GOV McGREEVEY - MANDATE RELIEF COMMISSION 2005

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

4-5-11 Education Issues in the News

Assembly Education Committee hearing Feb 2-10-11

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

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

4-19-10 Lt. Gov. Guadagno's RED TAPE REVIEW GRP - INITIAL REPORT

4-19-10 GSCS MANDATE RELIEF SUGGESTIONS to GOV CHRISTIE'S RED TAPE REVIEW GRP (& to Legislators), first submitted by invitation December 2009

3-11-10 'GOP vows tools to cut expenses, tighter caps'

3-5-10 HomeTowne Video taping + interviews of GSCS Summit@Summit

3-4-10 'NJ education chief Bret Schundler tells suburban schools to expect more cuts in aid'

2-25-10 Gov. Christie's Red Tape Review Comm., chaired by Lt. Gov. Guadagno, to hold public hearings In March

2-4-10 'Christie advisers call for tough new school rules'

GSCS MANDATES SUBMISSION- CHRISTIE ED TRANS TEAM & RED TAPE GROUP

12-15-09 GSCS is working with the Christie Transition Team

GSCS Board of Trustees representatives to meet with Christie Red Tape Group

1-23-09 Schools get an eduction in thrift

COUNCIL ON LOCAL MANDATES 'ELIMINATES' DOE spec ed 'AGE SPAN' reg 7-26

2-16-07 CORZINE signs mandate legislation - Star Ledger article

August 2004 Radon decision in favor of schools

Radon Decision in favor of schools calls radon legislation an unpaid mandate

Recap on property tax issues and S1701 - GSCS has been requesting legislative help on school budget cost drivers for a number of years - here is one example from summer 2004

GOV McGREEVEY - MANDATE RELIEF COMMISSION 2005

News Release, Announcing Commission Formation, October 2003

McGreevey signs executive order creating a commission to find state education mandates that waste money.

MCGREEVEY CREATES EDUCATION COMMISSION TO HELP DISTRICTS FOCUS DOLLARS ON IMPROVING EDUCATION, NOT ON UNNECESSARY PAPERWORK

Commission Will Seek Efficiencies in State Mandates While Ensuring Quality Education

(TRENTON)-In an effort to ensure New Jersey families' hard-earned dollars are being used to provide their children with a quality education, Governor James E. McGreevey today signed an Executive Order creating the Education Mandate Review Study Commission. The Commission will be tasked with evaluating and identifying State mandates that are wasteful and inefficient, and recommending changes or eliminations of the bureaucracy, so more dollars are going towards improving education.

"We know what works to improve education - targeting early literacy, improving teacher quality and building safe, modern, uncrowded classrooms," said Governor McGreevey. "We cannot have valuable education dollars going towards needless bureaucratic paperwork instead of effective programs that prepare our children to compete in the 21st century.

"In this difficult economy, our districts should not have to spend money complying with State mandates that don't improve education. With the creation of this Commission, we will not only ensure that all of our education dollars are going towards programs that work, we will keep our educators spending time on our children not on paperwork, and ultimately we will also be helping to provide meaningful property tax relief."

Legislation to create this Commission, S-2421, sponsored by Senator John Adler, passed the New Jersey State Senate unanimously (38-0) on June 23, 2003, but did not come before the Assembly prior to adjournment in early July 2003. However, both Governor McGreevey and Senator Adler agreed it was important to move forward with the creation of the Commission so study can be completed by January 2004, and changes can be implemented as soon as possible. The Commission will hold its first meeting over the next two weeks.

"The Governor should be commended for moving the process forward to benefit property taxpayers and to ensure quality education," said Senator Adler. "Government efficiencies can save millions of dollars for property taxpayers without jeopardizing the learning environment for our children."

The Commission shall consist of the Commissioner of Education, or his designee, and twelve public members appointed by the Governor. The Governor shall appoint the chair of the Commission.

The list of Commission members is as follows (Resumes are available on request):

CHAIR - Mildred Garcia (Fort Lee Borough, Bergen)
VICE-CHAIR - Senator John Adler (Cherry Hill, Camden)
Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (Trenton, Mercer)
Ross Danis (Long Valley, Morris)
Silvia Abbato (Hudson County)
Jane Susswein (Montclair, Essex)
Joseph Jones, III (Medford, Burlington)
     Recommended by NJ Principals and Supervisors Association
Dr. Joan Nesenkar Saylor (Jacobstown, Burlington)
     Recommended by NJ Association of School Business Officials
Raymond J. Brosel, Jr. (Marlton, Burlington)
     Recommended by NJ Association of School Administrators
Richard Sullivan (Burlington Township, Burlington)
     Recommended by NJ School Boards of Education
Lynne Strickland (Rumson, Monmouth)
     Recommended by Garden State Coalition of Schools
Edith Fulton (Toms River, Ocean)
     Recommended by NJ Education Association

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Micah Rasmussen - 609-777-2600