Our Children/Our Schools
A newsletter about New Jersey school funding and reform
  July 2008 - Issue 15
In This Issue
Resources

The Garden State has been a national leader in school funding equity. But the School Funding Reform Act of 2008 may change that. The new aid formula underfunds many New Jersey schools and programs and removes the historic Abbott "special needs" designation for poor, urban schools. In addition, the new formula does little to change New Jersey's over-reliance on local property taxes to fund education. Our Children/Our Schools seeks to inform the public debate on these important issues and advocate for high quality education for all New Jersey children.

$3.9 Billion Approved For School Construction
School construction funding had been on a rollercoaster ride during the New Jersey Legislature's budget season. But on June 23, thanks to the efforts of many advocates including members of the Our Children/Our Schools campaign, the Legislature approved $3.9 billion in borrowing for school facilities projects, with $2.9 billion earmarked for Abbott district projects, $1 billion for non-Abbotts, and $50 million for county vocational schools.
Court Sets Abbott/SFRA Hearing for 9/22
The educational future of NJ's poorest urban schoolchildren is once again in the hands of the New Jersey Supreme Court, which has set a September 22 date for oral arguments in the next round of legal battles around school funding. The question before the Court: should the landmark Abbott remedies guaranteeing funding equity and required supplemental programs for some 300,000 poor urban students be replaced by the School Funding Reform Act of 2008 (SFRA)?
Spinning Abbott Spending As "Waste"
On May 15, OC/OS distributed a statement entitled "Our Children/Our Schools Calls for Accountability, Not Posturing, on School Spending." The statement was circulated to New Jersey press and legislators, and quoted in several articles that appeared the following day about Senate Education Committee hearings on the Abbott audits. In the weeks since, the furor that erupted over the presumed waste of taxpayer money by the Abbott districts -based in large part on inaccurate press coverage of the audits and political posturing on the part of legislators-has not died down.
Advocates/Educators Meet on HS Redesign Proposals
On June 20, members of the Our Children/Our Schools campaign joined representatives from more than 20 other NJ groups to discuss the recently released proposals of the High School Redesign Steering Committee. The Committee, whose recommendations have been endorsed by Governor Jon Corzine and Education Commissioner Lucille Davy, has proposed major changes in high school graduation requirements, including six high-stakes end-of-course exams that would be required to earn a high school diploma.
Kids Count for ACNJ
In early June, the Association for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) released New Jersey Kids Count 2008. This annual report provides useful and sometimes sobering information about the health and welfare of the state's children. But the collection and distribution of relevant data about the status of children is just one of many activities in which the Association, a member of the Our Children/Our Schools campaign, engages. With offices in Newark, a staff of about 15 focuses broadly on children's health, safety and education.
News Round-Up
$3.9 Billion Approved for School Construction
Corzine announces search committee for Paterson super, North Jersey.com, June 26, 2008
DOE Releases Final AYP Status and NCLB Report Card
Algebra II + all high schoolers = overkill, By Joseph G. Rosenstein, The Star Ledger, April 29, 2008
Suburban Schools Take On Funding Formula: Join Opposition To SFRA Before NJ Supreme Court
Upcoming Events
Our Children/Our Schools General Meeting, Thursday, July 17, 10 a.m. to Noon. For more info, contact skrengel@edlawcenter.org.
State Board of Education Open Topic Session, Wednesday, September 17. Opportunity to provide public testimony about the NJ Department of Education's High School Redesign plan before it comes before the State Board. Register at http://www.state.nj.us/education/sboe/meetings/pubtest.shtml
Graduating Every Paterson Child, fifth annual conference. Saturday, September 20, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Passaic County Community College. For more information, contact Anna Villalongo at the Paterson Education Fund at 973-881-8914 or at annav@paterson-education.org.
NJ Supreme Court Hearing on Abbott/SFRA , Monday, September 22.
Send announcements of upcoming events for the Our Children/Our Schools Calendar to info@ourchildrenourschools.org

"At its core, a constitutionally adequate education is one that will prepare public school children for a meaningful role in society, enable them to compete effectively in the economy and contribute and participate as citizens and members of their communities."

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Email: info@ourchildrenourschools.org

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