Fr: GSCS 11-15-07

To: GSCS Members  

Re: Release of the administrations' proposal for a new school funding formula

It is likely that the school funding formula will be released by the administration prior to Thanksgiving break.  GSCS is in regular touch with the Governor's office on this and will communicate information to you as soon as we receive details.

 The actual 'form' of the administration's proposal is not entirely clear yet, and it still remains to be seen if the proposal will first show up in bill/legislation format or written narrative. We are hearing that the special education funding part of the proposal will include wealth- equalizing special education aid to some extent, perhaps a large extent (as opposed to keeping it a 'categorical' aid as is now down, where aid - assessed via each student's disability(ies) . GSCS has consistently opposed changing the type of aid methodology and the administration and the legislature is aware of that. In fact, a number of legislators and locally elected officials are on the same page as GSCS in this regard, as are a several education groups. 

Be ready to not only register your disapproval of that aid distribution methodology, to your mayors and local & state newspapers as well to Trenton. How aid is distributed among the state's districts will also have a big impact on your budgets, and property taxes & local taxpayers.

 GSCS is watching & working hard on all the key elements of the potential funding formula very closely...we will continue to specify our concerns and recommendations & will stay in touch with you and state leadership early and often.

Star Ledger

Governor to start spreading the word on financial revamp

Thursday, November 15, 2007  After maintaining a low profile during the recent legislative elections, Gov. Jon Corzine is getting back into public view in a big way as he enters a critical stage of his administration.

The governor will address hundreds of municipal leaders at the New Jersey League of Municipalities convention in Atlantic City today, then field questions for an hour on a live call-in show tonight on public television and The Star- Ledger's Internet home (www.nj.com).

In coming weeks, Corzine plans to unveil his proposals to remodel the state's school funding formula and restructure the state's fi nances. He has said he will hold town hall meetings in each of the state's 21 counties to explain his plans to the public.

"People can count on having a chance to speak with the governor in lots of different forums," Corzine said. "In the next three months, you're going to get bored of seeing me."

On-line at the Star Ledger (nj.com) Wednesday evening:

State education head: New school aid plan within week

by Deborah Howlett/The Star-Ledger

Wednesday November 14, 2007, 5:51 PM

State Education Commissioner Lucille Davy promised today to deliver a new school funding formula within a week.

"We are very close," Davy said during remarks at the League of Municipalities conference in Atlantic City. She set a deadline of "before Thanksgiving" but said there is still work to be done. "We're dotting some Is and crossing some Ts," she said.

Gov. Jon Corzine is expected to talk about a new formula for distributing state aid to schools during a luncheon speech to the convention Thursday. He has said he wants aid to be based more on the needs of individual students rather than the economic status of school districts.

Davy didn't offer much in the way of a preview of the substance or content of the governor's plan, but she did lay out the timeline.

"We would hope the Legislature would adopt the new formula in lame duck (by Jan. 8)," Davy said. "Our goal is to have it place so districts will be able to use it for the '08-'09 school year. "