Quality Public Education for All New Jersey Students

 

 
     5-1-12 REVISED GRADUATION RATES per County-District, AS RELEASED 120501
     5-1-12 Department of Education Release explains policy rationals for new rate methodology, federal requirements for revision of gradnuation rates
     4-11,12-12 p.m - Governor's Press Release re Priority, Focus and Rewards Schools Final list...PolitickerNJ and NJ Spotlight articles
     November Elections for Schools - Department of Education FAQ's
     List of PRIORITY, FOCUS and REWARDS SCHOOLS per DOE Application on ESEA (NCLB) Waiver
     Education Transformation Task Force Initial Report...45 recommendations for starters
     7-14-11 DOE Guidance on Local Options for using Additional State School Aid in FY'12 State Budget.PDF
     7-14-11 State GUIDANCE re: Using Additional State Aid as Property Tax Relief in this FY'12 Budget year.PDF
     FY'12 State School Aid District-by-District Listing, per Appropriations Act, released 110711
     7-12-11 pm District by District Listing of State Aid for FY'12 - Guidelines to be released later this week (xls)
     Democrat Budget Proposal per S4000, for Fiscal Year 2011-2012
     Additional School Aid [if the school funding formula,SFRA, were fully funded for all districts] per Millionaires' Tax bill S2969
     4-29-11 BOOMERANG! Near 80 per cent of School Budgets Passed in Wednesday'sSchool Elections
     4-7-11 Gov. Christie - 'Addressing New Jersey's Most Pressing Education Challenges'
     GSCS - Local District Listing : Local Funds Transferred to Charter Schools 2001-2010
     GSCS Bar Chart: Statewide Special Education cost percent compared to Regular & Other Instructional cost percent 2004-2011
     Link to Teacher Evaluation Task Force Report
     1-24-11 GSCSS Testimony before Assembly Education Committee: Charter School Reform
     1-13-11 Supreme Court Appoints Special Master for remand Hearing
     7-21-10 List of bills in Governor's 'Toolkit'
     Office on Legislative Services Analysis of Department of Educaiton - State Budget for FY'11
     4-21-10 DOE posts election results
     4-15-10 Education Week - Education Secretary recommends federal funds to 'preserve' education jobs
     3-23-10 GSCS Testimony presented to Senate Budget Committee on State Budget FY'11
     GSCS - Formula Aid Loss and Percent Loss by District - Statewide
     GSCS - Formula Aid Loss under 50%, by County
     GSCS - Formula Aid Loss of 50% or more, by County
     State Aid 2010 Reserve Calculation and Appeal Procedures
     School Aid Withheld Spreadsheet
     1-13-10 Christie's New Commissioner of Education to be announced today - 12:30 Statehouse Press Conference
     1-13-10 New Commissioner of Education to be announced today - 12:30 Statehouse Press Conference
     STATE BOARD of EDUCATION 2009-2010 MEETINGS SCHEDULE
     10-2-09 News of Note
     10-1-09 Education Week on Acheivement Gap narrowing; Algebra Testing
     ARRA funding guidelines& NJ accountability summary - links from Federal Government
     August 2009 Information on Federal Stimulus funding supporting school districts Fiscal Year 2009-2010
     7-22-09 'State gives extra aid for schools an extraordinary boost'
     7-16-08 Schools Testing measures adopted; Test scoring upgraded - harder to pass
     6-26-09 Executive Director to GSCS Trustees; Wrap Up Report - State Budget and Assembly bills this week
     6-18-09 NJ toughens high school graduation requirements
     6-10-09 Education Week on Abbott Decision
     6-9-09 COMMENTARY on Supreme Court Abbott school funding decisio
     5-09 GSCS ASKS - Education funding questions- school districts need answers
     5-19-09 Treasurer David Rousseau announces additional round of cuts to Gov's proposed State Budget FY2009-2010
     5-14-09 GSCS Heads Up - State Aid payments to be delayed into next Fiscal Year
     4-23-09 The public shows its support for public education in passing nearly 75% of school budgets statewide
     4-22-09 Statewide County by County Results FY0910 School Budget Elections
     4-22-09 Statewide District by District Results FY0910 School Budget Elections
     4-22-09 Department of Education releases recap of school budget vote, 73.5 passage rate
