| ||||||||||||
GARDEN STATE COALITION OF SCHOOLS
GSCS EMAILNET 6-12-09
GSCS Quick Facts:
- Next GSCS Board of Trustees Meeting is Wednesday, July 15 at 9:30, at the E. Brunswick Bd. of Education
- It sometimes defies logic…
In the midst of economic crisis and trying to stabilize school budgets as well as property taxes, sometimes the push to pass some bills just doesn't make sense. In the news report below we are told that health benefits may rise as much as 20-25% in the State Health Plan for teachers, by next January.
This is a fixed cost that will invade budgets already in place and will cut into on-going programs, as well as hiking local property taxes. Fixed costs are those items that are required by law but are beyond local control; yet these costs can eat up most -sometimes all - of the allowable 4% increase in school budgets.
Too often, at the same time fixed costs are rising, bills come along that will add to the fixed cost burden, such as S1882/Stack (allows municipalities to transfer adult school crossing guard operation & cost to school districts) and S2850/Madden (requires prevailing wages for private food service providers in local government agencies, including school districts). S1882 has already passed out of the Senate Education Committee and S2850 is being heard for ‘discussion purposes’ this Monday in the Senate Labor Committee.
GSCS will oppose both of these bills. Click on More here to see the bills...More...
On the Homepage at www.gscschools.org
[To follow the GSCS homepage ‘More’ links, per standard web method, you must place your cursor over ‘More’ and then hold down your computer ‘Control’ (Ctrl) button while left-clicking at the same time, i.e., ‘Crtl + Click’.]
6-11-09 APPROPRIATIONS ACT FY2009-2010 on Statehouse Committee Schedule for Monday June 15 The Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2009-2010 is scheduled for hearings this Monday in both the Assembly and Senate Budget & Appropriations Committees. At this time, reports are that this bill is to be called for a final vote on next Thursday. The Appropriations Act bill has not yet been made public, but should emerge at the NJ Legislature website over the weekend for public viewing. It is also being reported that there will still be a few voting sessions subsequent to the vote on the Appropriations Act for FY 2009-2010. More...
6-12-09 How 50% of IDEA funding can be used to reduce level of state and local expenses - certain circumstances
Because we continue to receive inquiries, we are re-posting an April memo from the Department of Education that stipulates criteria and appropriate use for possible use 50% of IDEA funds by local districts for to "reduce the level of state and local expenditures..." EXCERPT FROM THE MEMO..."...Under certain circumstances an LEA may be able to reduce the level of State and local expenditures otherwise required by the IDEA LEA maintenance of effort (MOE) requirements. Under section 613(a)(2)(C), in any fiscal year that an LEA’s IDEA allocation exceeds the amount the LEA received in the previous year, the LEA may reduce the level of State and local expenditures by up to 50 percent of the amount of the increase, as long as the LEA uses those freed-up local funds for existing or new activities that could be supported under the ESEA..." TO READ THE FULL MEMO, Click on More here
More...
6-12-09 News of Note re State Budget & Health benefit - teacher contributions
12 percent of N.J. public school teachers pay premiums toward health insurance' - The Associated Press Star Ledger - Lawmakers to pass N.J. budget eliminating property tax rebates, increasing taxes for some
June 12 - Star Ledger TRENTON -- 'Lawmakers are on schedule to pass a state budget next week that would eliminate property tax rebates for many residents while increasing taxes for some, all to deal with huge shortfalls in revenues.'More...
6-12-09 How 50% of IDEA funding can be used to reduce level of state and local expenses - certain circumstances
Because we continue to receive inquiries, we are re-posting an April memo from the Department of Education that stipulates criteria and appropriate use for possible use 50% of IDEA funds by local districts for to "reduce the level of state and local expenditures..." EXCERPT FROM THE MEMO..."...Under certain circumstances an LEA may be able to reduce the level of State and local expenditures otherwise required by the IDEA LEA maintenance of effort (MOE) requirements. Under section 613(a)(2)(C), in any fiscal year that an LEA’s IDEA allocation exceeds the amount the LEA received in the previous year, the LEA may reduce the level of State and local expenditures by up to 50 percent of the amount of the increase, as long as the LEA uses those freed-up local funds for existing or new activities that could be supported under the ESEA..." TO READ THE FULL MEMO, Click on More here
More...
6-12-09 News of Note re State Budget & Health benefit - teacher contributions
12 percent of N.J. public school teachers pay premiums toward health insurance' - The Associated Press Star Ledger - Lawmakers to pass N.J. budget eliminating property tax rebates, increasing taxes for some
June 12 - Star Ledger TRENTON -- 'Lawmakers are on schedule to pass a state budget next week that would eliminate property tax rebates for many residents while increasing taxes for some, all to deal with huge shortfalls in revenues.' More...
6-11-09 'N.J. pension director says insurance premiums could rise by double digits'
Star Ledger/Statehouse Bureau/TRENTON -- "State pension director Fred Beaver continued to deliver bad news about health care coverage today, saying insurance premiums for public employees could rise by double digits next year. The increase is likely to strain budgets for cash-strapped counties, municipalities and local agencies (including school districts) that are enrolled in the state health care program..."More...
