Further action on a major school funding case should be postponed, pending review of New Jersey’s school finance system by the Administration and the Legislature, according to a May 26 report from the acting commissioner of education.

Lucille E. Davy, acting commissioner, recommended that the state Board of Education postpone its deadline for completing an analysis of the impact of New Jersey’s current funding formula on a group of poor, mostly rural school districts. The required analysis was part of the state board’s January decision regarding Bacon, et al. vs. New Jersey Department of Education.

That decision also directed the commissioner to analyze, and to develop changes to the state’s current school funding system as it applies to all school districts, and to complete an assessment of financial and educational needs in several districts involved in the case.

Everything on Table  “The best course of action for everyone concerned is to await the development and implementation of the new funding formula as well as the implementation of QSAC (the state’s new school monitoring system),” wrote Davy. “These changes, by themselves, could rectify the Board’s concerns that led to its request for district assessments in this matter.”

She continued, “Changing times and circumstances have resulted in a new emphasis on development and implementation of a new statewide school funding formula. In the context of funding and property tax relief, everything is on the table.”

Need, Not Geography In its January action regarding Bacon, the state board concluded that New Jersey’s current funding system—the Comprehensive Educational Improvement and Financing Act (CEIFA)—failed to provide a constitutionally required “thorough and efficient” education in more than a dozen poor, mostly rural school districts that brought the case.

The board directed Davy to develop a plan to assess the educational and financial needs of the 16 districts that initially sought “Abbott” funding status through the suit.

It also asked her to submit results of remedial measures that were ordered by the commissioner of education in 2003 in five of the districts: Buena Regional, Commercial Township, Fairfield (Cumberland County), Salem City and Woodbine.

In  response, Davy stated in the May 26 report that, in each of the districts, the county superintendent had ensured “that a thorough and efficient education could be provided to the students in the district within the budget that had been submitted to the State.” No further remedial action was necessary, she reported.

Davy’s report will be discussed by the state board’s legal committee, on a date not yet determined. The legal committee will then make recommendations to the full board.