     4-21-09 Today is School Board Election Day - Remember to Vote
     090416 DOE RELEASE - Fed'l StimulusTITLE 1 ALLOCATIONS
     090416 DOE RELEASE - Fed'l Stimulus IDEA ALLOCATIONS
     3-25-09 Judge Doyne makes recommendation to Supreme Court on Abbott v School Funding Reform Act
     3-26 & 27-09 Abbott recommendation back to Supreme Court: - editorials & articles
     3-09 School Facilities Grant Program - Regular Operating Districts: Allocations & Analysis Round One
     Title 1 funding charts - Same as immediately below, but in PDF form: Latest Title 1 'preliminary' funding under the ARRA 3-09
     2-23-09 'There's no formula for fairness in school aid case'
     NJ District listing, Title One & IDEA under federal stimulus law
     11-25-08 Perspective piece criticizes recent Supreme Court Abbott decision
     9-24-08 Supreme Court hearing on constitutionality of School Funding Reform Act
     SAVE THE DATE - OCT. 7TH
     NJ League of Municipalities & NJ Dept of Education Education Forum Invitation
     6-4-08 Education Week Releases 'Diplomas Count' report & data
     Estimated 2008-2009 State Aid by County & District
     Annual School Budget Election Results by County Percentage of Budgets Approved, 1994-2007
     Compares Total Per Pupil State Aid (minus adjustments) under new formula - '06'07 to '08'09
     11-20-07 RELEASE OF NEW SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULA LIKELY TO BE DELAYED UNTIL AFTER THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
     11-13-07 Speaker Roberts & Assembly Democrats Affordable Housing Proposal
     GSCS School Funding Paper 'Funding NJ's Schools...Finding a Workable Solution' distributed 10-22-07 at Press Conf in Trenton
     UPDATED - Possible Spec. Educ. Aid Loss to districts (based on current aid per current, yet outdated by 6 years, CEIFA distribution) if state chooses to 'wealth-equalize' this aid in a future formula
     10-23-07 NJSBA write up on GSCS Press Conf. re 'Funding NJ Schools...Finding a Workable Solution'
     GSCS School Funding Paper distributed 10-22-07 at Press Conf in Trenton
     10-23 Media reports & Trenton responses to date re GSCS Press Conf
     Spec. Educ. Aid Loss to districts (based on current aid per current, yet outdated by 6 years, CEIFA distribution) if state chooses to 'wealth-equalize' this aid in a future formula
     9-20-07 New Jersey School Boards Assoc. Releases its Report on Special Education
     Background Paper: Public School Funding in Massachusetts 7-07
     7-31-07 EMAILNET Status of School Funding Formula, more
     Tax Foundation 'Background Paper' Appropriation by Litigation
     8-7-07 'State rebuilds school construction program'
     7-26-07 Council on Local Mandates reverses DOE spec ed regulation
     7-26-07 Education Law Center on school funding reform via is subgroup report
     Excel Spreadsheet on New DFG's based on 2000 census
     STATEWIDE DATA and more: Charts, Reports
     Important School Funding Data Reports
     5-21-07 In Connecticut '2 School Aid Plans Have a Similar Theme'
     APRIL '07 MOODY's OUTLOOK ON SCHOOLS -NEGATIVE
     3-26-07 Education Week 'Quality Counts 2006' on NJ School Policy
     3-25-07 New York Times on NJ Comparative Spending Guide, more on Gov putting off signing A1, Tax Caps & Rebate bill
     2-27-07 Department of Education Power Point on State Aid for FY07-08 compared to FY 06-07
     2-14-07 GSCS letter to Gov Corzine & Commr of Education Davy - Request for State Aid FY0708
     2-7-07 Department of Education Releases 2006 School Report Cards
     2-7-07 School funding, school audits - need for new formula underscored
     Scheduled for Monday 1-22-07& website to study on cost to local taxpayers when school funding formula ingored by state
     11-15-06 The Special Session Jt Committee Reports
     11-11-06 'GSCS is working hard on the behalf of hundreds of school communities across the state'
     11-10-06 NJ education chief vows urban support
     11-6-06 The need for special education funding to stay as a 'categorical' aid based on each students disability is real
