New Jersey should make school construction funding a priority, so that districts can address emergent health and safety issues and overcrowding and provide early education programs, according to Building Our Children’s Future, a coalition of business and education organizations that includes NJSBA.

Representatives from the coalition, along with the New Jersey Alliance for Action and the Education Law Center, were scheduled to present their concerns to the Joint Committee on Public Schools on Feb. 6 at the Statehouse.

Funding Boost In September, Gov. Jon S. Corzine’s Working Group on School Construction issued its final report, which called for the Legislature to approve an additional $3.25 billion in construction financing, and recommended other reforms to the school construction program. To date, however, no legislation has been introduced to advance those recommendations.

Temporary trailers and outdated science labs, art rooms, libraries and other specialized spaces need to be addressed to deliver rigorous educational programs under New Jersey’s Core Curriculum Content standards, the groups argued.