6-11-09 GSCS - it sometimes defies logic
In the midst of economic crisis and trying to stabilize school budgets as well as property taxes, sometimes the push to pass some bills just doesn't make sense. In the news report below we are told that health benefits may rise as much as 20-25% in the State Health Plan for teachers, by next January. This is a fixed cost that will invade budgets already in place and will cut into on-going programs, as well as hiking local property taxes. Fixed costs are those items that are required by law but are beyond local control; yet these costs can eat up most -sometimes all - of the allowable 4% increase in school budgets. Too often, at the same time fixed costs are rising, bills come along that will add to the fixed cost burden, such as S1882/Stack (allows municipalities to transfer adult school crossing guard operation & cost to school districts) and S2850/Madden (requires prevailing wages for private food service providers in local government agencies, including school districts). S1882 has already passed out of the Senate Education Committee and S2850 is being heard for ‘discussion purposes’ this Monday in the Senate Labor Committee. GSCS will oppose both of these bills. Click on More here to see the bills...More...
6-11-09 Court challenge filed by Denville Bd. of Educ. member v. 60% super majority vote required for 2nd questions
Star Ledger, June 11, 2009/Morris Section – ‘Denville lawsuit challenges 60 percent voter requirement for local budget questions’ "...The suit contends the law is unconstitutional and will cause "significant and irreparable" harm to the quality of education...But any requests above a 4 percent state limit on budget increases must be put to voters in a separate question, which must get at least 60 percent voter approval in order to pass. Gellene said the margin is arbitrary and violates federal one-man, one-vote fairness rules. "This is a very important question, one that I think could go to the Supreme Court," said Gellene. More...
6-10-09 Education Week on Abbott Decision
'Though N.J. Funding Formula Upheld, Abbott Intact' - "...The governor, who had likened the old method to funding children by zip code, hailed the high court ruling in a statement, saying that it “brings to a conclusion decades of conflict and litigation that many thought would never end.”..."David G. Sciarra, the lead lawyer for the Abbott schoolchildren, said the case is not over “by a long shot.”... “The new formula provides, arguably, the most generous resources in the nation for children at risk,” she (Commissioner of Education Lucille Davy) said. “It is really difficult for me, given the complexity of the national fiscal crisis, for anyone to look at this glass and see it as anything less than full.” ".....Lynne Strickland, the executive director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools, an advocacy group for middle- and upper-income districts, said the new formula offers a mixed bag for her members.....Nevertheless, she sees tremendous political advantage for schools in the adoption of one uniform funding approach. “For the first time in recent history, all the districts in the state will be unified in some real common-denominator advocacy,” Ms. Strickland said. More...
6-9-09 COMMENTARY on Supreme Court Abbott school funding decisio
Perspectives and Moving Forward: COMMENTARY ON SUPREME COURT ABBOTT DECISION- SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULA CONSTITUTIONAL: 'Abbott amended; now, eliminate spending caps' NorthJersey.com by Robert Hutton, vice president of the Ridgewood Board of Education.
"THE ABBOTT decisions have been with us for more than 20 years. I don't believe the most recent state Supreme Court decision will make unfair funding formulas go away that easily..."
"Given the court's support for the new school funding formula, the only logical next step is to abolish the legislation dictating caps...The reversal of these caps would put budget decisions back where they have been and rightfully should be — in the hands of district voters...If caps remain, the end result will be the elimination of high performing districts such as Ridgewood in New Jersey."
'Verniero: From the courtrooms to the classrooms' NorthJersey.com, by Peter G. Verniero, a lawyer, formerly served as a justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court and state attorney general. As attorney general, he represented the state in the fourth and fifth Abbott cases..."The bottom line is this: For the time being, all three branches of government are moving in the same direction. If we could keep it that way, all of New Jersey’s school children would be the winners." More...
6-9-09 'School officials: Cost regulations need to be re-examined'
FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY REGULATIONS hearings being held this month, click on 6-4-09 below re: Department of Education Revised Hearing Schedule: Tuesday, June 9, 2009 NorthJersey.com, The Record, The Herald News.......... "...Those year-old regulations, which are up for reauthorization next month, need to be fine-tuned to get rid of unintended poor side effects, school administrators told state education officials during a hearing in Parsippany Tuesday..." More...
‘GSCS EMAILNET 6-4-09’ EXCERPTS:
In case you missed it… (EMAILNET 6-4-09 also found under ‘Email Network’ at www.gscschools.org
· Next Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 15, 9:30 a.m. at the East Brunswick Board of Education.
· In support of a unitary formula that brings all New Jersey districts together under one umbrella, and looking to loosen the “constitutional straightjacket” that evolved over the years regarding school funding, the Supreme Court decision rendered May 28, 20009 found the School funding formula (the School Funding Reform Act 2008/SFRA) constitutional for former Abbott Districts. The opportunity is now ripe for combined strength of districts united by one formula to additionally empower education advocacy.
· Regionalization plans evoking loud criticism around the state.
· GSCS Annual Meeting with capacity crowd in attendance. GSCS thanks all those efforts made this program a great success which included presentations, panel and audience Q&A’s with Governor Corzine, Commissioner Davy, Assembly Education Chairman Joe Cryan, and Assembly Education Committee members Mila Jasey and David Wolfe. Many thanks to our guests and GSCS members both, for their time and frank conversation on critical issues facing education today. A separate report on the Annual Meeting will follow soon.
· Statehouse reports it is anticipating a final vote on State Budget FY’10 by 6-22-09.
· Still no word on how the Governor and the Treasurer will require districts to return $35M in debt service aid – already in school budgets for 2009-2010 – to state coffers. GSCS is pressing this question, as well as expressing concerns over the reduction overall.
