Quality Public Education for All New Jersey Students

 

 
     6-24-11 Democrat Budget Proposal brings aid to all districts
     4-29-11 BOOMERANG! Near 80 per cent of School Budgets Passed in Wednesday'sSchool Elections
     4-21-11 Supreme Court hears school funding argument
     4-14-11 Governor Releases Legislation to Address Education Reform Package
     4-8-11 Education Issues in the News
     4-7-11 Early news coverage & press releases - Governor's Brooking Inst. presentation on his education reform agenda
     3-25-11 Education Week on School Cutbacks Around The Nation
     2-7-11 Education - and Controversy - in the News
     12-5-10 Sunday News - Education-related Issues
     10-8-10 Education Issue in the News
     9-1-10 Education in the News
     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
     8-16-10 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)
     7-3-10 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
     GSCS On the Scene in Trenton: State Budget poised to pass late Monday...Cap Proposals, Opportunity Scholarship Act in Limbo
     6-28-10 State Budget tops the news today
     GSCS On the Scene in Trenton: Cap Proposals, Opportunity Scholarship Act in Limbo
     6-23-10 Trenton News: State Budget on the move...Education Issues
     6-11-10 In the News: State Budget moving ahead on schedule
     6-10-10 Op-Ed in Trenton Times Sunday June 6 2010
     6-8-10 Education issues in the news today - including 'hold' on pension reform, round two
     6-8-10 (posted) Education & Related Issues in the News
     6-4-10 Education News
     4-23-10 Education issues remain headline news
     4-22-10 School Elections - in the News Today
     4-6-10 'Gov. Chris Chrisite extends dealdine for teacher salary concessions'
     4-6-10 'NJ school layoffs, program cuts boost attention to Apri 20 votes
     4-2-10 Press of Atlantic City lists county impact re: school aid reduction
     4-2-10 'On Titanic, NJEA isn't King of the World'
     4-1-10 Courier Post article reports on Burlington and Camden County district budgets
     4-1-10 Education in the News today
     4-1-10 New Initiatives outlined to encourage wage freezes - reaction
     3-30-10 Race to the Top winners helped by local buy-in
     3-29-10 The Record and Asbury Park Press - Editorials
     3-26-10 School Aid, Budget Shortfall - Impt Related Issues = Front Page News
     3-23-10 ' N.J. Gov. Chris Christie signs pension, benefits changes for state employees'
     3-23-10 State Budget Issues in the News
     3-17-10 Budget News - Gov. Chris Christie proposes sacrifices
     3-17-10 Budget News - NJ Schools Stunned By Cuts
     3-14-10 'Christie will propose constitutional amendment to cap tax hikes in N.J. budget'
     3-4-10 'School aid cuts unavoidable during NJ budget crisis'
     3-3-10 'Public Education in N.J.: Acting NJ Comm of Educ Bret Schundler says 'Opportunity'
     2-26-10 'NJ average property taxes grow 3.3 percent to an average of $7,300'
     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
     2-16-10 'Christie Adopts Corzine Cuts, Then Some'
     1-29-10 Schools in the News
     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
     1-15-10 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'
     1-13-10 More articles, plus Wikipedia information re New Education Commissioner, Bret Schundler
     1-13-10 More articles + Wikipedia information re New Education Commissioner, Bret Schundler
     1-13-10 Christie Press Conference reports
     1-12-10 Change in Trenton
     1-6-10 Race to the Top Plans on the move, not without conflict
     12-23-09 Press of Atlantic City - 'Corzine forms panel to aid nonpublic schools'
     1-5-10 News articles re: lame duck
     1-4-10 'Last Call for Lame Ducks in Trenton'
     1-5-10 Update on January 4 Lame Duck Session
     12-28-09 Education Week 'Race to Top' Driving Policy Action Across States
     12-27-09 'New Jersey competes for education reform stimulus money' (aka 'Race to the Top' funds)
     12-20-09 Education in the News
     12-12 & 13-09 Education Issues in the News
     11-29-09 Ramifications - News of NJ's fiscal realities
     11-20-09 'Christie lays down his law for state'
     11-13-09 Education Week on: Gov-elect Christie's Education Agenda; Race to the Top Funds Rules
     11-12-09 Governor-elect Christie names his 10 member transition team
     11-11-09 'Oliver ready for Nov.23 leadership vote, wants up or down vote on marriage equality'
     11-11-09 Christie mum on fiscal emergency declaration
     11-9-09 Edcuation in the News
     11-8-09 News of Note
     11-6-09 News of Note
     11-5-09 Day After the Election News
     11-3-09 ELECTION DAY IS TODAY - SHOW UP AND VOTE FOR THE CANDIDATES OF YOUR CHOICE
     11-2-09 NY Times NJ Governors' race update
     11-4-09 Record low turnout elects Chris Chrisite NJ's Governor
     11-3-09 'Chris Christie wins N.J. governor race'
     11-1-09 Education News of Note
     Education Week on Federal Stimulus Funding Issues
     10-26-09 'High school sports spending grows as budgets get tighter inNew Jersey'
     10-22-09 News of Note
     10-20-09 News of Note
