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December 12, 2007 • Vol. XXXI • No. 17
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Page| Schools Await Funding Details | |
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If the old adage that no news is good news were really true, then school districts across the state would be fine right now. But as of press time, no new details have been made available regarding the school funding formula. Gov. Jon S. Corzine held a briefing for the educational stakeholders on Nov. 30, at which Education Commissioner Lucille E. Davy walked through the conceptual highlights of the state’s proposed new methodology. No data to support the theoretical concepts were available. The dollar allocation on a district by district basis was promised by the end of this week, but there has been no further announcement. Gov. Corzine and Commissioner Davy slated a school-funding formula announcement for Dec. 12 at the Bernice Young Elementary School, Burlington Township. In addition, a briefing was scheduled later that day in Drumthwacket, the governor’s mansion, for education organizations, including NJSBA. And on Dec. 13 the commissioner was set to appear before a joint meeting of the Senate Budget and Education Committees to discuss the school funding formula. The proposal assumes a hold-harmless provision that guarantees that no district will get less state aid for the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 years than they received in the current aid cycle. Additionally, news reports have said the 2008-2009 funding would include a net increase of $450 million. A portion will be used to phase in all-day preschool in all communities designated by the state as a District Factor Group A or B, and communities that fall into District Factor Group C-D with at least 40 percent of their students at or below the poverty level. |
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