyers call last month’s report on school funding cuts a useless and narrow-minded assessment, but advocates for poor students say it’s an incisive condemnation of New Jersey’s failure to support its neediest kids.

The two sides made these arguments in new briefs filed today in the latest installment of the long-running Abbott vs. Burke school funding saga. Both sides are gearing up for the April 20 hearing before the state Supreme Court in a case with far-reaching consequences for the state’s schools and budget.

The Newark-based Education Law Center asks the state’s highest court to force Gov. Chris Christie and lawmakers to spend more on schools. It says the state underfunded schools by $1.6 billion last year and violated the state constitution’s mandate to "provide a thorough and efficient system" of public schools.

The state has pleaded poverty, saying its precarious fiscal situation prevents it from fully funding the formula approved by the court in 2009. It also says the formula is overly generous since it was created right before the economic crash.

The fault line in today’s briefs is the report from Superior Court Judge Peter Doyne, who was asked by the Supreme Court to study the impact of Christie’s budget cuts before justices made a decision in the case. Doyne concluded they disproportionately harmed poor districts, undercutting the state’s argument that funding cuts had been spread fairly.

After the report was released, the state asked Peter Verniero, the former New Jersey attorney general and Supreme Court justice, to lead its legal team. The brief filed by the state today criticizes Doyne’s report as myopic — it did not consider education policies like teacher tenure or the state’s overall fiscal situation — and having "no basis for any real conclusions."

The state also said the review is incomplete because student performance reviews won’t be available until next January, preventing the court from determining whether students were actually hampered by lower funding.

The Education Law Center, by contrast, heaped praise on Doyne’s report, saying it accurately diagnosed spending cuts as a "grave constitutional violation ... The resulting harm to New Jersey school children ... is severe and immediate."

More than one-third of all school districts statewide, which educate nearly three-fourths of all at-risk students, are funded below the formula’s standards, the Law Center said. Schools have cut teaching positions, increased class sizes and reduced student programs.

The Supreme Court’s decision in the case could have drastic consequences for the state budget, and Democrats and Republicans alike are bracing for the outcome.

If the court orders more funding, Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff said the state may need to gouge funding for things like Medicaid, property-tax relief and municipal aid.

Some Democrats are pushing for a "millionaires tax" on the state’s highest earners to provide more school funding. Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth) criticized the idea, saying the tax would fail to cover all the funding the court may require. "Do the math," he said. "Where are you going to get the rest of the money?"

Even some Democrats who say Christie’s school funding cuts are unconstitutional are apprehensive about the Supreme Court’s decision.

"I hope the court interprets it fairly, and if the governor is right, then we move forward," Assembly Budget Chairman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) said. "If he’s wrong, then we have work to do."

Jarrett Renshaw contributed to this report.

Njspotlight.com - Fine Print: Abbott Briefs

With the latest filings in the Abbott v. Burke school equity case, both plaintiffs and defendants are ready for oral arguments

By John Mooney, April 8 in Education

Summary: The Christie administration and the Education Law Center (ELC) yesterday filed to the state Supreme Court their latest legal briefs in the Abbott v. Burke school equity case, in preparation for April 20 oral arguments before the court.

Related Links

What they mean: The briefs lay out the opposing arguments in the umpteenth -- actually more than that -- round in this epic case, with the ELC in the driver’s seat and specifically calling for full funding of the state’s school finance law.

A little context: The briefs are in response to a fact-finding report from a lower court judge who found that Gov. Chris Christie’s and the legislature’s $1 billion in cuts to schools this year left them unable to provide a "through and efficient" education for all children, as the state constitution requires. The court now has that report before it as it decides what, if any, remedy to order.

Key line from the plaintiffs: "Most fundamentally, this relief is essential for the Court to fulfill its promise to remain 'committed to its role in enforcing the constitutional rights of children of this State, should the formula prove ineffective or the required funding not be forthcoming.'"