     10-19-09 Education Week 'States felling fiscal pain despite the stimulus'
     10-14-09 'Meetings are just the tip of the iceberg'
     10-7 & 9-09 Gubernatorial Campaign news: Candidates on education; Corzine on next year's state budget
     10-5-09 Gannett: Editorial & Recommendations re: Gubernatorial Campaign Issues '09
     10-4-09 NY Times 'As Property Taxes Become a Real Burden'
     10-2-09 News of Note
     10-1-09 Education Week on Acheivement Gap narrowing; Algebra Testing
     9-30-09 'Attack ads give way to issues as campaign enters final phase'
     9-30-09 Results of School Construction bond referenda rolling in
     9-27-09 Education News of Note
     9-23-09 'Tests changing for special ed students'
     9-16-09 Courier News Editorial
     9-9-09 News of Note
     9-13-09 As an issue for N.J.(Gubernatorial election), schools are in'
     9-3 & 4-09 News of Note
     8-20-09 'Nearly all NJ teachers are highly qualified'
     8-10-09 News of Note
     8-7-09 'Bill would strengthen teacher tenure rights'
     8-4-09 Recent NJ Education News of Note
     7-22-09 'State gives extra aid for schools an extraordinary boost'
     7-16-08 Schools Testing measures adopted; Test scoring upgraded - harder to pass
     7-14-09 Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial
     7-1-09 What's the Buzz: News of Note
     4-23-09 The public shows its support for public education in passing nearly 75 per cent of school budgets statewide
     4-17-09 The $609M Federal Stimulus aid to NJ - initial reactions
     4-19 and 20-09 Editorial and School Elections articles
     3-29-09 Record Editorial on Judge Doyne recommendations
     3-10-09 GOVERNOR TO DELIVER STATE BUDGET MESSAGE TODAY - SCHOOL AID FIGURES TO BE RELEASED BY THURSDAY LATEST
     1-11-09 'Corzine State of State speech to put economy front & center'
     12-28-08 NY Times 'Pension Fight Signals What Lies Ahead'
     12-29-08 NJ to new leaders - Fund our schools
     11-19-08 'Too soon to scrap Abbott'
     11-24-08 Editorial asks for preschool initiative slow down
     11-23-08 State lacks financial incentives to sell concept of school mergers
     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
     8-29-08 'Newly hired teachers benefit from Corzine delay'
     8-26-08 What's the Buzz...
     News on the Issues - Stay Informed
     8-15-08 'Superintendents sue education commissioner'
     8-14-07 In the news today
     7-28 &29- 08 Fuel cost crisis impacting school budgets across the nation
     6-13-08 News on Education Committee actions yesterday in Trenton
     6-10-08 NJ lawmakers work on $33B spending plan Tuesday
     6-9-08 GSCS Quick Facts: TRENTON FOCUS THIS WEEK
     6-4-08 In the News
     5-21-08 News Articles & editorial
     4-30-08 'Loophole on town mergers targeted
     4-18 & 4-21-08 RECENT LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS: 3 MAJOR POLICY CHANGES PROMOTED BY ASSEMBLY SPEAKER ROBERTS
     NEWS EDITORIALS Star Ledger 4-19 & 4-20 Ammo for Abbott Foes & Spending but with Restraint
     Recent news articles of note re: probable 'lame duck ' legislative session issues - to be or not to be- and controversial school construction report
     10-23 Media reports & Trenton responses to date re GSCS Press Conf
     In the news - Corzine on school aid formula & good news for urban schools
     9-13-07Corzine adds school aid to the lame-duck agenda
     Back to School News of Note
     8-10-07 'Standing 'O' greets Corzine as he hosts town hall mtg'
     8-8-07 Editorial 'School [construction] program needs more than a facelift'
     8-2-07 Editorial 'Reliance on property taxes must be fixed'
     8-1-07 'Paterson isn't ready to gain control' & 7-29 'The Numbers still don't add up'
     7-27-07 Retiree health costs 'time bomb'
     7-26-07 'State's tab for retirees' health care is $58B'
     7-25-07 Debate over School Tests
     7-25-07 NY Times '2 NJ school districts regain some local control'
     6-29-07 Lots of news affecting NJ, its schools and communities this week - STATE BUDGET signed - LIST OF LINE ITEM VETOES - US SUPREME CT RULING impacts school desgregation - SPECIAL EDUCATION GROUPS file suit against state
     5-21-07 In Connecticut '2 School Aid Plans Have a Similar Theme'
     5-16-07 Education Week 'Frustration Builds in NJ Funding Debate'
     5-15-07 Grad students tackle school funding issues
     4-18-07 School Budget Vote passed statewide at 78% rate - GSCS take: state aid increases a factored in offsetting property tax increases, thus boosting passing rate by 24.6%, up from last year's passing rate of 53.4%
     4-4-07 News articles, editorial & Op-Ed on bill signings for A1 and A4
     4-4-07 N Y Times, front page 'NJ Pension Fund Endangered by Diverted Billions'
     3-25-07 New York Times on NJ Comparative Spending Guide, more on Gov putting off signing A1, Tax Caps & Rebate bill
     3-16-07 News articles
     3-15-07 State eases at risk aid restrictions & 25% members of NJ Senate retiring (so far)
     3-12-07 This article tells you why you cannot get easy access to legislator votes on-line
     3-8-07 'Education Chief Revamps Department'
     3-1-07 Op Ed piece re 'Super' Superintendent in the CORE Plan