     Nov 2006 Special Aid loss to districts if aid were based on current ability-to-pay formula
     10-21-06 Education Data Study Released - how the news is being reported
     10-30-06 NY Times
     9-5-06 GSCS Testimony on cost saving meaures in Trenton
     Some Abbott funding history see May 27 1998 - Education Week article on Abbott V court decision
     School Budget Elections 2006 Summary Data
     6-12-06 EMAILNET - Extraordinary Special Education student aid; FY07 Budget 'crunch' is on; news clips
     Assembly Speaker Roberts proposes 'CORE' plan for schools & towns
     GSCS Charts show pressure on school funding
     FUNDING HISTORY- some articles
     3-28-06 State Budget FY07 - GSCS testimony before Assembly Budget Comm
     Funding Coalition submits paper 'Beginning Discussions on School Funding Reform'
     Governor Corzine takes steps towards major policy initiatives.
     3-28-06 NY Times re Texas school finance case
     3-24-06 EMAILNET FYI Update on Gov Corzine's Budget FY07
     3-23-06 EMAILNET Corzine says some Abbotts can raise taxes
     3-24-06 Schools learn who wins, loses in Corzine budget
     2-10-06 Star Ledger editorial re void of credible & useful data at Department of Education
     Dept Ed Directive 7-6-05: School Construction Sec 15 Grant Funding for more than 450 districts questionable
     EMAILNET 2-1-06 GSCS Advocacy FY07 Budget; On the Homepage Today
     2003 GSCS letter to legislators
     1-26-06 New York Times article re public schools fundraising for private support
     1-25-06 Star Ledger 'School District's Woes Point to Rising Tax Resistance'
     GSCS Testimony 2003 on Suggestions for School Funding - issues similar to 2005-6
     1-19-06 EMAILNET Quick Facts, On the Homepage Today
     EMAILNET 1-5-06 quick facts & State Board school funding Legal Committee decision
     Philadelphia Inquirer 6-16-05 Commissioner Librera Release Abbott Designation Report
     December 2005 Harvard Famiily Research Project Links
     Education Week article May 1998 Re Abbott Ruling 'High Court Ends School Funding Issues May 1998
     Standard & Poors Release Achievement Gap Study 8-23-05
     10-5-05 PRESS BRIEFING ON SCHOOL AID & FUNDING SPONSORED by Ad Hoc School Finance Discussion Group, GSCS is participant...10-6-05 ASbury Park Press (Gannett) & Press of Atlantic City articles
     Statehouse Press Briefing October 5, 2005 Notes & Handouts - Update on NJ School Finance
     Debt Service v State Share 0 to 40 Districts Before and After S200
     How State Figures Sending Districts' Per Pupil Cost
     GSCS School Funding and S1701 Power Point - February 2005
     DOE Announces NCLB-Designated Districts In Need of Improvement
     Rutgers-Eagleton Insitute analysis of property taxes-education funding issues
     Designation of Abbott Districts Criteria and Process
     NJ Department of Education District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts
     Standard & Poors National and State and School Data and Analyses
     Standard & Poors Releases Achievement Gap Study 8-23-05
7-26-07 Education Law Center on school funding reform via is subgroup report
This report by ELC's 'Our Children Our Schools' group is a good summary of the current status of Trenton and school funding formula issues and questions. However, GSCS notes that the concluding statement that it is better to get it (a formula) right, rather than fast is too simple a statement that skims over the complexity of the issue. GSCS disagrees. Regular operating districts have not had the stability, funding, nor predictability of formula implementation since FY02. In order to actually get a formula in place, the legislature has to have a bill (proposed legislation)in hand before there can be any real viable and productive discussion on the Trenton's table. All that will indeed take time too before a final formula compromise is reached and effected. Delaying that debate in legislative form, especially post the 2008 elections, will likely put off any formula implementation for another couple of years. That would mean that NJ could be without a school funding formula for at least 8 years. The process needs to step up and it can be done.

