New Jersey School Boards Association News

<body> <p>This page uses frames, but your browser doesn't support them.</p> <p>="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> </p> <table> <tr> <td valign="top">  <b>  </b> <table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" height="100%"> <tr> <td valign="top"> <center> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td align="center"> <img border="0" src="images/menu/njsba.gif" width="98" height="58"></td> <td rowspan="2" align="center"> <img border="0" src="images/menu/news.gif" width="365" height="86"></td> </tr> <caption></caption> </table> </center> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"><font face="century" size="2"><b> <script LANGUAGE="Javascript">  </script> , 2001</b></font></td> </tr> </table> <p><br> </p> <table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="5"> <tr> <td width="60%" valign="top"> <p ALIGN="left"><b><font face="Century Schoolbook" size="5">School Boards Call For Change In Kindergarten Aid</font></b></p> <p ALIGN="left"><font size="2" face="Arial">NEW BRUNSWICK, May 19,2001 —Representatives of the state’s local school boards today called for a change in state funding to recognize the true costs of full-day Kindergarten.<br> <a href="../press_releases/change_in_kindergarten_5-21-01.htm"> Full Story</a></font></p> <p ALIGN="left"><b><font face="Century Schoolbook" size="5"> <span style="text-transform: capitalize">School</span></font><span style="text-transform: capitalize"><font face="Century Schoolbook" size="5"> Facilities Act Has Strong Impact On Bond Elections</font></span></b></p> <p><font size="2" face="Arial">TRENTON, May 17, 2001—The state’s Educational Construction and Financing Act encouraged more school districts—especially those not previously eligible for facility funding—to seek voter approval of construction plans, the New Jersey School Boards Association found in its fourth annual survey of school bond election results. <br> <a href="../press_releases/school_facilities_act_5-17-01.htm">Full Story</a></font></p> <p align="left"><b><font face="Century Schoolbook" size="5">NJSBA Argues for Boards in Facilities Lawsuit</font></b></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">HACKENSACK, May 2,2001—NJSBA last week filed a legal brief against an attempt to obstruct school district funding through the state's $8.6 billion school facilities act. Oral argument is set for May 21 before the Appellate Division of Superior Court in Hackensack.<br> <a href="../press_releases/njsba_argues_for_boards_5-2-01.htm"> Full Story</a></font> </td> <td width="40%" valign="top"> <table border="0" width="100%" height="899"> <tr> <td vAlign="top" width="4" rowspan="3" height="895"> <font face="Arial"> <img border="0" height="1000" src="black_pixel.gif" width="1"></font></td> <td vAlign="top" width="100%" height="217"> <p align="left"><font SIZE="4" face="Impact">Assembly Passes REAP Study Bill</font></p> <p><font size="2" face="Arial">TRENTON, May 21,2001—Last week, the Assembly unanimously passed A-3013 (Arnone, Biondi), which requires the Department of Community Affairs to conduct a study of the number and kind of shared services agreements entered into by school districts and municipalities from 1973 to January 1, 2001. The legislation is part of the Regional Efficiency Aid Program (REAP). <a href="../press_releases/reap_study_bill_5-21-01.htm">Full Story</a></font></p> <p><font face="Impact" size="4">State Board Adopts<br> Private School Tuition Regulations</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="2">TRENTON, May 23, 2001—The state Board of Education recently adopted regulations that will cap what private schools for the disabled can pay their administrators or spend on other non-instructional items. The revisions are expected to provide significant benefits to local school districts sending their more severely disabled students to these private schools. Full Story</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Impact">Voters Show Solid Support For School Budgets</font></p> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">TRENTON, April 18, 2001—Budget approvals in today’s Annual School Election indicates continuation of New Jerseyans’ strong support for public schools and recognition of prudent fiscal practices by local boards, the executive director of the New Jersey School Boards Association said today. <br> <a href="../press_releases/voters_show_support_4-18-01.htm"> Full Story </a></font></p> <p><font face="Impact" size="3">PROPERTY TAXES REMAIN NUMBER ONE CONCERN</font></p> <p><font size="2" face="Arial"> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> TRENTON, January 16, 2001 </span> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"> <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> —</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> </span>Despite numerous initiatives to provide property tax relief, a recent poll shows that the top concern among New Jersey voters—once again—is property taxes. The second largest issue?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Education and school funding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>There is good reason for the public’s concern. <a href="../press_releases/property_taxes_remain_number_one.htm"> Full Story</a></span></font> </td> </tr> <tr> <td vAlign="top" height="24"></td> </tr> <tr> <td vAlign="top" height="341"></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <p align="left"> <img src="../images/blue_pixel.gif" width="100%" height="2" border="0"><br> <font size="1"><i>Copyright © 2001 New Jersey School Board Association. All rights reserved.</i></font> </td> </tr> </table> </body>