     3-1-07 Emerging Devil showing up in the details
     2-23-07 News Articles re Gov's Budget Proposal
     2-22-07 Gov's Budget Message Link & Related News Articles
     2-22-07 News articles re Governor's Budget Message this morning
     2-21-07 Associated Press 'Codey Affirms More State Aid'
     2-16 to 2-19 News Articles of Note
     2-20-07 Live from the Ledger on-line
     2-21-07 Associated Press - Codey Affrims More School Aid
     2-16 to 2-19 New Articles of Note
     2-15-07 'Parents get boost on special ed rights' Star Ledger
     2-12-07 State School Aid - needed to offset property taxes now
     2-8-07 Editorial - ' Progress, Trenton style'
     2-1-07 Turnpike for sale, Gov - need funding formula, more
     1-23-07 Tax Reform in Trenton?
     1-9-07 Countywide Pilot Program and County 'Super' Superintendent bills held again yesterday, Jan 22 next probable vote date scheduled for these bills
     1-8-07 Articles & Editorial talk about 'missing pieces' of tax reform proposal and note consequences
     1-5-07 Small-town officials protest consolidation
     1-4-07 Gov Corzine & legislative leaders agree on 4% hard cap tied to sliding scale rebates (20% max on down)
     1-3-07 GSCS Member ALERT 'County School bills' fastracked again
     12-19-06 Feedback - articles on school funding heaings yesterday
     12-18-06 Sunday editorials - take of Property Tax session
     12-14-06 Trenton News articles
     11-15-06 The Special Session Jt Committee Reports
     11-19-06 Sunday Press Articles & Commentaries
     11-16-06 Property Tax Proposal news articles
     11-14-06 Direction of Special Session Report Recommendations starting to leak into press articles
     11-13-06 Schools, property taxes fuel debates
     11-11-06 New school funding plan could add $1 billion in aid
     11-10-06 NJ education chief vows urban support
     11-4-06 Senate President & Assembly Speaker 'no new taxes'
     11-1-06 Gannett 'Halved property tax called unrealistic'
     10-31-06 The Record - Property Tax Cut Debated
     10-30-06 NY Times
     10-21-06 Education Data Study Released - how the news is being reported
     10-20-06 Education - study data released
     10-5-06 Conversation on school funding, consolidation continues
     9-25-06 Savings Little -Costs at merged schools similar
     9-20-06 Coverage of the benefits & School Funding Jt Comm hearings 9-19-06
     9-18-06 News Articles re Special Session
     9-15-06 Star Ledger - 3.25B suggested for school construction
     9-7-06 The Record Local Govts Poised to save as co-pays rise
     9-7-06 News re Jt Comm on Consolidation & Shared Services mtg 9-5
     9-6-06 Articles re Jt Comm Hearing yesterday & related school news
     9-4-06 Weekend news articles of note
     8-29-06 School Funding to be reviewed today
     8-29-06 Assoc Press - School Funding to be reviewd today
     8-29-06 Hopewell Valley article re - courtesy busing withdrawal
     8-26-06 'N.J.'s best schools in wealthiest, northern towns'
     8-23-06 Crowd assails changes to state health plan
     8-23-06 Live from the Ledger on-line
     8-20-06 AP 'Property Tax reform bid to shift to overdrive'
     8-22-06 Star Ledger Column & NY Times Editorial
     8-14-06 News Clips
     8-9-06 Special Session Jt Comm on Consolidation of Govt Services meeting 8-8-06
     8-9-06 article re today's Jt Comm on Public Employee Benfits Reform
     8-8-06 NY Times Public Pension Plans Face Billions in Shortage
     7-25-06 Associated Press Prop Tax Q & A
     7-18-06 Live from the Ledger
     7-16-06 (thru 7-21-06) Bergen Record series investigate cost of NJ public services & property tax link
     7-16-06 Bergen Record series investigate cost of NJ public services & property tax link
     7-12-06 Column on State Budget legislator items
     7-12-06 Statehouse starts talking specifics about property tax reform
     7-13-06 Articles - Property tax issues, teacher salaries, voucher suit filing
     6-30-06 State Budget news - as the dissonance must be resolved
     6-29-06 Mirroring the elements, State Budget looking like a 'natural disaster'
     6-25-06 State Budget issues: legislative branches conflict - news articles
     6-21-06 Star Ledger - Washington DC Bureau re graduation rates & quality education
     6-20-06 News articles re State Budget FY07
     6-15-06 Star Ledger, Gannet articles- Abbott advocates demand school reform at educ. dept
     6-14-06 Assembly Minority Budget Leader Joe Malone's Op Ed
     Editorial on benefit of using UEZ surplus for spec educ aid for this year
     6-12-06 News Clips
     Weekend News Clips re Property Tax & School Funding issues
     6-9-06 Star Ledger ' Salary review bill hits roadblock'
     6-7-06 News Articles re Leg Summer Session work on Property Taxes
     6-6-06 Star Ledger re Special Summer Session
     6-5-06 Editorials on school funding & State Budget articles
     6-1-06 Star Ledger Thursday article on GSCS Annl Mtg
     5-30-06 News Articles
     5-21-06 Sunday Courier Post on Schools' hiring
     5-23-06 News Articles
     5-23-06 AP 'Codey to propose school ballott change'
     5-14-06N Y Times 'For school budgets the new word is NO'
     5-17-06 Trenton Times - School Aid, budget dominate forum
     5-16-06 News fromTrenton
     5-10-06 A Lot is going on - Major News fromTrenton
     News articles re even less state revenue & SCI scapegoating
     5-5-06 News articles Gannett and Courier Post
     One example of schools consolidating services
     4-16-06 Courier Post
     4-16-06 Star Ledger editorial & article re Gov v. Abbott from 4-15-06
     4-16-06 Sunday NY Times Metro Section, front page
     40-16-06 Gannett & Asbury Park Press on School Budget election issues
     4-13-06 'Budget cap puts NJ schools on edge'
     4-7-07 The Record
     3-31-06 AP 'Budget idea puts onus on income taxes, businesses'
     3-28-06 NY Times re Texas school finance case
     3-25-06 Press of Atlantic City
     3-29-06 News Articles on State Budget testimony before the Assembly Budget Comm. yesterday in Collingswood
     3-29-06 News Articles on State Budget testimony in Collingswood 3-28-06
     3-10-06 Star Ledger 'Time is ripe for poorer districts to contribute.
     3-22-06 News Article sampling on Governor's Proposed FY07 Budget
     3-19-06 Millville, Vineland may lose Abbott status
     3-19-06 Sunday News Articles on State Budget
     3-15-06 News articles on FY07
     3-15-06 NY Times 'Crisis at School Agency Reflects Missteps'
     3-10-06 News articles GSCS related issues
     3-7-06 More articles on the Gov's Budget Summit and School Board members fo to Trenton
     2-14-06 TrentonTimes Letter to the Editor on school construction
     2-11-06 Trenton Timesn'NJ State Budget has little wiggle room'
     2-9-06 Star Ledger School agency reformers discuss goals, problems
     2-10-06 Star Ledger editorial re void of credible & useful data at Department of Education
     FUNDING HISTORY - May 27 1998 - Education Week article re Abbott V - funding above parity
     1-26-06 New York Times article re public schools fundraising for private support
     1-25-06 Star Ledger 'School District's Woes Point to Rising Tax Resistance'
     1-24-06 Asbury Park Press 'Funding sparks heated debate'
     1-15-06 Sunday Star Ledger front page on Property Taxes
     1-12-06 Star Ledger 'Lawmaker pushes tax relief plan'
     1-12-06StarLedger 'Lawmaker pushes his tax relief plan'
     1-11-06 Star Ledger - Corzine Casts Wide Net for Cabinet
     1-6 thru 1-9-06 articles on Lameduck session and School Construction
     1-5-06 Monmouth county article on S1701 ramifications,examples - hitting hard at home
     1-1-06 Press of Atlantic City
     12-30-05 School Construction and Education Funding news clips
     12-20-05 Star Ledger on NJ Supreme Court decision on stalled school construction
     12-20-05 Star Ledger 'Schools lower the heat and risk a backlash'
     12-20-05 Star Ledger
     12-20-05 The Record 'Where Will the Bills End?' NJ Supreme Court releases its opinion on stalled school construction program.
     12-14-05 Asbury ParkPress Editorial 'Re-assess the ABC's of School Funding' notes the Governor's role is critical to make positive change
     12-16-05 Star Ledger Schools may end courtesy busing, tied to S1701 budget stressors
     12-16-05 News articles of note
     Trenton Times 6-25-05 State Budget FY06 and Democrat Tensions
     Activists Hope to Revive School Funding Issue
     12-15-05 Star Ledger School bond plans get resounding 'no'
     Time Magazine
     12-10-05 Star Ledger Schools might get heating help as bill gains on spending caps
     On Star Ledger
     12-8-05 Asbury Park Press Mom takes up the torch for school funding
     12-5-05 Governor-elect Corzine selects policy advisory groups
     11-28-05 Star Ledger 'It's Lame-duck time in Trenton'
     11-20-05 Sunday Star Ledger 'Corzine's risky promise to taxpayers
     The Record 11-18-05 Corzine's tax fix to mean 'pain'
     11-17-05 Trenton Times 'Education Chief announces testing overhaul'
     11-15-05 N Y Times article
     11-13-05 Star Ledger Sunday front page 'Blueprint for 6 Billion Dollar Boondagle
     11-14-05 The Record Herb Jackson on Whitman experience a lesson for Corzine
     11-11-05 Trenton Times Corzine puts property taxes at the top of his agenda
     11-9-05 The Record - Governor Elect can't claim a mandate
     Assoc. Press NJ 6-10-05 Codey Brokering Deal on Tax Convention
     Gubernatorial Candidates' Education Plans announced September 05
     November 9 The Trenton Times - Corzine Triumphs
     November 7 YOUR VOTE TOMORROW COUNTS ... Some news articles worth reading
     11-4-05 Star Ledger State Board of Education calls for revamping school funding
     10-23-05 Sunda Star Ledger article on how property taxes work
     10-4-05 Trenton Times NJ may replenish school building fund.
     10-16-05 Sunday Star Ledger & Gannet news articles on gubernatorial candidates take on important issues related to public education issues
     10-19-05 Courier Post-Gannett article on Gubernatorial Debate
     Groups Seek Attention from Candidates 10-12-05
     10-6-05 and 10-12-05 Forrester v. Corzine, Corzine v. Forrester articles
     10-4-05 Trenton Times School Construction fund may be replenished
     9-29-05 Star Ledger 'NJ in hole for $53M after vote on school funds promised for construction
     9-26-05 Star Ledger School Construction Making the Grade is Now Up to the Voters
     9-22-05 Some news articles on the press conference - Gannett and Star Ledger
     9-23-05 Star Ledger School Construction on next Tuesday's bond referenda
     9-12-05 Associated Press Rutgers initiates new education institute
     9-9-05 Trenton Times,Corzine Education Agenda
     9-9-05 Asbury Park Press Corzine plans 25M education agenda
     Star Ledger 9-9-05 Soaring gas costs result in towns asking for cap relief
     Star Ledger 8-31-05: Though few, new schools open doors for kids
     8-19-05 Head of School Construction Agency Resigns Abruptly, Compounding Agency Turmoil
     Trenton Times 8-12-05 School funding sought
     Star Ledger Front Page 8-16-02 School districts run for school construction aid
     Herb Jackson Column 7-18-05 Budget 'cuts' more a case of creative math
     Herb Jackson Column 7-18-05 Budget 'cuts' more a case of creative math
     The Record 'get's it' Read Editorial 7-14-05
     Star Ledger 7-13-05 Codey Puts Constitutional Convention on Hole
     The Record7-10-05 Sunday Front Page Must Read
     Star Ledger 7-7-05 Local school officials told state may not provide promised construction funding
     The Record 7-3-05 State Budget Doles Out Money
     The Record 7-4-05 Rebates safe, but tax problem not nearer solution
     The Check it out - Press of Atlantic City 7-6-05 Education Funds lie in Budget Fine Print
     Star Ledger 7-2-05 Late Night Budget Passes
     The Record 7-2-05 State Budget Passes
     Gannet 7-2-05 State Budget and School Aid
     Asbury Park Press 6-28-05 Senate Passes $20M for 5 school districts
     Philadelphia Inquirer 6-30-05 Dueling Budgets Will Miss Deadline
     Asbury Park Press 6-30-05 No Consensus in Trenton on Spending Plan
     Trenton Times 6-30-05 School Construction Review Panel Formed
     Star Ledger 6-30-05 State Budget Finale on Hold
     Star Ledger 6-29-05 Bid to Save Tax Rebates Imperils NJ Budget
     The Record 6-29-05 Tax Plan Quitely Dying
     Trenton Times 6-25-05 State Budget and Democrat Tensions
     Star Ledger 6-17-05 Seniors want tax convention, Senate prefers Special Session
     050618 Press of Atlantic City 'Activists Look to Revisit School Funding Issue
     6-16-05 Philadelphia Inquirer Commission Librera Releases Abbott Designation Report
     Star Ledger 6-4-05 GSCS Annual Meeting Forrester & Schundler
     Assoc. Press NJ 6-10-05 Codey Brokering Deal on Tax Convention
     Star Ledger 6-14-05 Legislators Assail School Building Agency at Hearing
     Star Ledger 6-13-05 Legislators Assail School Construction Corp
     Trenton Times 6-10-05 Rebate Debate on Budget for FY06
     Star Ledger June 3 2005 Advance article, Annual Meeting noted
     Gannet on Annual Meeting 6-4-05 Forrester, Schundler Address School Concerns
     Gannet on Annual Meeting 6-4-05 Candidates Address School Concerns
     Assocated Press, In the Homestrech Forrester and Schundler Talk Education
     Class Sizes Disappoint Glen Ridge Parents
     SCC reforms underway 'Jump Starting the Effort to build New Schools' Star Ledger May26 2005.
     Trenton Times 5-24-05 Codey Plans for Less Pain in Budget
     Preliminary School Election Results from NJ Dept of Education
     Jersey Journal article
     State Health Benefit Plan Star Ledger 4-8-05
     Taxes, ire both on rise
     NJ lawmakers want the state to join education law protest
     Panel Tells of Referenda Woes
     GSCS Parent Leader Molly Emiliani-Livingston & GSCS Director Lynne Strickland present to Pennsylvania Bucks County
     Hopewell valley School Board Approves $63M Budget
     Schools will seek Extra Funding
     Rebate Panic
     Lack of funds amid surplus of concerns
     Enrollment Dip Hurts Special Schools
     Costly School Site Fiasco Spurs Assembly Measure
     Teacher Seeks Family to Fight Abbott Rulings
     Panel OKs Constitutional Convention on Tax Reform
     Jersey Halts New Pacts for School Construction
     Schools Face Enrollment, Aid Dilemma
     Cut is sought in Abbott District Aid
     Local News - Cuts plentiful in NJ budget proposal
     Amid probe, agency to cut school costs
     Acting governor faces tough sledding on deficit
     Parents Give Cody an Earful
     Courier Post Online
     Article Mt Laurel GSCS Summit 2-10-05
     Bill to loosen school budgets altered
     WNBC Interview
     Educators urge parents to fight school spending cap
     Assembly Panel Weighs Plan for a Property Tax Convention
     Tax-reform debate takes sharp turn
     School funding plan gets OK from panel
     Legislature Acts to Revamp School Spending Caps
     Educators to Argue for Repeal of Cap Law
     State must devise tests to comply with No Child Left Behind
8-4-09 Recent NJ Education News of Note
NJ school districts look to federal stimulus to boost special-needs programs - Sunday August 02, 2009, nj.com Voters will weigh in on future of Pascack Valley, Northjersey.com State set to announce feasibility studies for school consolidations Press of Atlantic City, 7-28-09

NJ school districts look to federal stimulus to boost special-needs programs

by Kristen Alloway/The Star-Ledger

Sunday August 02, 2009

Highland Park schools are spending $15,000 in federal stimulus money to ensure students who need reading and writing help get it this summer.

Rockaway Township schools sent nearly 40 teachers for summer training, and officials there are purchasing dozens of interactive whiteboards and other items with $277,000 in federal funds.

 Newark's summer school program for severely disabled kids would not exist without $2 million in federal stimulus money.

And the Newark school district will spend $2.2 million from the federal government to help struggling students get on track.

About a third of New Jersey's nearly 600 school districts have begun laying claim to their share of $609 million federal stimulus money targeted for programs for poor and special-needs students.

Much of this money is being used for summer programs and equipment. School districts still can apply by late this month for additional money that would be used for the school year.

Each year, New Jersey schools receive federal money for low-income and special-education kids, but President Obama's stimulus package included a two-year boost of about 50 percent more than districts typically receive for these programs.

The money is intended to help local economies preserve jobs and beef up academic standards, increase teacher training and effectiveness, enhance collection of educational data to track student achievement and improve low-performing schools.

These funds are the second large chunk of federal money flowing to New Jersey for education as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which earmarked an unprecedented $100 billion for schools nationwide. Gov. Jon Corzine used an earlier installment of $891 million in federal money in his budget to avoid major cuts in education spending.

The awards for low-income and special-education students vary greatly depending on a district's size. For the 2009-10 school year, the grants range from $24.9 million to aid low-income students in Newark, to $1.9 million for Piscataway schools for special-education programs, to $80,000 for Highland Park to fund programs for poor children.

"These are far more resources than we ever had," said state deputy education commissioner Willa Spicer. "This is a great hope for kids who need help."

JUMPING AT THE OPPORTUNITY
Although amounts are determined by formula, and districts must apply to the state for the money, officials have some discretion in how they spend the money. The funds are available for two years, and the state Department of Education urged districts to begin using the money this summer for equipment and enrichment and remedial classes.

Officials in many districts jumped at the chance.

"The minute it opened up, we applied. The money won't be here forever," Linden superintendent Rocco Tomazic said.

The state has cautioned districts that the additional money for low-income and special-education students is temporary and they should not invest in initiatives that require repeated funding.

"We're hunting for those projects that are different from the ongoing, sustainable things," Tomazic said.

The federal money also comes with oversight required by the Obama administration. The state will begin collecting quarterly reports from districts in October to track how the money has been used, Spicer said. Those reports will be available to the public, possibly on the state DOE website, Spicer said. The website already has preliminary information on the funding at www.state.nj.us/education/arra/.

The Office of the State Comptroller will assist in cataloging the data and also may audit programs if they involve large dollar amounts or if the district has had heavy turnover, among other factors, a spokesman said.

Spicer also noted the state had not approved every project. If the programs did not target low-income or special-education students, for example, they were turned down, she said.

Some people are skeptical the state will ensure the funding is spent appropriately.

"We have never shown in the state of New Jersey that when people get large sums of money that they can properly spend it. . . . I have no illusion that it's going to get much better," said Assemblyman Joseph Malone (R-Burlington). "We'll hear horror stories two, three years from now of how monies were misspent. It's the way of life around this state."

SKEPTICISM OVER THE FUTURE
Others question whether the money, because it is a temporary boost, can have a lasting impact.

"These investments, while important . . . are not the kinds of deeper investments in school improvements, strategies and reforms that can be sustained over time, which is an essential prerequisite to school improvement," said David Sciarra, executive director of the Education Law Center, which for decades has advocated for the state's poorest schools.

But many New Jersey school districts say the money already is making a difference.

Highland Park, a Middlesex County district of 1,500 students, applied for $15,000 to expand its remedial summer program. The funds meant the district could hire three more teachers to reduce summer class sizes and accept all 10-15 children who typically are on the waiting list.

Soon-to-be sixth-grader Claudia Rondos said she has learned to add more details to her writing and read a little faster.

"I want to come here so I can learn to read better," Claudia, 11, said. "And so I won't mess up in sixth grade, so it will be a little easier for me."

Newark, with 40,000 students, is spending $2.2 million in federal money on programs for students who need extra help. Without stimulus funds, the district estimated it could serve about 20 percent of students who need it. With stimulus funds, no one was turned away, said Daniel Gohl, Newark's executive assistant for innovation and change.

At Newark's South 17th Street School, more than 400 general-education and special-needs students are working on reading, writing and math, said vice principal Kenneth Amparbin. That's about 60 more kids than last year, he said.

"When they come back in September, they haven't had two months of inactivity," said Telaya Parham, principal of the special education program at South 17th Street School this summer. "When they come back in September, they're ready to go."

Voters will weigh in on future of Pascack Valley -  Northjersey.com

Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Last updated: Tuesday August 4, 2009

BY DENISA R. SUPERVILLE

The Record

STAFF WRITER

WOODCLIFF LAKE — The Borough Council decided Monday to ask voters in November whether it should continue to explore breaking up the Pascack Valley Regional High School District despite doubts about whether the school board or the Montvale Borough Council will back the initiative.

Council members who approved the ballot question’s wording said they were concerned that plans to reconfigure the district would not go forward if the local school board did not support them or if Montvale, the borough’s partner in the venture, did not have the funds to continue with the effort.

 “I would like to see a resolution or a memo affirming that they want to go forward with this,” Councilwoman Joanne Howley said of Montvale during the discussion at Monday’s council meeting.

Councilman Jeff Bader also had similar concerns.

 “I just want to make sure that when we go into this, that we have a solid partner, a committed and dedicated partner,” Bader he said at the Borough Council meeting Monday. “&hellip We need to pin down that Montvale is going to be a committed partner to $170-some-odd-thousand-dollars in expenditure over the next three to four years, whatever it may be.”

Mayor Joseph LaPaglia said he was sure that Montvale was committed, but would ask Montvale Mayor Roger Fyfe about obtaining a resolution or written commitment. But he admitted that without the school board or Montvale, the plan was as good as dead.

“If our school board is adamantly opposed to it, that makes this a more difficult thing to achieve,” LaPaglia said. “Vito (Gagliardi) has told us that. And if Montvale says, ‘We can’t afford to do it, we changed our mind,’ then we don’t go ahead with it.”

Gagliardi is an attorney hired by Montvale and Woodcliff Lake to determine how they would go about dissolving the district.

Fyfe said Tuesday that the Montvale Borough Council will consider Aug. 11 whether it wants to go forward with the plan, the likelihood of its success and the amount of money that would have to be spent.

The Montvale council also will look at how it would fund the effort, Fyfe said.

 “I am hoping get a decision on the 11th whether or not we want to go forward,” Fyfe said. “The thing we have to consider then is whether we are going have the money to fund it.”

 “We have to find out how we are going to afford it, and, No.ÿ2, everybody has to come up with an opinion as to whether they think we can win it,” he added. “I don’t think the (state) Department of Education is just going to say, ‘That’s a good idea, you can go ahead.’ We are really going to have to make a case and jump through a bunch of hoops, and that’s what the lawyers are going to be doing, and that’s going to take a lot of time and money.”

The Woodcliff Lake ballot question will ask borough voters whether they want to pursue a more equitable formula to fund the Pascack Valley Regional High School and form a pre-k through 12th-grade district with Montvale.

The question grew out of a study commissioned in 2007 by Woodcliff Lake and Montvale to look at the feasibility of pulling out of the regional high school. In addition to Montvale and Woodcliff Lake, students from River Vale and Hillsdale attend the regional high school.

Woodcliff Lake and Montvale hired Vito Gagliardi in 2007 and paid $30,000 each to conduct the study. The study was completed last year and excerpts were shared with the school boards from Woodcliff Lake and Montvale in March of this year.

Montvale and Woodcliff Lake mayors have argued the state school funding formula, which is based on ratables, forces the two boroughs disproportionately pay more to educate students than Hillsdale and River Vale.

The inequity has grown through the years, LaPaglia said. Woodcliff Lake pays $27,000 per student, Montvale $22,000 per student, Hillsdale $14,000 per student and River Vale $17,000 per student, according to the explanation that will accompany the question.

When the school district was created in 1955, all four towns agreed to pay a per student cost, which would have been $19,000 for the 2007-2008 school year if the formula had not been revised, the ballot information would add.

The explanation would also state that there is not a high probability of success, and that the council would cap spending at $175,000 during the next two years on efforts to achieve a more equitable funding formula.

Hillsdale Mayor John Sapanara and River Vale Mayor Joseph Blundo have said in the past that they will fight attempts to dissolve or reconfigure the regional school district.

The approved ballot wording says the Woodcliff Lake Board of Education has reservations and questions about the study, but does not elaborate.

The Woodcliff Lake School Board is concerned about possible retribution from the county and state boards of education, which the board fears may support a larger, pre-k through 12-grade district, covering all four towns, Bader said at the meeting.

The board also is concerned about loss of control, LaPaglia said.

Woodcliff Lake Superintendent of Schools Peter Lisi was on vacation Tuesday and unavailable for comment. School Board President Bob Nathin did not return a request for comment by press time.

But in July, shortly after the LaPaglia floated the ballot question, Lisi said the board was taking a stand.

 “The board really feels that at this point, it’s going to be a town matter and that it’s not going to be right for us to make a statement,” he said at the time.

E-mail: superville@northjersey.com

 

 

 

 

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State set to announce feasibility studies for school consolidations

TRENTON - The state Department of Education will announce the first group of school consolidation feasibility studies early next month.

The studies are expected to be completed by December and would still have to go before the voters in the affected municipalities.

County executive superintendents submitted the proposals to the state, and the DOE has recruited state colleges to do the feasibility studies. Representatives of Rowan University and Richard Stockton College said they have agreed to participate.

Each college will be assigned one or two studies in the pilot group, according to a timeline provided by the DOE. In late August, the participating colleges will meet with DOE representatives to provide a cost analysis and look at alternative ways to complete the studies. The draft reports will be due in late fall for review, and the final reports will be released in December.

Harold Sahm, director of continuing education at Rowan, said the colleges will likely be assigned studies in their immediate or neighboring counties.

"We already have relationships with these districts," Sahm said. "And we want to stress that we will be providing facts, not opinions."

The studies will look at education quality, facilities, debt and the property-tax impact for the affected districts in each proposal. The first group is expected to include a mix of fairly easy consolidations and some more challenging proposals to get an overview of the scope of trying to convert all of the state's more than 600 districts into K-12 systems.

The consolidation challenge is to create K-12 systems of about 5,000 students per district in a way that will appeal to all of the affected parties. All final plans will have to go before the voters in each affected district, and under current law, if just one district in a proposed consolidation votes the plan down, it fails.

Atlantic County Executive Superintendent Thomas Dowd met with school and city officials in June to review the plans, and his final proposals include some changes. Dowd said the plans are just recommendations that need more study.

"We really need the feasibility studies to provide information on how the proposals work with diversity, facilities, capacity and the educational environment," he said.

Absecon Superintendent James Giaquinto said residents there are just becoming acquainted with the process, and with more than one option available, he will wait until the feasibility study is done before taking a more active role.

"We will have more information then, and the final say does rest with the voters," he said.

Consolidation proposals for Cape May, Cumberland and Ocean counties were not available Monday.

E-mail Diane D'Amico:

DDamico@pressofac.com

Atlantic County proposals

The following Atlantic County proposals have been submitted to the New Jersey Department of Education to be considered for feasibility studies.

Proposed study 1: Egg Harbor City, Galloway Township, Hamilton Township, Mullica Township, Port Republic, Absecon, Green Bank, Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School.

Option 1: Three K-12 districts: Absegami High School with Galloway Township; Oakcrest High School with Hamilton Township; and Cedar Creek High School with Egg Harbor City, Green Bank, Mullica Township and Port Republic.

Option 2: The same as option 1, but adds Absecon to the Cedar Creek High School district.

Option 3: The same as option 1, but adds Absecon to the Galloway/Absegami district.

(Options 2 and 3 depend on the severance of the sending/receiving relationship between Pleasantville and Absecon.)

Proposed study 2: Mainland Regional, Linwood, Northfield, Somers Point.

Proposed study 3: Buena Regional, Estell Manor, Weymouth Township.

Proposed study 4: Atlantic City, Brigantine, Margate, Ventnor, Longport.

Posted in Press on Tuesday, July 28, 2009 3:05 am