Quality Public Education for All New Jersey Students

 

 
     3-30-13 Education in the News - Dept of Education-State Budget, Autism Rates in NJ
     3-20-12 Education Issues in the News
     GSCS State Budget FY 2012-2013 Testimony
     3-11-12 Education Issues in the News
     2-29-12 NJTV on NJ School Funding...and, Reporters' Roundtable back on the aire
     2-26-12 State budget, School Elections, and Federal Grant funds for local reform initiatives
     2-24-12 Headlines from around NJ - from Google (hit on nj education-nj budget)
     2-23-12 Education in the News - Education reform noted in state budget message; Facebook grant to Newark teachers
     2-23-12 State Aid Figures Released late today: GSCS Statement
     STATE AID DISTRICT LIST - PROPOSED for FY 2012-2013
     Education Funding Report on School Funding Reform Act (SFRA) issued 2-23-12
     Text of Gov. Christie's State Budget Message, given Feb. 21, 2012
     2-22-12 School Aid in State Budget Message - Is There a Devil in the Details
     2-21-12 State Budget Message for Fiscal Year 2012-2013
     FY'12 State School Aid District-by-District Listing, per Appropriations Act, released 110711
     GSCS Take on Governor's Budget Message for FY'12
     GSCS 3-7-11Testimony on State Budget as Proposed by the Governor for FY'12 before the Senate Budget Committee
     Gov's Budget Message for Fiscal Year 2011-2012 Today, 2pm
     GSCS FYI
     2-7-11Grassroots at Work in the Suburbs
     1-13-11 Supreme Court Appoints Special Master for remand Hearing
     1-20-11 GSCS Testimony before Senator Buono's Education Aid Impact hearing in Edison
     NOTE: FOR CURRENT INFO ON STATE BUDGET FY'11, GO TO LINK ON LEFT SIDEBAR '2010-2011 STATE BUDGET'
     GSCS FYI - GSCS will be testifying onTuesday in Bergen County on the State Budget
     3-17-10 Budget News - Gov. Chris Christie proposes sacrifices
     3-15-10mid-day: 'Gov. Christie plans to cut NJ school aid by $800M'
     3-14-10 'Christie will propose constitutional amendment to cap tax hikes in N.J. budget'
     3-15-10 'N.J. taxpayers owe pension fund $45.8 billion' The Record
     3-3-10 'Public Education in N.J.: Acting NJ Comm of Educ Bret Schundler says 'Opportunity'
     2-24-10 'Tight funds raise class sizes that districts long sought to cut'
     2-22-10 Christie and unions poised to do batttle over budget cuts'
     2-22-10 Trenton Active Today
     2-19-10 'Acting NJ education commissioner hoping other savings can ward off cuts'
     2-16-10 'Christie Adopts Corzine Cuts, Then Some'
     2-14-10 'FAQ's on NJ's state of fiscal emergency declaration by Gov. Christie'
     2-12-10 Assembly Budget hearing posted for this Wednesday, Feb. 17
     2-12-10 News Coverage: Governor Christie's message on actions to address current fiscal year state budget deficits
     FY2010 Budget Solutions - PRESS PACKET
     School Aid Withheld Spreadsheet
     State Aid 2010 Reserve Calculation and Appeal Procedures
     State Aid Memo (2-11-10) 2 pgs
     2-11-10 Gov Christie address to Joint Session of the Legislature on state budget and current year aid reduction remains scheduled for today
     2-10-10 'Schools are likely targets for NJ budget cuts'
     2-9-10 News article posted this morning notes potential for large loss of current year school aid
     2-8-10 'School leaders around N.J. wait and worry over state aid figures'
     1-28-10 School Surplus plan to supplant State Aid in this year gaining probability
     1-21-10'N.J.'s Christie won't rule out layoffs, furloughs to close unexpected $1.2B deficit'
     2005 Archive
     1-18-10 Advance news on 'Christie as new Governor'
     GSCS to speak at Tri-District 'Open' meeting in Monmouth on January 27
     12-15-09 GSCS is working with the Christie Transition Team
     11-29-09 Ramifications - News of NJ's fiscal realities
     Codey bill allows Budget Message to be delayed until March 16, 2010
     6-26-09 Executive Director to GSCS Trustees; Wrap Up Report - State Budget and Assembly bills this week
     6-26-09 NJ State Budget Passed late Thursday night
     6-19-09 a.m. GSCS 'Quick' FYI - State Budget Vote delayed to Thursday, June 25
     6-18-09 Deocrats say they have the votes to pass the State Budget today
     6-16-09 News from Trenton on State Budget in Senate and Assembly Budget Committees yesterday
     APPROPRIATIONS ACT FY2009-1020 as introduced
     A4100-S2010 Appropriations Act 'Scoresheet' and Language Changes released
