New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney will be the keynote speaker at the NJSBA/NJPTA Legislative Day on Thursday, May 25, 2017. The event will take place at the Trenton War Memorial from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Registration will begin at 8:00 a.m.)
The program will also feature a discussion of the hottest topic in town—school funding—as well as a panel of key lawmakers addressing critical education issues and an update by the State Board of Education president.
Keynote Presentation Sen. Sweeney’s keynote speech will take place at noon. Sen. Sweeney has been a member of the state Senate since 2002 and has served as Senate President since 2010. He has also served as a local school board member. Currently, he is the chair of the Select Committee on School Funding Fairness.
Lawmakers Panel From 9 to 10:15 a.m., a panel of legislators, including education and budget committee members, will discuss key education issues before the Senate and Assembly. Participating lawmakers will include Senator Jeff Van Drew, Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald, Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, Assemblywoman Mila Jasey, and Assemblywoman Patricia Egan Jones. Dr. Lawrence S. Feinsod, NJSBA executive director, will moderate the discussion.
Funding Discussion At 10:30 a.m., a discussion of the current school funding climate will feature Dr. G. Kennedy Greene, superintendent of the Newton Public Schools, Dr. Jorden Schiff, superintendent of the Hillsborough Public Schools, and Michael Vrancik, NJSBA director of governmental relations. The 45-minute session will provide an opportunity for questions and answers.
State Board Update Mark Biedron, president of the New Jersey State Board of Education, will discuss current initiatives before the policy-setting body from 11:30 to 11:45 a.m.
The NJSBA/NJPTA Legislative Day is open to school board member, school administrators and PTA members. Registration is free and includes lunch and a continental breakfast. Register online. Free parking will be available at the Trenton Parking Authority Garage at 1 West Lafayette Street, adjacent to the War Memorial building.