Key line from the defendants: Written by former Justice Peter Verniero, brought in by the Christie administration to argue this round, the state’s response continues to argue that New Jersey's budget crunch necessitates revisiting how schools are funded. He also argues it is for the executive and legislative branches to decide, not the judiciary. "The State urges the court to consider the full weight of the State’s fiscal crisis. In so doing, the court should defer to the elected branches and their careful balancing of multiple constitutional mandates."

What this all means in dollars: The ELC doesn’t put a dollar figure on its proposed remedy, but it specifically asks for the state to provide the money going forward, not for the current school year. And it lays out a three-year timeframe. The gap between current state aid and what is required under the funding act is about $1.6 billion, so by one measure, it could roughly be another $500 million each year.

The governor’s version: Christie spoke in New York City yesterday about his reform agenda and chided the court’s history of ordering more funding for what he has called "failing" schools, with few results to show for it. "If $25 billion a year hasn’t fixed the problem, what’s another $1.6 billion going to do," he said.

Hold onto your hats: The court clearly wants to rule sooner than later, and speak to the fiscal 2012 state budget now under debate in the legislature. It has twice moved up the schedule for the case to be heard, with oral arguments now scheduled for April 20. That doesn’t guarantee a decision in time for the next budget, but it sure makes it likely.

 

Njspotlight.com - Christie's Tenure Reform Remains A Work in Progress

The governor's speech fills in a few details, but here are three unanswered questions

By John Mooney, April 8 in Education |Post a Comment

Gov. Chris Christie yesterday added some details -- and nuance -- to his proposal for revamping teacher tenure and evaluation. He also added a few more questions about exactly what his plan will look like when it is finally written into legislation and regulation.

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In a much-touted speech in New York City, hosted by the Brookings Institute, Christie was at his most conciliatory, praising teachers and inviting them to be part of the process for developing better systems for judging their peers.

He even hinted that teachers themselves might be on the evaluation teams in each district, the first time he has shown any support for peer review.

Christie's office couldn't offer much more information on that point afterward, which makes it one of a number of unanswered questions about a bill that has yet to be presented, months after the governor first proposed many of these reforms.

Here are three of the biggest questions:

Where exactly is the bill?

Christie’s office said a bill is "to follow," but largely stuck to yesterday's press release, which rehashed many of the tenets that Christie and his education commissioner, Chris Cerf, have presented before.

Senator Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex) is said to be taking the lead in the legislature as chair of the Senate education committee. But she has said her bill would not include all of Christie’s proposals. Ruiz was not talking yesterday, but a spokeswoman for the Senate Majority Office said Ruiz planned to have a bill ready for vote in June.

This may seem more shimmer than substance, but the legislature is going to be central to Christie’s plans, especially those involving any change to the state’s tenure protections. Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan Jr. (D-Middlesex), chairman of the Assembly’s education committee, said last week at a conference of New Jersey school principals that he would not support Christie’s tenure proposal as it now stood, a big obstacle given that he controls the committee’s agenda.

Will the state be mandating precisely how teachers are evaluated?

Christie spoke a little more to this yesterday, saying that local districts should be given the authority to devise their own evaluation systems, as long as they meet certain state standards.

His proposed requirements remain unchanged: half of the evaluation would be based on student performance, and half based on teacher practice as observed in the classroom. How that is defined is still to be worked out, but Christie did say yesterday that he recognized the limits of standardized tests as the sole measure of student achievement. That has been the most contentious part of his plan, and he clearly seemed intent yesterday on softening the hardest edges. He pointed out that some subjects may not be easily measured by these tests, such as music and art. He also noted that special education teachers also pose unique challenges.

How do you measure the intangibles?

This may be one of those questions that is never adequately answered, but it remains at the core of whether any of Christie's systems will succeed.

