SUMMIT, NJ – Educators, legislators and concerned parents from near and far came to the Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School on Tuesday night to participate in a forum organized by the Garden State Coalition of Schools entitled, "What’s Ahead for Public Education in New Jersey." Acting New Jersey Commission of Education Bret Schundler was the event’s special guest and during prepared remarks as well as in response to questions and answers from audience members, he provided a peak inside the Christie Administration’s plans for education in the Garden State, including how the Administration will deal with the State’s fiscal crisis.

Lynne Strickland, Executive Director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools, said that the New Jersey state budget is in real trouble and local school budgets are in a lot of trouble, as well. "We better hold our hands together or we’re going to sink," she said. The Garden State Coalition of Schools is composed of 100 school districts, primarily in suburban areas, servicing 350,000 children. Regarding the organization’s efforts, Strickland said, "Showing concern, informing with real facts and real numbers makes a difference." She stated that there is good news and bad news about education and the State’s budget: the budget for schools is the biggest part of the state budget. She recommended that there are three keys to ensuring quality education in New Jersey: stability (quality of education), ability (to remain stable educationally) and flexibility (how budget cuts are applied to ensure the quality of education is not sacrificed).

Jim O’Neil, President of the Coalition and Superintendent of the School District of the Chathams, said that Governor Christie inherited a "fiscal mess" and there are no simple answers to complex issues. He stated that the Coalition recognizes that the problems that education is facing are serious and that the Coalition wants to be part of the solution.

Calling it an "exciting time" and one of "opportunity" Bret Schundler said that public schools "offer an opportunity to create a more just society" regardless of where a child is born. He said that the Christie Administration plans to focus on the individual child and to equip educators with the tools and resources necessary to identify problems and overcome them.

A product of the Westfield public schools, Schundler stated that it is time to "move away from a one size fits all approach." At the same time, the financial challenges facing education are great. Remarking about the recent decision by the Christie Administration to force districts to spend $475M of their surplus rather than receive State more state funding to pay for educational needs this year, he said it "was not something any of us in Trenton wanted to do" but that the State would run out of money if not for the $2B in savings realized through the $475 million education "cut" and other savings decisions made by the Administration. He added, "Many of you will feel it was very unfair…[since it] punished responsible school districts that tried to reserve against a rainy day." However, he said that had the Administration instead made cuts across the board, some school districts would not have had enough money to cover payroll. "It would have been a very bad situation," Schundler concluded.

Regarding the 2011 state aid picture, Schundler said that the Administration hopes to provide flat aid, the aid provided in 2010, but that it will be very difficult to achieve since approximately $1B of the 2010 budget was one-time federal government stimulus money that will not be coming in 2011, which puts the budget for education in New Jersey already in the hole by 11%.

To make up for the $1B deficit, Schundler said the Administration is "cutting every department in the State dramatically." He conceded, "It may well be impossible to get to flat support for 2011…but we will try to get there…we’ll get relatively close." As for rumors that have circulated that districts should expect a cut in State aid of 15%, Schundler said that districts should be "prepared for an array of aid scenarios" and that districts "won’t have any time" to deal with the situation when it presents itself because the Administration will be providing aid figures at the last minute.  By waiting until the last minute to tell districts their State aid levels, the Administration is able to provide the most accurate information as possible, which is the primary goal.

Schundler said that the Administration is committed to keeping the education funding formula instituted under Governor Corzine that provides equity to every district. He said because of the formula, there will be some redistribution of funding within the State school aid pot and some districts will not get as much money as last year but that the districts that lose the most funding will be those that count on State aid for a very small percentage of their overall budget.

In response to a question from Michelle Clark of Chatham regarding whether there will be more local control of how state aid is spent within a district, Schundler said that districts that are doing a good job will be given more freedom. "We’re not going to weigh you down with burdensome regulations," Schundler said. "We will provide more flexibility at the local level to stretch your dollars."

Legislators on the panel then discussed the "last best offer" and the state cap of 4%, two issues raised by Strickland. All legislators agreed that the use of the "last best offer" as a bargaining tool, which was taken away from school districts in 2003, is currently on the table and several voiced support of re-instituting it. As for the 4% cap, Senator Tom Kean, Jr. (R-21) said that he is in favor of "cap banking" where if a district is under the 4% cap one year, the amount it is under is transferred to the following year.

Assemblyman Jon Bramnick (R-21) said that it is critical to look at the schools, boards of education and districts individually. "We can’t solve problems with broad-based law," he said. Bramnick stated that people should "expect major change in the new Administration" and said that since the Administration’s election, "truth is coming to the surface in Trenton."

Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz (R-21) added that there is a visible difference in Trenton now - - legislators from both parties realize they need to work together. "Pain is real across the entire state," said Munoz. "We’re all going to have pain," she added, but it is her hope that one year from now, the results of the actions taken now will make a positive difference for all residents of New Jersey.

Strickland echoed these sentiments stating that she saw "open ears here tonight" and "a willingness to listen." Schundler concluded, "It is clear we have to become more efficient. There are better ways to do things."