     5-14-09 GSCS Heads Up - State Aid payments to be delayed into next Fiscal Year
     5-19-09 Treasurer David Rousseau announces additional round of cuts to Gov's proposed State Budget FY2009-2010
     4-5-09 The Record, Sunday April 5, Front Page Opinion
     Latest Title 1 'preliminary' funding under the ARRA 3-09
     Latest website filing by the USDOE on Title 1 funding
     3-13-09 Information to Districts re: Federal Stimulus- Additional Title 1 and IDEA funding information still not ready for distribution
     3-11-09 CORZINE BUDGET ADDRESS: STATE FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS A LITTLE MORE NOT LESS - FEDERAL TITLE 1 & IDEA INCREASES YET TO BE COUNTED - STATE SCHOOL AID FIGURES ON DEPT OF ED WEBSITE 1:30 TODAY - RELATED ARTICLES, MORE...
     3-10-09 GOVERNOR TO DELIVER STATE BUDGET MESSAGE TODAY - SCHOOL AID FIGURES TO BE RELEASED BY THURSDAY LATEST
     2-24-09 State Budget & Stimulus News of Note
     2-23-09 S-15 (Buono) Pension Deferral bill up for a vote in the Sentate today
     2-19-09 Federal stimulus - information re: Education funding in 'State Fiscal Stabilization' part of the package
     2-18-09 Corzine announces more cuts, more deficit
     NJ District listing, Title One & IDEA under federal stimulus law
     2-3-09 Corzine to unveil new cuts when he offers 2010 budget
     1-23-09 Schools get an eduction in thrift
     1-17-09 GSCS EMAILNET & SCHOOL FUNDING OVERVIEW
     1-16-09 Today's news notes state budget waiting on Obama stimulus package
     1-15-09 HEADS UP - Budget Message date to be delayed now to March 12
     1-14-09 Meeting with Mayors, Corzine warns of cuts
     1-9-09 State Senator requests education committee hearing on potential school funding cuts
     12-28-08 NY Times 'Pension Fight Signals What Lies Ahead'
     11-25-08 Perspective piece criticizes recent Supreme Court Abbott decision
     6-24-08 State Budget passed yesterday, as did the School Construction, Pension Reform, and Affordable Housing bills
     6-23-08 A2873-S1457 School Construction bills up for vote today, along with State Budget FY09
     6-20-08 State Budget stalls, school construction is one obstacle
     A2800 - Proposed State Budget bill released 6-17-08
     6-17-08 Legislature and Governor agree on State Budget FY09
     GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET Fiscal Year 2009...INFO
     Office of Leg Services Analysis of Gov's Education budget FY09
     GSCS & NJ Spec. Educ.Funding Coalition on STATE FUNDING FOR EXTRAORDINARY COST FY09 issues & beyond
     6-9-08 GSCS Quick Facts: TRENTON FOCUS THIS WEEK
     3-19-08 GSCS Testimony on State Budget for Fiscal Year 2008-2009
     2-26-08 Governor Corzine's Budget Message for Fiscal Year 2008-2009
     6-29-07 Lots of news affecting NJ, its schools and communities this week - STATE BUDGET signed - LIST OF LINE ITEM VETOES - US SUPREME CT RULING impacts school desgregation - SPECIAL EDUCATION GROUPS file suit against state
     6-14-07 Revisions to State Budget filed today
     4-4-07 N Y Times, front page 'NJ Pension Fund Endangered by Diverted Billions'
     3-15-07 State eases at risk aid restrictions & 25% members of NJ Senate retiring (so far)
     3-13-07 GSCS Testimony on State Budget FY'08
     GRASSROOTS SPEAK UP re State Aid for FY07-08 & Recent Legislation that can negatively impact school communities
     Hearings Schedule for State Budget FY07-08
     3-1-07 Emerging Devil showing up in the details
     2-27-07 GSCS welcomes that state aid increases for regular operating districts helps lower & some middle income districts - will persevere to see that the state extends its share of support to education more fully to all districts
     2-23-07 News Articles re Gov's Budget Proposal
     2-22-07 GSCS EMAILNET re Gov's Budget Message
     2-22-07 Gov's Budget Message Link & Related News Articles
     2-22-07 GSCS Press Release: Governor Corzine's Budget Message today
     2-22-07 Governor Corzine's Budget Message today
     2-16 to 2-19 New Articles of Note
     2-14-07 GSCS letter to Gov Corzine & Commr of Education Davy - Request for State Aid FY0708
     NJ Assembly Session FY06 Budget Debate Majority Leader Joe Roberts standing
     7-12-06 Column on State Budget legislator items
     7-11-06 Appropriations Act bill
     7-9&10-06 State Budget news articles -wrap up & news analyses
     7-9-06 Sunday New York Times
     7-8-06 FY07 Budget approved - 19.5 in spec ed grants stays in
     7-7-06 Afternoon Friday - budget document awaiting
