• Abbott accountability provisions called for by school reform advocates were included in FY 2007 budget language applicable to the Department of Education. The budget requires the commissioner to prepare a budget within 90 days for the spending of the $15 million in funding it receives to implement its Abbott responsibilities. In addition, within 90 days, the Commissioner is to prepare a plan to achieve the following:
• Evaluation of the Abbott programs and reforms;
• Implementation of a student level database; and
• Establishment of baseline data and progress benchmarks for each Abbott district linked to state curriculum standards.
• In formulating this plan, the Commissioner is to seek the participation of Abbott stakeholders and is to release the plan to the public.
• Budget language also directs the Department to adhere to the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act in the adoption of regulations related only to the submission of district budgets with such regulations to remain in effect for a minimum of two years. This is a very narrow reading of the language of the Supreme Court’s order of May 9, 2006, and does not solve the problem of regulations pertaining to Abbott programs being adopted without notice or opportunity to comment by stakeholders.
• The Budget contains no increase in state school formula aid to school districts, including Abbott districts.
• The May 9th Supreme Court approved the Governor’s proposed flat budget, but directed the State to fund new Abbott facilities’ costs and gave Abbott districts the right to appeal for funding for "demonstrably needed" programs. The budget provides an extra $20 million to Abbott districts for opening new school buildings. Thirteen (13) districts have funding appeals pending.
• Special education grants in aid in the amount of $19.5 million originally proposed by Governor Corzine were preserved in the final budget.
• The state’s contribution to the Teachers Pension and Annuity Fund in the final budget was $144 million less than Governor Corzine originally proposed. He had proposed approximately $805 million for the fund for 2006-2007, an increase of more than $700 million over the previous year. The final state budget, however, provides only $661 million.
• A coalition of community preschool providers in the Abbott districts were successful in defeating a proposal by the Department of Human Services to institute a parent fee and voucher system this September for the wraparound portion of the Abbott pre-k program. Under DHS’s proposal, parents earning over 300% of the federal poverty level (300% equals $60,000 for a family of four), would have been required to pay the full cost of the extended day program, regardless of how many children they have in the pre-k program or any change in family circumstances, such as loss of a job.

Prepared: July 25, 2006

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