P.O. Box 909 ● Trenton, NJ 08605-0909 ● Phone: 609.695.7600 ● Fax: 609.695.0413 ● Web: www.njsba.org/PI

NJSBA Comments on School Funding Decision

TRENTON, June 1, 2009 — Marie S. Bilik, NJSBA executive director, today made the following comments concerning the state Supreme Court’s recent decision concerning the constitutionality of the School Funding Reform Act of 2008.

“The Supreme Court’s May 28 decision on the state’s school funding law represents a milestone that could bring closure to almost 30 years of litigation in the Abbott v. Burke case. It signals that it is now time to move forward and ensure that all children in New Jersey, regardless of where they live, have the opportunity for a thorough and efficient education.

“Following the initial filing of Abbott in 1981, court decisions have stressed that children in the state’s poorest communities have a right to a thorough and efficient education and that the state has an obligation to make up for past neglect in meeting this constitutional obligation. We do not view last week’s decision as an abandonment of these principles.

“The School Funding Reform Act is not perfect; NJSBA may seek changes in the law. Like the court and the rest of the educational community, we will be watching closely as the act is implemented over the next two years.

“However, we believe the Supreme Court’s May 28 decision can give New Jersey the opportunity to advance educational excellence and address the unresolved property tax issues facing many moderate- and middle-income communities, while recognizing the educational needs of at-risk children regardless of where they live.”