In his speeches the governor has often mentioned the hard-to-measure qualities of teaching, how parents know who the good teachers are in a school and who the mediocre ones are -- without benefit of test scores. He has also praised his own teachers, growing up, again for their intangible qualities.

Yesterday, the governor said some of this is based on how much students learn during the course of the year. He also said much of his hope for his evaluation system includes subjective measures taken through classroom observation and other tools for evaluating the teaching "craft."

Several options were included in a task force report completed last month, which Christie has said he would use in developing his own plan. Again, the answers will be in the details, but the governor's statements thus far have not articulated how any of this will be mandated.

 

Courier Post - Views split on charter schools

8:03 AM, Apr. 8, 2011  |  

BOB JORDAN
New Jersey Press Media

New Jersey residents are split on the continuing growth of charter schools, with a Rutgers-Eagleton Poll released Thursday showing 44 percent of registered voters support the increase while 42 percent oppose adding more charters.

Gov. Chris Christie's proposed annual budget includes increased aid to charter schools, which are tuition-free independent public schools. He is also pushing for a streamlined approval process to get more charter schools started.

"As education issues continue to make headlines here, voters are mixed on their reactions," said David Redlawsk, director of the Rutgers-Eagleton Poll and professor of political science at Rutgers University.

A New Jersey Education Association spokesman said the poll shows "there is a hardly a mandate for runaway expansion of charter schools."

The spokesman, Steve Baker, said the NJEA "supports high-quality charter schools," but noted the state has received applications for unproved online "virtual" schools and from groups with sketchy administrative credentials.

"I think in the poll you can see some caution being expressed by people," Baker said.

Redlawsk said the poll shows some differences from the traditional party line.

"What really stands out is the difference between black and white voters," he said. "African-Americans, while not otherwise supportive of Gov. Christie, are generally behind his plans for charter schools and vouchers."

African-Americans registered 52 percent in favor of more charter schools. Overall, 14 percent say they don't know if they support or oppose an increase in charters.

Newsroomnewjersey.com - Poll: Black voters strong supporters of Gov. Christie's plan for charter school expansion

Thursday, 07 April 2011 15:18

Also favor governor's school choice voucher proposal

New Jersey voters are split on the continuing growth of charter schools in the state, according to a Rutgers-Eagleton Poll made public Thursday.

Forty-four percent of all voters polled support increasing the number of charter schools, while 42 percent oppose adding more. Fourteen percent say they don’t know if they support or oppose an increase. Fifty-two percent of black voters favor more charter schools.

A majority of white voters would prefer to send a child to a public school, but black voters prefer charter schools by a narrow margin. While only 31 percent of whites choose charters, 48 percent of blacks feel the same. Public schools are favored by whites, 51 percent to 43 percent.

Black voters are also more likely than whites to support school choice vouchers which would allow children to attend private schools using taxpayer funding, 54 percent to 36 percent.

“As education issues continue to make headlines here, voters are mixed on their reactions,” Prof. David Redlawsk, the poll director, said. “While there are traditional party-line differences, what really stands out is the difference between black and white voters. African-Americans, while not otherwise supportive of Gov. Christie, are generally behind his plans for charter schools and vouchers.”

Among all voters, supporters of charter schools edge opponents, 44 percent to 42 percent. The numbers are essentially the same for those with at least one child under 18 at home: 41 percent in favor and 44 percent against. Black voters are more positive, however, 52 percent supporting the growth of charter schools and 39 percent opposing.

Those with a favorable impression of Christie also are stronger supporters, 57 percent to 29 percent. Voters unfavorable toward the governor strongly oppose more charter schools, 57 percent to 30 percent. Not surprisingly, only a minority of voters in public employee union households support increasing the number of charter schools, 30 percent to 58 percent who oppose. Support for charters is greater among those in non-union households, 46 percent in favor and 39 percent opposed.

“These data show an interesting split in traditional Democratic constituencies on this issue,” Redlawsk said. “As Governor Christie pushes for more charter schools as a lynchpin in his education plan, public employee union members resist, but African-Americans appear to be on his side.”