     7-7-06 EMAILNET - AGREEMENT ON STATE BUDGET REACHED, impt 'details' still being finalized
     7-7-06 AGREEMENT ON STAE BUDGET REACHED, impt 'details' still being finalized
     7-3-06 Roberts, Codey & Corzine still not on same page
     6-30-06 State Budget news - as the dissonance must be resolved
     6-29-06 GSCS 'QUICKNET FYI' Update on State Budget for FY 2007
     6-29-06 Mirroring the elements, State Budget looking like a 'natural disaster'
     6-25-06 State Budget issues:legislative branches conflict - news articles
     6-14-06 Assembly Minority Budget Leader Joe Malone's Op Ed
     Editorial on benefit of using UEZ surplus for spec educ aid for this year
     6-12-06 EMAILNET - Extraordinary Special Education student aid; FY07 Budget 'crunch' is on; news clips
     Weekend News Clips re Property Tax & School Funding issues
     GSCS 15th Annual Breakfast Meeting Program Info Update
     5-16-06 EMAILNET Action in Trenton
     5-10-06 EMAILNET
     5-10-06 A Lot is going on - Major News fromTrenton
     5-9-06 Supreme Ct freezes aid & Asm Budget Comm grills DOE Commissioner
     News articles
     TRENTON RALLY PROPOSED (late morning) Thurs JUNE 8
     3-28-06 GSCS testimony before Assembly Budget Comm today
     Legislative Calendar during State Budget FY07 process
     4-17-06 EMAILNET
     4-16-06 Star Ledger editorial & article re Gov v. Abbott from 4-15-06
     40-16-06 Gannett & Asbury Park Press on School Budget election issues
     4-16-06 Sunday NY Times Metro Section, front page
     Governor Corzine takes steps towards major policy initiatives.
     3-28 & 4-3-06 GSCS FY07 testimony before Senate & Assembly Budget Comm
     Grassroots at work - Ridgewood Board member testimony of FY07
     4-8-06 Corzine Administration files brief with Supreme Court re Abbott funding
     4-7-06 The Record
     3-31-06 AP 'Budget idea puts onus on income taxes, businesses'
     3-29-06 EMAILNET State Budget FY07 Hearings Update
     3-24-06 EMAILNET FYI Update on Gov Corzine's Budget FY07
     3-24-06 Schools learn who wins, loses in Corzine budget
     3-23-06 Corzine says some Abbotts can raise taxes
     3-22-06 News Article sampling on Governor's Proposed FY07 Budget
     3-22-06 EMAILNET Governor Corzine's Budget Message
     Governor's 3-21-06 Budget message & hard copy links
     3-15-06 News articles on FY07
     3-10-06 Star Ledger 'Time is ripe for poorer districts to contribute.
     EMAILNET 3-9-06 to South Jersey districts
     3-7-06 More articles on the Gov's Budget Summit and School Board members fo to Trenton
     3-7-06 Articles on Gov's Budget Summit and School Board members off to Trenton
     3-4-06 Star Ledger Interest groups to address budget
     3- 4-06 Trenton Times Likey state aid cuts frustrating districts
     3-3-06 EMAILNET Budget Discussions begin in earnest
     7-14-05 EMAILNET Record article & today's editorial re politics & inequity in school aid and S1701: Update
     Check it out - The Press of Atlantic City 7-6-05 Education Funds lie in Budget Fine Print
     3-1-06 EMAILNET State Budget FY07, Health Benefits
     2-24-06 Trenton Times - Higher schools taxes needed
     School Budget Guidelines released 2-21-07
     2-11-06 Trenton Timesn'NJ State Budget has little wiggle room'
     2-1-06 EMAILNET GSCS Advocacy FY07 Budget; On the Homepage Today
     FUNDING HISTORY - May 27 1998 - Education Week article re Abbott V - funding above parity
     2003 GSCS letter to legislators
     Star Ledger 6-29-05 Bid to Save Tax Rebates Imperils NJ Budget
     Rebate Debate on Budget for FY06
     Public Information available at New Jersey website
     S2558 Bill to provide $19.9M in Abbott aid to additional districts
     GSCS Advocacy for State Budget FY06
     GSCS Testimony: State Budget Fiscal Year 2006
1-20-11 GSCS Testimony before Senator Buono's Education Aid Impact hearing in Edison
"...Today, the Garden State Coalition is very worried that substantial reduction in state support for its public schools is leading precipitously to a diminishing of the high quality education that over the years New Jersey has been appropriately recognized for nationally. GSCS overall has enjoyed a high success rate in student performance, and our purpose is to see that continue and grow, not be lost as one of the highest of priorities for our state...Every district in the state has had to cut back, while the fixed-costs side of the equation—such as health care and utilities and prior contracts—keep moving ahead..."

