Funding Alert

The Corzine administration has been fixing past problems with New Jersey’s school construction program, but has been slow to commit to the future. Since last year’s headlines about mismanagement and stalled projects, the State School Construction Corporation (SCC) has made some much-needed progress. SCC is changing the way it interacts with school districts, communities, developers and the NJ Department of Education (DOE), and has been working with school districts to ensure that projects move forward in a more rational and collaborative fashion.

However, the additional funds necessary to keep the program in operation have not been forthcoming. Without new funding, the schools our children and communities need will not be built.

The SCC recently filed lawsuits to recoup funds attributable to shoddy construction and mismanagement of environmental problems. Attorneys are also working to identify cases of excess costs due to avoidable mistakes or delays, and to pursue reimbursement of those funds from responsible parties.

For example, errors by architectural and construction companies resulted in the use of inappropriate steel construction on the Mount Vernon Elementary School, a three-story school project in Irvington. The structure was unable to support weights of other materials used. As a result, the $22.2 million building project was delayed until a reinforcement method could be devised. The companies are now being sued for more than $3.5 million spent to correct this and other problems.

SCC is also moving to address problems with site selection. The SCC and NJDOE held a Land Acquisition Symposium in November. Participants conveyed their concerns and experiences regarding land acquisition, with many calling for greater coordination of state, municipal and school planning in land use. Acquiring land for new schools involves many considerations, including density, environmental cleanup, ratables, housing values, and multi-use development. SCC expects to propose changes to the school construction law to reduce site costs and improve planning.

But none of these efforts will translate to better school facilities without additional school construction funds. In September 2006, Governor Corzine’s Interagency Working Group proposed $3.25 billion be appropriated by the Legislature to fund construction projects over the next several years. Even this amount, however, addresses only a small portion of the projects and serious safety and health problems currently pending. Despite the urgent need and the Working Group’s request, neither the Governor, nor any lawmakers, have introduced legislation to authorize more funding and implement other essential reforms to the program.

While there is no excuse for SCC mismanagement, it is also inexcusable to stop all progress on school construction projects. To do so is simply mismanagement in other another form. Too many of our students are still waiting for facilities that are safe, not overcrowded, and that will inspire them to achieve their educational best.