NJ Spotlight on NJ Budget: Schools Wait for Numbers
Share and share alike? Not Christie's $213 million bump in school aid.
To big applause, Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday highlighted that his proposed fiscal 2013 budget would include an additional $213 million in aid to public schools, but the cheers may not be widespread when the details reveal how the money is distributed.
Districts are to learn today how each will fare under Christie's $32.1 billion spending plan, and although the overall amount in state school aid is going up about 1.7 percent, state officials said it will not be across-the-board increases to all 500-plus districts.
State Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff said a "vast majority of districts will be getting a slight increase." But the administration also for the first time will be using the state's funding formula in the distribution of aid, he said. The funding formula ties aid directly to the number of individual students and their needs, meaning students with limited English or low-incomes get additional sums -- or for scores of districts, especially those with falling enrollments, a decrease in the money they receive.
"There are always going to be student population changes that need to be taken into account," Sidamon-Eristoff said.
Districts and their representatives yesterday were not making judgments one way or another on Christie's budget until the aid numbers can be reviewed. And even that is not a final word, since business administrators will then need to look into the details of how money is distributed within the different aid categories.
"We have to reserve judgment until we see the level of detail that is in it," said Raymond Wiss, president of the New Jersey School Boards Association and a Northern Valley trustee. "Still, there are a lot of positives in terms of the commitment to education."
One area sure to get attention is how -- or if -- the state was going to make cuts to so-called adjustment aid, a pot of $570 million that is meant to hold districts level in the event of enrollment decreases.
Another wild card is a report expected from Chris Cerf, the acting education commissioner, later this week that could bring changes to the very funding formula that the state is following.
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M OKeef
9:47 am on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
$570 million in aid for falling enrollments to keep districts budgets level?? Would have thought taxpayers are looking forward to enrollments falling to get some tax relief. Why is state budget keeping these budgets insulated from falling enrollments?
RobertDubenezic
2:53 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
I'm surprised he increased school funding. It's just throwing good money after bad. Schools need to prove/earn the money. School districts now have the "give it to me it's mine mentality". More money for Schools should not be automatic. Isn't building a new school the responsibility of the district? Why is a taxpayer from another town funding a school for another?
Carolyn Most
7:29 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012
NO actually it is the State's responsibility "The Legislature shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of free public schools for the instruction of all children in the state between the ages of five and eighteen years.
— New Jersey Constitution, as amended effective September 28, 1875"
I believe most, if not all US State constitutions have a similar amendment. FOr more in the history of NJ public education see http://www.nj.gov/education/genfo/penj.pdf
M OKeef
7:39 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Carolyn per your interpretation the state should be picking up our full school budget not just a few % points.