GARDEN STATE COALITION OF SCHOOLS/GSCS

204 West State Street, Trenton NJ 08608

gscs2000@gmail.com       732 618 5755       www.gscschools.org

 

Senator Buono Hearing, Edison High School, January 20, 2011

Impact of Education Aid Cuts on local schools

 

Good evening Senator Buono.  My name is Lynne Strickland, and I am the Executive Director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools.  GSCS appreciates the opportunity this hearing provides to focus on the impacts students and schools are experiencing as a result of the recent dramatic, and historic, education aid cuts imposed on school budgets.  Today GSCS represents 100 school districts and 300,000 public school students statewide, from Bergen County to Camden County.

Primarily suburban, GSCS is a grassroots education advocacy group comprised of parents, board of education members, and school administrators.  As you know, GSCS has been keeping a focused eye on quality education and school finance issues for more than 18 years.  Today, the Garden State Coalition is very worried that substantial reduction in state support for its public schools is leading precipitously to a diminishing of the high quality education that over the years New Jersey has been appropriately recognized for nationally.  GSCS overall has enjoyed a high success rate in student performance, and our purpose is to see that continue and grow, not be lost as one of the highest of priorities for our state.  Tonight we will offer some examples of the negative impact of the education aid loss as relayed from members around the state.  We will be glad to answer any follow up questions you may have.

Not even a year ago, when $475 M in fund balances were removed from school districts statewide, GSCS members lost a total of nearly $90 M in fund balances.  Fund balances by law were to be used as property tax relief in the following school budget year; fund balances also help local districts maintain stability and high bond rating.  These are important factors for school budgets that were lost in this mid-year surprise last February, but the resultant negatives will remain for a long time.

In last year’s proposed state budget and ensuing Appropriations Act FY2011, state aid was reduced across the board by 5% per district.  That resulted in 59 districts – many were GSCS members - receiving absolutely no program aid, including state-mandated special education aid.  Another 140 or so districts nearly lost all their state aid as well. Every district in the state had to cut back, while the fixed-costs side of the equation—such as health care and utilities and prior contracts—keep moving ahead.  Special Education Categorical aid was reduced by $307M; Transportation Categorical Aid by $267M.  As you know, categorical aid is distributed by individual students’ needs, no matter where they live; this aid helps offset costs to local communities for state-required programs.  When this funding is reduced, districts must find a way to fill these holes.  An example of this ‘hole-plugging’ effect can be seen with the lessening of special education aid over the years, compounded by the SFRA reduction in categorical aid for special education.  It is reflected in the statewide reduction of (minus) 5% in regular education instruction, compared to a statewide increase of (plus) 5% in special education instruction over the past 10 years.

