Sweeney Meets with Education Groups on Funding

On July 11, Senate President Steve Sweeney held a meeting with statewide education groups to discuss school funding and a bill proposed by Sweeney and Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz, chair of the Senate Education Committee.

The bill, S2372, would create a special four-member “State School Funding Fairness Commission.” The commission would have a year to develop a plan that would bring every school district in the state to “adequacy funding” within five years. The governor would appoint two commissioners and the Senate President and Assembly Speaker would choose one each, according to the bill.

“The New Jersey School Boards Association believes that changes to the administration of education funding require a studied approach,” said Mike Vrancik, NJSBA’s director of governmental relations, in a news release. “We share the goal of a fair and adequate allocation of state funding for all school districts.”

Shown at the table in the photograph here, clockwise, beginning with the top of the photo, are: Patricia Wright, N.J. Principals and Supervisors Association executive director; Mike Vrancik; Senate President Steve Sweeney; Donna Chiera, president, American Federation of Teachers New Jersey; Patrick Fletcher, immediate past president, N.J. Association of School Administrators; Elizabeth “Betsy” Ginsburg, executive director, Garden State Coalition of Schools (with back to camera); Morgan Firmstone, public affairs manager, JerseyCAN; Sharon Krengel, policy and research director, Education Law Center; David Sciarra, executive director, Education Law Center; Judy Savage, executive director, N.J. Council of County-Vocational Technical Schools; and Cathy Lindenbaum, president-elect, NJPTA;
Shown at the table in the photograph here, clockwise, beginning with the top of the photo, are: Patricia Wright, N.J. Principals and Supervisors Association executive director; Mike Vrancik; Senate President Steve Sweeney; Donna Chiera, president, American Federation of Teachers New Jersey; Patrick Fletcher, immediate past president, N.J. Association of School Administrators; Elizabeth “Betsy” Ginsburg, executive director, Garden State Coalition of Schools (with back to camera); Morgan Firmstone, public affairs manager, JerseyCAN; Sharon Krengel, policy and research director, Education Law Center; David Sciarra, executive director, Education Law Center; Judy Savage, executive director, N.J. Council of County-Vocational Technical Schools; and Cathy Lindenbaum, president-elect, NJPTA.