Sheila Brogan, Ridgewood: "...The Legislature’s four task forces charged with finding ways to bring about immediate, sustainable property tax relief announced 98 recommendations in mid-November. While some of the proposals could make a positive difference if studied thoroughly and enacted carefully, the legislative leadership seems determined to push new laws to adoption within a matter of weeks with little public input and no clear idea either of their savings to the taxpayer or their long-term consequences..."

Linda Nelson, Scotch Plains-Fanwood, submitted to local newspapers- Legislature Rushing to Action Without Public Debate or Knowledge of Unintended Consequences The Legislature’s four task forces charged with finding ways to bring about immediate, sustainable property tax relief announced 98 recommendations in mid-November. While some of the proposals could make a positive difference if studied thoroughly and enacted carefully, the legislative leadership seems determined to push new laws to adoption within a matter of weeks with little public input and no clear idea either of their savings to the taxpayer or their long-term consequences. Our local Board of Education has grave concerns that the proposed legislation will not bring about promised property tax relief to communities like ours and will not treat all children in the state equally. Along with education groups throughout New Jersey, we are worried that unintended consequences from the changes will have a negative impact on the quality of education in our state, which has been considered among the highest in the country. Issues Needing Further Study and Public Debate Special Education Funding: The Department of Education and legislative staff have developed a school funding formula for all districts, which will be unveiled soon. Under the old formula, 45% of districts in the state, including Scotch Plains-Fanwood, are considered too wealthy to receive basic state aid, known as equalization aid. The only state funding most of these districts receive is for special education, a categorical aid. The new proposed formula reportedly changes special education aid from categorical to equalization aid, which will mean that districts like ours will no longer receive the only state aid we’ve been entitled to, since we are not eligible for equalization funds. The special education money taken from districts like ours will be redistributed to middle income districts that have a need for more state aid. But our local district still will have to provide special education services. In order to find the funds to replace the $2.9 million special education aid SP-F receives, the Board of Education must make drastic cuts in program and teaching positions or ask the local voters for approval to spend above the cap. Not only will our taxpayers not receive the promised relief, we would need to agree to pay even more in order to maintain what we have or watch our class sizes jump up. Executive “Super” County Superintendents of Schools: Legislation has been introduced to create a “Super” Superintendent of Schools in each county with final authority over administrative and financial functions of every school district in the county. More powerful than the current County Superintendent position, the new “Super” Superintendent would be politically appointed by the Governor. He or she would strip local Boards of Education of the final decision in budget, human resources and governance matters and have absolute veto power. The main function of the “Super” would be cost reduction, not educational quality. These political appointees, whose decisions could not be appealed, would have veto power over Board-approved local budgets and would be able to cut important, non-mandated programs in the name of cost savings. While empowering a County Superintendent to help local districts to make joint purchases or to promote other shared services would be helpful, creating a “Super” could enlarge a county bureaucracy and cost more in the long run. And by making the final decision in all financial matters, the “Super” would take such decisions away from local control, distancing education policy from parents and voters. Even the decision as to whether a district may present an extra question to the voters at budget time would need to be approved by the “Super.” November School Board Elections: Legislation also has been introduced to move the election of school board members to the November general elections, which will almost ensure that such elections become partisan. The purported reason for the move will be to increase voter turnout, but the result will be to insert political influence and control into the current non-partisan functioning of most Boards of Education. Running for election in a crowded field of general election candidates, few Board candidates will be able to afford the marketing pieces and other campaign expenses needed to win without party backing. Good Board candidates who do not see themselves as political will hesitate to run. This same legislation would eliminate the vote on school budgets that are under the state spending cap. Again, local parents and voters would be distanced from their local schools as state control increases. Inadequate State Aid to Education: New Jersey funds approximately 38% of education costs statewide, compared to the 50% average of other states. In the past