Our Children/Our Schools
A newsletter about New Jersey school funding and reform
Funding Formula Outlook Uncertain

Shortly after taking office, Governor Jon Corzine charged the State Legislature with reforming the state's school funding formula. As the OC/OS newsletter has documented, activity heated up considerably in 2006, but has slowed in 2007. This update reviews key events over the past year and identifies some developments likely to influence efforts to revamp the school funding formula as we head into fall 2007, a season that will include a legislative campaign and a "lame duck" session of the legislature in November/December. The outcome remains uncertain and the stakes remain high for all of New Jersey's children and communities.

Initial Efforts

Governor Corzine called a special joint legislative session in 2006 to tackle property tax reform and school funding. Toward the end of the special session, Commissioner Davy unveiled a study commissioned by the State to identify the cost of public education and form the basis of the new funding formula. After the study's release, a series of hearings were held to air public reactions to the study and the estimates of the cost of a public education in New Jersey. The study was met with resounding criticism from educators, administrators, advocates, and parents.

In response, the State hired nationally renowned experts to review the report. Their critiques, released to the public in January 2007, cited the same shortcomings. Soon thereafter, Governor Corzine publicly announced his plan to defer resolution of a new funding formula for one more year, or until 2008.

Recent Developments

Stakeholder meetings. Education Commissioner Lucille Davy convened four "stakeholder meetings" to date to discuss topics purportedly related to the funding formula. The first was a review and deeper discussion of the cost study. At that meeting Commissioner Davy publicly announced that the NJDOE would make the needed adjustments to the study. The remaining meetings were about vocational schools, charter schools, choice, and early childhood respectively. The Education Law Center's (ELC) research director, Lesley Hirsch, referred to the meetings as "inconclusive," adding that the NJDOE has "sidestepped most of the more serious issues of cost, state share, and tax implications" in favor of less controversial issues with less direct bearing on the funding formula.

Funding formula calculations. ELC is currently involved in a lawsuit against the state and the NJDOE seeking the release of a memo from 2003 that details three alternative school funding formulas along with their impact on state property taxes. The NJDOE fought to keep the memo secret, but, because of actions taken by ELC, the court ordered the documents be turned over. The released document clearly indicates that the NJDOE is examining various school funding formulas but the actual content of the memo, including all relevant statistics, was completely blacked out. ELC is back in court to gain access to the pertinent information.

Leadership. Unofficial reports in both the Star Ledger and the Jersey Journal have suggested that Governor Corzine might replace current Education Commissioner Lucille Davy with State Senator and Bayonne Mayor Joseph Doria. According to state officials, Corzine wants Doria in a top education position to oversee the new school funding proposal. Policy makers such as Richard Codey (D, Essex) believe that, "Joe would be fabulous for the administration" and that Doria, "knows education -- he knows it inside and out." The reports mention that Corzine might make Doria his chief advisor on educational policy instead, which would enable Doria to maintain his mayoralty.

Legislative elections and calendar. The state's legislative session ended June 28th with a State Budget in place, ensuring that any new school funding formula would become an item for the fall session and 2008. Actual progress may be further delayed until at least mid-November, with legislators unlikely to put any potentially controversial legislation through before elections. A likely window for action will take place after the elections, however. Four out of five members of the Senate Education Committee already are lame duck legislators. The Chair of the Assembly Education Committee is currently in the midst of a primary recount. If progress isn't made before 2008, we will be facing a new legislature and perhaps starting from scratch on the funding formula.

The Outlook

The NJDOE's reluctance to publicize its school funding formula proposals, its failure to address significant problems with the cost study, the tenuous future of Commissioner Davy, and the possibility of change after the November elections work together to create an air of uncertainty.

There is opportunity for progress, however.

Public access to funding proposals and work being performed now at the NJDOE, correction of weaknesses in the original cost study, and new leadership could lay the necessary foundation for an equitable and adequate formula that serves the needs of all New Jersey children. Although many school districts still face difficulties within the current funding framework, ultimately it is more important to get the formula right than to get it fast.

For more information, contact Lesley Hirsch lhirsch@edlawcenter.org.