GSCS QUICK FACTS: Next Board of Trustees meeting: January 28 2009 at the East Brunswick Board of Education – members welcome, please RSVP  gscs2000@gmail.com  .  The Executive Officers are scheduled to meet  2 p.m. prior to the regular board meeting.

School districts have yet to receive the budget hearing and election calendar from the state. This indicates that the state, stressed by the economy issues, is likely looking to delay the release of state aid figures for FY0910 as long as possible. It also implies that A15, the bill that will not only move board elections to November but also discontinue budget election votes under statutory cap, may still be posted for floor votes in January (see below for more info).  A15 also included a voting mechanism for districts that require funding over cap – the timing of this vote in November after the school fiscal year is underway nearly 5 months, plus the requirement of a 60% supermajority of those voting – renders the passage of that type of vote highly unlikely. Legislators have acknowledged the complexities of that vote in November and there is still talk of amending the supermajority out of A15 (including Assemblyman Joe Cryan at the GSCS Annual Meeting in June ’08) ……….…GSCS has been working hard on the issues of the preschool mandate start up schedule, as well as concerns on how process plays out in targeted districts. Progress is being made in that regard.  The Assembly Education Committee will hold a hearing devoted to preschool initiative in mid-January……..…..The Special Master, designated by the Supreme Court , has set a schedule for the remand hearing to establish an ‘evidential record’ to review and analyze plaintiff and defendant contentions in order to help determine whether  the Abbott districts will receive enough funding for the special needs under the School Funding Reform Act (SFRA) for the special needs of the children residing in the Abbott Districts. When the hearing is completed the Master will send his brief to the Supreme Court. The Court will then make it final decision  re: the constitutionality of the SFRA regarding the Abbott districts. As the Court specifically wrote in its November 2008 decision on this case, regular operating districts will not be affected by the Court’s final decision. The calendar reflects the expedited process ordered by Supreme Court. It calls for the remand hearing to be completed by February 28 and for Judge Doyne – the Special Master – to render his findings to the Supreme Court by March 31, 2009……….SAVE THE DATES: GSCS is planning to host regional evening meetings in the north-central part of the state on February 25, and in the south-central area of the state on March 25. Commissioner Lucille Davy has reserved those dates to join us for an open conversation and Q & A.