 

 

IN THEIR OWN WORDS: Here are some specific examples, provided randomly by GSCS members, of the impacts of education aid cuts from FY2010  (Surplus Reduction) and FY2011 State Aid cutbacks:

GSCS Member/Bergen County

RIF = 72 FTE people including:  20% of administration (supervisors and central office); guidance counselor; maintenance worker; secretaries; aides

Eliminate elementary teacher taught WL and replace with Rosetta stone

Eliminate 14 coaches

Eliminate 30% of sub coverage by putting 9-12 classes in cafeteria when teacher is out

Cur in PD

Eliminate all capital project money from budget

Central office no increase

GSCS Member/Essex County

Eliminated all full-time teachers' aide positions, replacing the positions with part-time positions

Eliminated Spanish in grades 1 and 2 by eliminating the position of the teacher who provided that instruction

Eliminated a library aide at the High School

The vast majority of the High School teachers are now teaching stipended sixth period assignments.  (This is in excess of the contractually mandated 5 periods per day of teaching.)  This results in more wear and tear on teachers, less prep time and less scheduling flexibility.

Raised the fees for Pre-K and student activities

Turned a full-time domestic arts teaching position into a half-time position.  We are now unable to fill it because of the shortage of certificated domestic arts teachers and the unwillingness of the existing ones to take part-time (no benefits) jobs. 

Cut a full-time PE teacher position at our elementary schools to 1/2 time

Cut a full-time Assistant Principal's position at the High School, despite the fact that student enrollment in that 7-12 building is on the rise

It is important to note that we are at capacity, so we cannot improve our finances by taking school choice or tuition students.  I think it also bears repeating that we are one of the 59 districts that lost all state aid for this school year.  We already do cooperative buying for just about everything, share services with our municipality and other districts and have a lower per-pupil cost than other I-J districts, not to mention the contiguous districts of E. Orange, Montclair and Bloomfield. 

 

GSCS Member/Hunterdon County                                                                                                                               

We outsourced 17 custodians (cleaning staff). 

We eliminated clerical staff, the remaining are struggling to keep up with mandated reports and workload.

We've had a number of clerical and aide resignations since July.

Our classroom aides now pay 100% of health benefits costs 

Staff training has been cut. 

An intervention program was cut.

We went from receiving about 10% of our revenue in state aid to 6%.

 

GSCS Member/Mercer County

16 and 1/2 faculty positions:

2 elementary Spanish, 1/2 science, 1 math,1  writing, 3 early reading intervention, 3 spec education, 1 soc studies ,1  high school reading specialist, 2 elementary teachers , 1 OT , 1 modern living

20 fulltime aide positions with benefits went to 40 part-time no benefit positions

nighttime custodians were privatized

several co-curricular programs were cut

almost all summer school programs for remediation and transition

As we function this year, we have increased class sizes in elementary and in the high school, a weak elementary world language program (prior it was the only NDOE model world language program in the state), fewer opportunities after school for pupils, hundreds of students missing summer assistance that is necessary.

Another wave of cuts like last year's is not possible if we are to meet the standards, graduation requirements and maintain a sound system.

GSCS Member/Monmouth County

Facing a projected 2011-12 revenue shortfall of $3-$4 million:

Reduction in Teaching Staff – As a result of projected declining enrollment, it was recommended

that six teaching positions district-wide be eliminated.

