GSCS Quick Facts:

• The Assembly Budget Committee heard from Education Commissioner Lucille Davy and staff yesterday on the state’s education budget for FY07/see news articles below. The Office of Legislative Services budget review book had some excellent summary data information. For example, extraordinary aid for special education if fully funded according to state law, would total more than $174M for FY07. The costs for disabled students in this category have risen more than $122M since the last time extraordinary special education aid was funded in full in FY2003 at $52M. If no additional aid is added, this aid will only be funded at 29% of its legislated promise. This is a clear example of state-obligated, mandated funding that has fallen to local taxpayers to pay for when the state does not fund its obligation. This, in turn, leads directly rising property taxes and local stress over school budget support.

• At the hearing legislators from both sides of the aisle expressed obvious frustration with school funding issues in general – especially the divide created with the separate funding systems that have evolved in New Jersey between the Abbotts and the regular operating districts. Commissioner Davy reiterated the Corzine administration’s intent to develop a new funding formula. GSCS and the education community funding coalition continue to promote that goal, stepping up meetings with key legislators and the administration.

• The Senate education committee tomorrow is hearing Senator Shirley Turner’s bill on school budget elections – no vote for budgets under cap & moving school board member elections to November – and Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts is to introduce a package of bills today regarding not only the school elections, but also sharing of services [including municipalities] empowering the County Superintendent offices to take a greater role in assisting districts; and “truth-in-budgeting” legislation that intends to address greater transparency at the school board level. Details of these bills are still ‘in the works’ and require in-depth analysis.

• The Supreme Court decision granting the Corzine administration’s request to hold Abbott funding flat FY07 was also released yesterday afternoon; districts can appeal that funding but the district has the burden of proof rather than the state in that process. Articles below cover that decision extensively.

ON THE HOMEPAGE TODAY

GSCS 15th Annual Breakfast Meeting Registration Notice
at the Forsgate, Jamesburg, NJ May 31, 9 - 11 am. Information inside
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Directions to The Forsgate, for GSCS Annual Breakfast Meeting May 31
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5-10-06 A Lot is going on - Major News from Trenton
Star Ledger 5-10-06 - Top court orders 'Abbott freeze' but lets schools appeal Gannet State Bureau in the Asbury Park Press on 05/10/06 - Court upholds aid freeze to 31 districts

Associated Press in Press of Atlantic City 5-9-06 ‘Unanimous court rules poorest school districts must trim budgets’

Phila Inquirer - N.J.'s tight rein on neediest schools is upheld while justices allowed the hold-the-line budgetary

New York Times - Court Allows Corzine to Freeze Aid to Poor School Districts

School budgets might be taken off the ballot Associated Press in Asbury Park Press on 05/10/06 — April school elections would be moved to November, but New Jersey voters would lose their say on school budgets under long-discussed legislation

Star Ledger 5-10-06 on Assm Budget hearing - Superintendents take heat on 'obscene' compensation

Asbury Park Press 5-10-06 on Assm Budget Hearing - 31 ABBOTT DISTRICTS: Get about half of state aid COMMISSIONER: Work at poor schools has just begun- Lawmakers seek to identify schools to remove from list
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In-depth Spec Ed costs & bills to change up school systems emerging
Associated Press5-9-06 Lawmakers to weigh moving school elections to November

Press of Atlantic City 5-8-06 A Special Problem Local school districts are finding it difficult to fund special services schools for disabled and medically fragile students.
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5-9-06 Supreme Ct freezes aid & Asm Budget Comm grills DOE Commissioner
Click on MORE below 'Live from the Ledger' on-line link to stories just out this afternoon.
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5-5-06 EMAILNET
Annual Meeting info; Senate Education hearing on school elections 5-11-06; GSCS advocacy efforts
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