Our Children/Our Schools
A newsletter about New Jersey school funding and reform
  September 2009 - Issue 21
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.

The forum, entitled "Are We There Yet? Moving All Children Forward in Public Education," will be held on Saturday, October 17, at the Trenton Board of Education Offices from 9 a.m. to noon, and will feature a panel discussion, as well as an opportunity for participants to talk about pressing issues in public education.
This September as schools reopened, the NJ Department of Education (NJDOE) issued new guidelines that will limit use of the Special Review Assessment that has provided an alternative pathway to a diploma for over 10,000 students in recent years. Educators in both urban and suburban districts have raised concerns that the new guidelines could have a negative impact on NJ graduation and dropout rates.
In late August, youth researchers from Newark, Paterson, and Jersey City released the findings of a statewide survey on New Jersey's new high school graduation requirements. The survey found strong support for high standards, but concern about the capacity of schools and districts to deliver the standards successfully.
 
The Abbott Leadership Institute (ALI) has just begun its eighth year of classes designed to teach education advocacy skills to Newark parents and community members. The title of the current series is "Parents, Politics & Power: What does it take to win the Newark School Board Election?"
On September 8, the Jersey City chapter of the Statewide Education Organizing Committee held a rally to kick off their citywide campaign, "Graduation for ALL." The assembled crowd called on the Jersey City Public Schools and the local Board of Education to improve the city's high schools and respond to the dropout crisis.
 
More Students Seek Free and Reduced-Rate School Lunches
Blacks' Test Scores Lag, But New Jersey is a Bright Spot
Budget Cutbacks Force Changes in Classrooms
Schools Just Can't Keep Up
NJ School Districts Look to Federal Stimulus to Boost Special-Needs Programs
Newark School Offers Alternative Path to Learning
Abbott Leadership Institute Class Series 16: "Parents, Politics & Power: What does it take to win the Newark School Board Election?" Upcoming classes: "History of the Elected School Board," Saturday, October 3, "Exploring the Issues," Saturday, October 24, "Political Bosses vs. Community Campaign Organizations," Saturday, November 7; all classes 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Rutgers University-Newark. For more information, contact Kaleena Berryman at 973-353-3560 or at kaleenab@rutgers.edu, or visit www.abbottleadership.org.
NJ High School Graduation Campaign 2009 Summit, in partnership with the America's Promise Alliance, October 6, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Hyatt Regency Hotel, New Brunswick. For more information and to register, visit www.njgraduation.org.
Charting a Course with the Next Generation, 27th annual New Jersey Black Issues Leadership Convention, October 8-10, Hyatt Regency Hotel, New Brunswick. For more information, visit www.njbic.org.
Our Children/Our Schools Education Forum "Are We There Yet? Moving All Children Forward in Public Education," October 17, 9 a.m. to 12 noon, Trenton Board of Education Offices, 108 N. Clifton Ave. See information in this newsletter.
Our Children/Our Schools General Meetings, Thursday, October 15, 10 a.m. to noon, at Education Law Center, Newark; Thursday, November 19, 10 a.m. to noon, location TBD. For more information, contact info@ourchildrenourschools.org.
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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