Outsourcing of Instructional Assistant Staff

Outsourcing of Transportation Staff

Outsourcing of substitute teachers

Percentage cut across-the-board

Significant increase in class size                                                                                                                        Change in pay-to-participate fees:

Middle school schedule changes considered, but concern:  negative impact on at-risk students

Administrative reduction-in-force

Furthermore, some full-time equivalent (FTE) reduction in content-area supervisors may be accomplished by sharing supervision

Mentor payment reductions

Alternate transportation reductions: Subscription busing

This district has been and is presently recognized by the state, the Executive County

Superintendent and Executive County Business Administrator and the Department of

Education as being among the most cost-efficient districts in the county and the state,

especially in administrative personnel. Current state comparative data ranks the district as

ninth lowest in both teacher and student ratios to administrators and among the lowest in

actual cost per pupil.

GSCS Member/Morris County

…one of the main things that needs to be repeated is that  whether districts made significant cuts or did not because voters approved the budget, all property owners had their taxes go up.  Any ability to modify the tax increase was eliminated by the state just taking our surplus; for most of us that was not state money, that was property tax money.

Secondly, we have this situation where suburban districts are basically paying the full cost of running their schools with little or no help from the state; It seems to me the governor and the legislature have great ideas about how school districts and municipalities can save money, but no ideas how the state can save money.  Our answer is they should give us back 5% of the income taxes our communities send to Trenton; that would hold property taxes level and might reduce property taxes.  If we got 10% back, we could reduce property taxes every year for at least 5 years.

Our district has continued to experience enrollment growth. so while we have not let teachers go, we have not replaced everyone who retires, and all our class sizes have grown.

We have reduced 2 supervisory positions and have expanded the responsibilities of all supervisors and administrators.  We will most likely have to cut positions this year and almost every year going forward.

 

GSCS Member/Morris County                                                                                                                                             

In March of 2010, our district received the news that 100% percent of our state aid would be cut and that we would also lose 15% of our debt service aid that represented the state’s promised contribution to our successful 2005 referendum project.  In April, Madison lost its first school budget election in 15 years, spurred by the damaging rhetoric emanating from the governor’s office regarding teachers’ salaries.

September 20th, like many other suburban school districts in and around the state, our district was dealt another blow when we learned that our share of the federal “Education Job Fund” monies would only be $52,637 – money, though we are grateful for, is not even enough for us to restore one full time teaching position.  When the math is done on the distribution of these funds, it becomes apparent that there was little thought given to equity in the process: we only saw 3.3% of its aid restored.  The restorations in the Abbott districts ranged from 30% -73% (excluding Hoboken, which only got 13%), averaging 56%.  Morris County averaged about 9%.  The average $/student restored was about $190; our district received $25/student.  Perversely, the greater the percentage of state aid lost, the lower the percentage restored.

Now we are reaching the financial breaking point.  Our surplus is seriously depleted as we had to use a large portion of our 2% allowable surplus to help close the budget gap last year when our state aid was cut.  We are now carrying a surplus of approximately 1%, which will not be enough to cover a catastrophic failure of a roof or a boiler or unanticipated special education placements.  We have no capital reserve and no way to fund some pressing infrastructure needs.  This is the fate of suburban schools all across the state, and why we … are forced to focus on how to preserve the status quo and to keep facilities operational, rather than how to improve achievement and broaden opportunities for all students.

GSCS Member/Union County

We cut 50 staff members at all levels of our organization. 

We no longer offer middle school sports

We reduced the time for our kindergarten aides where they are greatly needed.

GSCS Member/Union County

Reduction (2) Administrative positions (Network Admin. & Tech. Co-coordinator)

Reduction of 4 teachers & 2 Child Study Team members (Social workers) and 2 positions reduced to .5

Reduction 4 secretarial positions

Reduction 1 Grounds person

Reductions following budget areas: Summer work (teacher training & planning); Contracted services; Maintenance & Repairs; Supplies & Equipment

Elimination of Middle Schools Sports (15 coaching positions)

Elimination of Resolve Counseling in all Elementary schools

Elimination of all capital

projects                                                                                                           Further reductions in staffing, which resulted in increased class sizes

Initiated Activity Fees in 2009-2010

GSCS Member/Ocean County

2010/2011 Budget cut the following:

Student Accident Insurance $175,000

Professional Development $25,000

Field Trips $50,000

Middle School Sports $321,590

High School Sports & Extra Curricular Programs $609,994

Equipment $109,147

District Wide Library Supplies $314,710

And

 90 positions (54 teachers) $4,096,338