five years the state has not followed its own funding formula, short changing communities nearly $1 billion a year in school aid. Property taxes have risen accordingly to make up the difference. The reason for increasing property taxes is not high spending districts; it’s inadequate state aid to public education. Until the state examines its own spending patterns and adopts an equitable funding formula, property tax relief is unreachable. What We Are Supporting Locally • Fair, open, public debate before rushing to pass new laws whose consequences are not thoroughly understood • An education funding formula that provides a level of basic support for every student, regardless of residence • Special education aid that is kept separate from the state’s basic formula aid – for every special needs students, regardless of where he or she lives • A focus on educational excellence, as well as efficiency The decisions made in the next few weeks will have a huge impact on our local education program, our local property taxes and our local control. Please stay informed and contact our state legislators and the Governor with your concerns. Sheila Brogan, Ridgewood – letter to Legislators Dear Legislators, I hope that you saw the article "N.J. students see better education than average child nationwide" from The Record (below) and that you had a chance to read the Quality Counts report. "A wealth of positive statistics landed New Jersey a fourth-place ranking on a "chance for success index" compiled by researchers at Education Week and the Pew Center for the States, in their annual "Quality Counts" report released Wednesday." (January 3, 2007, The Record) In many of the legislative discussions about property tax reform, quality instructional programs and effective schools have taken a back-seat to saving money. It would be beneficial if you would examine the qualities of effectiveness and efficiency in most New Jersey school districts before voting on legislation to consolidate districts into county systems and employing "super" county superintendents. Will these two plans improve education for our students or make our schools more efficient? It is time to look at properly funding special education costs and continuing this funding as Categorical Aid, allow greater flexibility for school districts participating in SHBP to negotiate changes to health benefits offered, improve mediation services to resolve special education disputes between parents and school districts, and construct a fair and equitable funding formula for school districts that lowers the reliance on the property tax and provides for the educational needs of all students regardless of zip code. Sheila Brogan Ridgewood Board of Education Member N.J. students see better education than average child nationwide Wednesday, January 3, 2007 By KATHLEEN CARROLL STAFF WRITER TARIQ ZEHAWI / THE RECORD The future looks bright for North Jersey children, who stand a better chance at success in life than the average child nationwide, according to an annual ranking of educational quality. Their parents are more likely to be educated and wealthy. They are probably going to attend preschool. And later on, they are more likely to pass standardized tests, enroll in Advanced Placement classes, graduate high school, enroll in post-secondary education and have a full-time job. A wealth of positive statistics landed New Jersey a fourth-place ranking on a "chance for success index" compiled by researchers at Education Week and the Pew Center for the States, in their annual "Quality Counts" report released Wednesday. Virginia ranked first, with Connecticut, Minnesota and Maryland rounding out the top five. The lowest-ranked states were New Mexico, Louisiana and Arizona. ON THE WEB ________________________________________ Read the full report Read the national summary Read New Jersey's summary The state's positive trends are especially strong in North Jersey, where many parents and districts from Bogota to Woodcliff Lake have invested in early-childhood education. Current research lauds high-quality preschool as a way to head off potential academic and behavioral problems down the road. In Bergen County, about one-third of school districts offer preschool; about one-quarter of Passaic County school districts do. Many more offer full-day kindergarten. * * * The average child born in North Jersey has brighter prospects for success in life than children born in most other states, in part because he is more likely to attend preschool, a new research report found. In addition to private daycare centers, one-third of school districts in Bergen County, and one-fourth of Passaic County districts, offer preschool although the state does not require it. Districts Offering Preschool, 2005-06 Bergen County Bogota Cliffside Park* Carlstadt East Rutherford Edgewater Emerson Englewood City* Englewood Cliffs Fairview Franklin Lakes* Garfield* Hackensack* Hillsdale Ho Ho Kus Leonia* Little Ferry Lodi Lyndhurst Mahwah Montvale Moonachie* North Arlington Park Ridge* Ramapo-Indian Hills Ramsey River Vale Rochelle Park Saddle Brook South Hackensack Teaneck Upper Saddle River Waldwick Woodcliff Lake Passaic County Haledon Passaic City* Paterson* Prospect Park* West Milford Hudson County North Bergen Note: Half-day classes. Districts with * offer full-day programs. Source: NJ Department of Education, 2005-06 enrollment data.