The Record - A look at school spending by the numbers ….. “The Taxpayers’ Guide, formerly known as the Comparative Spending Guide, outlines the cost of educating students for the 2009-2010 school year including some previously unavailable data, such as a per-pupil spending figure that reflects the total amount spent on PreK-12 education in New Jersey. The former per-pupil cost in the Comparative Spending Guide did not include many categories of spending, and therefore reflected an artificially low per-pupil cost…”

Politickernj.com - Thigpen intervenes in Dem caucus health/pension debacle...Sources say Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) has South Jersey Democrats, Republicans and herself lined up in support of pension and health benefits reform.Politickernj.com - Thigpen intervenes in Dem caucus health/pension debacle...Sources say Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) has South Jersey Democrats, Republicans and herself lined up in support of pension and health benefits reform.

By Max Pizarro | June 9th, 2011 - 2:50pm

But she lacks support elsewhere in the caucus and doesn’t have Essex in line, a delegation that includes her labor leader district-mate Assemblyman Tom Giblin (D-Montclair), and others uncomfortable with transgressing collective bargaining in favor of Gov. Chris Christie-backed reforms.

There’s more than the reform package at stake here, and Oliver knows it, say sources. She told caucus members she wouldn’t back a deal without the caucus behind her and right now, it’s not - a situation that threatens the speaker’s leadership status.

Essex County Democratic Committee Chairman Phil Thigpen wants to help.“I’m going to meet with the delegation on Monday and we will resolve the differences,’ Thigpen told PolitickerNJ.com. “We will support the speaker and be united. I’d like us to be a united delegation and come to consensus.”

If Oliver can’t bring at least her home county delegation to heel, sources say the caucus could permanently lame duck her, and potentially unseat her next year in exchange for a front line opponent of the Norcross/Divincenzo/Christie axis – someone like Assembly Majority Leader Joe Cryan (D-Union), for example.

At least one Assembly caucus member described himself as deeply torn, convinced of Oliver's sincerity in trying to represent the concerns of her caucus with the front office, but fastened to Christie's Essex County Democratic Party allies, including County Executive Joe DiVincenzo.

As Senate Presdient Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford) declared his commitment to moving ahead with the reform omnibus bill regardless of what the Assembly does, Oliver issued a statement Thursday afternoon representing lower house Democrats' worries.

“My caucus had legitimate questions after seeing the details of this concept for the first time. Working through these concerns is reasonable and appropriate," said the speaker. “Reforming the public worker pension and health insurance system at all levels of government to bring relief to taxpayers while respecting worker rights is my priority. I am committed to getting it done. The consequences of inaction are not an option.

“I continue striving to bring all sides toward a plan that brings taxpayer relief while protecting worker rights, and  look forward to more discussions with the governor and Senate president to reach a timely agreement.”

The Record - A look at school spending by the numbers ….. “The Taxpayers’ Guide, formerly known as the Comparative Spending Guide, outlines the cost of educating students for the 2009-2010 school year including some previously unavailable data, such as a per-pupil spending figure that reflects the total amount spent on PreK-12 education in New Jersey. The former per-pupil cost in the Comparative Spending Guide did not include many categories of spending, and therefore reflected an artificially low per-pupil cost…”

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011           STAFF WRITER                      NEIGHBOR NEWS (MONTVILLE EDITION)

Although the comparisons are not always "apples to apples" and digging for answers can be time consuming, the 2011 Taxpayers’ Guide to Education Spending has been released by the state Department of Education. According to a statement issued by Governor Chris Christie, the data provided is a part of his commitment to providing taxpayers and parents with complete transparency about spending and performance in New Jersey public education.

The Taxpayers’ Guide, formerly known as the Comparative Spending Guide, outlines the cost of educating students for the 2009-2010 school year including some previously unavailable data, such as a per-pupil spending figure that reflects the total amount spent on PreK-12 education in New Jersey. The former per-pupil cost in the Comparative Spending Guide did not include many categories of spending, and therefore reflected an artificially low per-pupil cost.

In the Taxpayers’ Guide, the statewide average "total spending per pupil" for the 2009-2010 school year is reported as $17,836. Furthermore, total spending per pupil in the 31 Abbott districts averages $20,859 compared to average total spending per pupil of $17,051 in the other 500-plus school districts in New Jersey.

Calculations of the total per-pupil cost in the former Comparative Spending Guide did not include costs such as transportation, debt service, federal funds, and the costs of tuition for students sent out of district. The new Taxpayers’ Guide to Education Spending includes all of these numbers, which are very real parts to the whole spending picture.

The new guide also includes employer contributions to the Teacher’s Pension and Annuity Fund. While those numbers do have an impact on total spending. it’s something that local school districts have not had control over for over 45 years.

Local numbers

In Morris County the numbers vary. The schools ranked from 1, representing the lowest spending, on up are grouped by size based on enrollment figures. However one major factor in school spending, the number of special-needs students, was not broken out and could significantly impact costs.

In the K-12 under 1,800 student category, Mountain Lakes tops the local list but drops to second highest in the state for per pupil costs. In 2008-09 Mountain Lakes was ranked 45 of 45 schools in that size category with per pupil spending of $18,664. In 2009-10 Mountain Lakes’ $18,760 total was topped by Wildwood City with $19,967. Based on the 2010-11 budget Mountain Lakes maintains its 44th statewide category position.

Boonton ranked the 42 highest in that category all three years with costs per pupil at $16,078 in 2008-09, $16,723 in 2009-10 and $16,299 budgeted for 2010-11. The state average in that enrollment range is $13,229, $13,629 and $13,587 respectively.

For K-12 schools with an enrollment range of 1,801 to 3,500 Dover with a 2010-11 per pupil budgeted cost of $10,847 ranked the 5th lowest of 69 schools across the state.

And in the K-12 3,501 and over category, which represents 105 schools statewide, Montville ranked #56 ($12,795) and Parsippany–Troy Hills #66 ($13,948) for 2010-11. Montville, which for the two previous years had been ranked #53, the latest figures show a slight increase in spending habits compared to other similar districts. However Parsippany, which in 2008-09 had been ranked #82, the numbers show that while still on the high side the district is curtailing spending in comparison with its operating group.

In the K-8 school districts the spending amounts between Rockaway Borough and Rockaway Township are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

Rockaway Borough, a K-8 district in the 401-750 pupil enrollment category, went from $10,046 in 2008-09 to $10,048 in 2010-11 in per pupil costs. That’s an increase of $2 over three budget cycles. During that time the district’s spending rankings went from 5 down to 3, or the third lowest in a field of 64 similar sized school districts.

Down the road in Rockaway Township the numbers are very different. In a statewide field of 89 schools Rockaway Township ranked #81 for 2010-11, the ninth highest spending district in that category with a per pupil cost of $14,533. However, its worth noting that in the 2009-10 budget year, Rockaway Township was ranked #86 with a per pupil cost of $15,508.

Other local K-8 rankings for 2010-11 put Denville at #27 and Wharton at #68 in the 751 and up enrollment category and in the 401 to 750 group Township of Boonton ranked #17.

E-mail: forrestc@northjersey.com