Almost 4-in-10 respondents (38 percent) say charter schools do a better job educating children than traditional public schools, while 30 percent say both types are equally good and 9 percent say charters do worse. Twenty-three percent are not sure.

Among those with a child under 18, the results are similar: 36 percent say charter schools do better, 34 percent say both types do about the same, 7 percent say charter schools do worse than traditional public schools and 23 percent are unsure. Though supporting charters, blacks are no more likely than whites to say charter schools do a better job than public schools.

By better than 2 to 1 (54 percent to 24 percent), Christie’s supporters are more likely to say charters do a better job than traditional schools at educating students. Twenty-two percent of Christie supporters say the two types of schools are equally good, while 42 percent of Christie detractors believe they are equal. While 14 percent of those unfavorable toward Christie say charter schools do a worse job, only 4 percent of Christie supporters agree. Similarly, among public employee union households, 22 percent prefer charters; 41 percent of non-union households agree.

Seventy-eight percent who say charter schools do a better job, want more in New Jersey. Among those who say both types perform about the same, only 29 percent support more charter schools, while 62 percent are opposed. Most voters do not think the growth in charters has weakened traditional public schools; only 24 percent do so and 45 percent say it has made no difference

Though a majority of voters says charter schools are as least as good as public schools, most white respondents would prefer to send a child to a traditional public school, 51 percent to 15 percent; 15 percent are not sure. Black voters have a starkly different view, with 48 percent preferring a charter school and 43 percent preferring a traditional public school, with only 7 percent unsure.

Christie supporters are half as likely as detractors to say they would send a child to public school; 36 percent would send a child to a public school, while 45 percent prefer a charter. However, 64 percent of those not favorable toward Christie prefer a traditional public school, and only 21 percent would use a charter school.

Fifty-four percent of black voters support school choice vouchers, another key part of the Christie’s education reform plan. The governor has proposed publicly funded scholarships to enable school children to attend private schools with public funding.

While black voters support this idea, only 36 percent of white voters agree. As with other parts of his education plans, those favoring the governor are stronger supporters of vouchers, 51 percent to 44 percent opposed. Among those holding an unfavorable view of the governor, only 30 percent support vouchers, while 65 percent oppose them.

“Vouchers are perceived to be of most benefit to families in failing urban school districts,” Redlawsk said. “Since most white voters do not perceive their schools as failing, few seem to support the idea of using tax dollars to allow children to move to private schools where public schools are failing. These results show a clear sense of localism – if my schools are ok, then why use tax dollars for someone else?

“The governor’s voucher plan is not overly popular among his core constituency,” Redlawsk said. “Though conservatives and Republicans strongly support charter schools, they are evenly split of vouchers. Democrats in general strongly oppose vouchers, except for African-Americans, who clearly want more choice of schools. The usual political coalitions have a hard time with this issue.”

About a month before the annual school elections, voters are not sure if they will vote for or against their local school budgets. Thirty percent say they will vote yes (34 percent in households with children, 27 percent childless households) while 16 percent say they will vote no (14 percent with children at home; 18 percent without). However, 39 percent say they are not sure how they will vote (38 percent children, 40 percent without.)

Christie backers are less likely to favor their district’s budget. Only 24 percent favor their school budget, while another 24 percent plan to vote against it, and 36 percent are not sure. Among those unfavorable toward the governor, 40 percent plan to vote for their budget, 8 percent oppose it, and 41 percent are unsure.

“Signs point to another contentious season for school budgets,” Redlawsk said. “As with most other things in New Jersey these days, where the governor comes down on the issue matters. If he makes another effort to defeat school budgets as he did last year, he’s likely to motivate his base and see some success.”

Results are from a poll of 773 registered voters conducted among both landline and cell phone households from March 28 through to Monday, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.        -TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM