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Wall St Journal "If the Republicans in the state Senate had their way, New Jersey would cut funding for full-day preschool in poor districts to pump up funding to suburban and rural schools.The lawmakers made the suggestions as part of a private proposal to the Christie administration, saying it would save $300 million, a fraction of the state's annual spending on schools, according to a presentation reviewed by The Wall Street Journal..."
Star Ledger ‘Proposal would shift N.J. money to suburban school districts by cutting preschool hours’ ..."Lynne Strickland, executive director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools, said she is encouraged that state lawmakers are looking for ways to fund the suburban districts she represents, but hopes the discussion will continue at a "higher plane of debate."
"I wouldn’t want suburban districts seen as wanting to rob Peter to pay Paul and get much-needed additional money in their coffers," Strickland said. "That’s a difficult position to be put in, and one we shouldn’t have to respond to."
Wall Street Journal ‘GOP Seeks New N.J. Spend Plan’ January 29,2011
If the Republicans in the state Senate had their way, New Jersey would cut funding for full-day preschool in poor districts to pump up funding to suburban and rural schools.
The lawmakers made the suggestions as part of a private proposal to the Christie administration, saying it would save $300 million, a fraction of the state's annual spending on schools, according to a presentation reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.
The Christie administration is working on altering the formula used to distribute subsidies to school districts. About $10.3 billion—or more than a third of the state's $29.4 billion annual budget—will be spent on local school districts this year. Richer districts receive much less aid than poor, urban districts because of a requirement in the state constitution to ensure that every child gets a free, "thorough and efficient" public education.
The Senate Republicans would send $200 million to other districts that have hit funding caps, give $50 million to districts that spend the least per pupil to encourage "efficiency" and launch a $30 million program for data-based teacher evaluation and instruction in the state's poorer districts. Districts that bus students long distances would get extra help, and $3.3 million would go to a handful of towns with high senior citizen populations.
The December proposal, which had been in the works since the summer, is the most cohesive attempt to influence policy among the legislative parties, but it's unclear whether it will sway the Christie administration.
Gov. Chris Christie argues that money alone cannot be the barometer of a good education. That's especially important in these lean times.
His administration is defending a $820 million cut in year-over-year education spending in front of the state Supreme Court, which has wielded major power over school spending through a series of cases known as Abbott v. Burke.
Some lawmakers believe it's unlikely there will be fundamental changes to the school formula until the court's members are changed—another goal of Mr. Christie's. He strongly opposes the state Supreme Court injecting itself into spending decisions.
In 1998, the court said the state had to pay for half-day preschool in the urban "Abbott" districts. But David Sciarra, the executive director of the Education Law Center, which argued the Abbott cases, said the court inherently required full-day preschool when it blessed the current formula in 2009.
The state this year is spending a little less than $600 million to fund full-day preschool, mostly in 35 districts.
"It would be a tragedy for the kids in the urban districts and beyond if the legislature were to tamper in any way with this program," he said. "This is one of the best preschool programs in the United States."
As it stands, the formula, which was crafted under then-Gov. Jon Corzine in 2008 and approved by the Supreme Court in 2009, sets a standard for how much it costs to educate a child. Then, using property values and income, it determines which towns can meet that standard on their own and which need extra aid. It also adds funding for certain students, such as those in poverty or who have limited English skills.
State funding is said to "follow the child," because each student's needs are supposed to be represented. But Republicans say that is not consistent, because most of the funding for special education is not based on individual students in the district, but on the district's wealth.
The Democrats who control the Legislature have supported the current formula. Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver in a statement called the formula sensible. "I will not look favorably on any change to this formula's basic premise," she said.
Star Ledger ‘Proposal would shift N.J. money to suburban school districts by cutting preschool hours’
Published: Saturday, January 29, 2011, 8:05 AM Updated: Saturday, January 29, 2011, 8:06 AM
A proposal being pushed by Senate Republicans would shift state money to cash-strapped suburban districts by cutting back preschool for the state’s neediest students, according to a document obtained by The Star-Ledger.
The senators suggest slicing preschool funding in half — reducing programs from a full-day to a half-day — then using the $300 million saved to boost funding for suburban and rural schools, some of which saw their state aid wiped out in last year’s budget cuts.
Under the proposal, districts would also qualify for more state funding if they bus students greater distances or have large populations of senior citizens. There would also be a $30 million grant program to promote accountability in urban schools and $50 million to schools that demonstrate the most efficiency.
Two people with knowledge of the proposal, but can not speak publicly because they are not authorized to, said the proposal was devised by the Senate Republican caucus and submitted to Gov. Chris Christie. They emphasized that no plan has been finalized, saying negotiations are ongoing. Christie has not detailed his own school funding proposal.
Democrats quickly criticized the proposal, saying it will hurt the state’s poor.
"I’m all for funding suburban schools," Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) said. "But don’t do it at the expense of innocent preschool kids in urban areas."
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Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for the governor, declined comment. Christie has said he wants to change the school funding formula, created under former Gov. Jon Corzine’s administration, in the next budget, which he is scheduled to unveil on Feb. 22. At a recent town hall meeting Christie said it’s "crazy" that "nearly 60 percent of all state aid goes to 31 [urban] districts."
However, the Senate Republicans’ proposal does not change the formula itself. Some lawmakers said it would be too difficult to push such changes through the Democratic-controlled Legislature while ensuring it survives an inevitable legal challenge, given that the current formula has been upheld by the state Supreme Court.
Sen. Thomas Kean Jr. (R-Union) said new policies must emphasize education efficiencies since the state is facing another difficult budget.
"How do we effectively and affordably educate children in our state?" he said.
At the root of Senate Republicans’ proposal are choices made more than a decade ago. A 1998 state Supreme Court decision forced the state to fund a half day of preschool for children in the state’s poorest districts. But then-Gov. Christie Whitman decided to one up the court, funding full days instead.
Sen. Michael Doherty (R-Warren) said it’s time to pare back that commitment to the court’s original mandate, helping balance funding between urban and suburban districts. Although part of his district is considered wealthy, some schools still don’t get the funding they deserve, he said.
"It’s very unfair," Doherty added. Urban school districts have received far more state support over the years because they lack strong local tax bases.
Others question why the state would boost funding for suburban districts by dismantling a preschool program that research shows helps close the achievement gap between black and white students — a task Christie has said he considers a top priority.
"Our preschool program is the most effective education reform we have," said David Sciarra, executive director of the Education Law Center. "Cutting preschool would be a major setback."
A 2006 study conducted by the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University found children who attended an extended-day, extended-year pre-school program in Elizabeth experienced greater improvement in test scores compared to peers who attended half-day programs.
Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) said it’s "outrageous" that Republican initiatives would be funded by cutting back preschool programs.
"Every study anywhere demonstrates that the money invested early on for these children will pay dividends for society," he said. "That’s to the benefit of all of us."
Lynne Strickland, executive director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools, said she is encouraged that state lawmakers are looking for ways to fund the suburban districts she represents, but hopes the discussion will continue at a "higher plane of debate."
"I wouldn’t want suburban districts seen as wanting to rob Peter to pay Paul and get much-needed additional money in their coffers," Strickland said. "That’s a difficult position to be put in, and one we shouldn’t have to respond to."
By Jessica Calefati and Chris Megerian/The Star-Ledger
