Post by BrianSullivan on Feb 10, 2010 8:22:57 GMT -5
newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2010-02-10/Front_Page/Forum_looks_at_impact_of_education_agenda.html
Forum looks at impact of education agenda
Officials anticipate cuts to state aid, pre-K funding in Christie administration
BY KIMBERLY STEINBERG Staff Writer
The state budget deficit and probable cuts to state aid for school districts were the focus of a public forum on the changes anticipated for New Jersey schools under Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s administration.
Lynne Strickland, executive director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools (GSCS), hosted the event, which took place on Jan. 27 at the Shrewsbury School in Shrewsbury.
GSCS is a statewide, grassroots volunteer association composed of parents, Board of Education members and school administrators that represents 115 primarily suburban New Jersey school districts and their communities.
“We promote quality education for all,” Strickland said of GSCS, whose primary focus is on interrelated issues of academic achievement, educational practices and school finance.
The panel, made up of legislators and local school superintendents, discussed issues raised in a report that was prepared by the education subcommittee of Christie’s transition team.
“They are from a group of people who came up with bold ideas for change. We have reason to be optimistic,” Strickland said.
Although Christie will stick to full-day pre-kindergarten programs in New Jersey school districts that were formerly known as Abbott districts, it is uncertain if prekindergarten program funding will be eliminated for districts that did not have the Abbott designation.
According to the subcommittee report, the state has made a significant investment in preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds in the former Abbott districts, and that investment has had a positive impact on subsequent student achievement in those mostly urban districts, with both private and public providers of pre-kindergarten programs having equally good outcomes.
Strickland said New Jersey currently spends more per student on pre-kindergarten through grade 12 education than 48 of the 50 states.
Given the amount of these expenditures, Christie’s education subcommittee is identifying immediate opportunities to eliminate waste and to reclaim expenditures from practices and purposes that are low priority or making no, or only limited, contribution to the quality of education provided.
Strickland said the cost of living is expected to increase 1.7 percent this year, and with a cap in place on the amount of local taxes that can be raised, school districts are feeling the bind.
“Programs, class size and staffing are all impacted. We wish to remain pragmatic until the amount of state aid (to each school district) is known on March 16,” she said. “Everything is speculative until then. There is reason to be concerned, but still understanding with what is happening in Trenton. The level of state aid and support will change.”
State Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth and Mercer) explained that this year’s options for filling the hole left by the state budget deficit are limited.
“Most of this year’s line items are already out the door,” he said. “It’s extreme and it’s definitely going to be a challenge.”
State Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth and Mercer) said everything in the budget is being examined and that newly appointed Education Commissioner Bret Schundler said he will review the high cost of the former Abbott schools and the overwhelming excesses found in those districts.
“He will start there, not in the districts that have been financially responsible, like we are here,” Beck said.
State Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande (R-Monmouth and Mercer) explained that in future years there will be more-effective methods in place.
“What Gov. Christie intends to do will give us more tools. There will be a new committee designed to limit excess spending,” she said. “His aggressive de-regulatory agenda is a good fit for smaller municipalities. It will take some waste and mandates away. It won’t take all the problems away, but these are the solutions.”
According to the reports, Strickland stated that Christie believes in giving parents options on how to educate their children.
“It’s a bad economy, but there’s a lot of good coming out of this administration,” she said.
According to the report, families should have choices in the education of their children and have access to a full range of highquality educational opportunities, including a traditional public education, charter schools, and private school options.
“It’s a big step in the right direction,” said Casagrande.
According to the subcommittee report, other critical factors related to the educational progress made by children in school, their overall development, the efforts made by the school to address socioeconomic factors beyond the child’s or the school’s control, and the general safety and well being of the children in the school are not part of the judgment.
“We have come a long way since last year. There are a lot of good things on the horizon,” Casagrande said.
Strickland said the Christie administration has plans to ease mandates that have been placed upon local school districts.
“The Christie administration is calling for the state to move away from a one-sizefits all approach to governing local districts,” she explained. “The subcommittee reports call for allowing well-performing districts to be released from ‘burdensome central controls and oversight.’ ”
Casagrande explained that Christie’s subcommittee recommends the expansion of charter schools in failing districts.
Charter schools are outcome-based schools that are publicly funded. When demand for admission exceeds space, students are chosen randomly by lot.
“They want to open five to 10 new charter schools in high-need, low-performing districts in time for fall 2010. They want to expand the successful charters,” the assemblywoman said.
Simultaneously, Casagrande said, the subcommittee recommends that the charters of the lowest performing charter schools be rescinded to demonstrate commitment to high standards for existing and new charter schools.
Other topics of discussion included tenure, school consolidation, teacher certification and salary, and special education.
Strickland said Christie’s educational transition team took the GSCS suggestions into consideration when crafting its report.
“There are a lot of reasons to be optimistic about the change that happened in Trenton,” Casagrande concluded.
Forum looks at impact of education agenda
Officials anticipate cuts to state aid, pre-K funding in Christie administration
BY KIMBERLY STEINBERG Staff Writer
The state budget deficit and probable cuts to state aid for school districts were the focus of a public forum on the changes anticipated for New Jersey schools under Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s administration.
Lynne Strickland, executive director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools (GSCS), hosted the event, which took place on Jan. 27 at the Shrewsbury School in Shrewsbury.
GSCS is a statewide, grassroots volunteer association composed of parents, Board of Education members and school administrators that represents 115 primarily suburban New Jersey school districts and their communities.
“We promote quality education for all,” Strickland said of GSCS, whose primary focus is on interrelated issues of academic achievement, educational practices and school finance.
The panel, made up of legislators and local school superintendents, discussed issues raised in a report that was prepared by the education subcommittee of Christie’s transition team.
“They are from a group of people who came up with bold ideas for change. We have reason to be optimistic,” Strickland said.
Although Christie will stick to full-day pre-kindergarten programs in New Jersey school districts that were formerly known as Abbott districts, it is uncertain if prekindergarten program funding will be eliminated for districts that did not have the Abbott designation.
According to the subcommittee report, the state has made a significant investment in preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds in the former Abbott districts, and that investment has had a positive impact on subsequent student achievement in those mostly urban districts, with both private and public providers of pre-kindergarten programs having equally good outcomes.
Strickland said New Jersey currently spends more per student on pre-kindergarten through grade 12 education than 48 of the 50 states.
Given the amount of these expenditures, Christie’s education subcommittee is identifying immediate opportunities to eliminate waste and to reclaim expenditures from practices and purposes that are low priority or making no, or only limited, contribution to the quality of education provided.
Strickland said the cost of living is expected to increase 1.7 percent this year, and with a cap in place on the amount of local taxes that can be raised, school districts are feeling the bind.
“Programs, class size and staffing are all impacted. We wish to remain pragmatic until the amount of state aid (to each school district) is known on March 16,” she said. “Everything is speculative until then. There is reason to be concerned, but still understanding with what is happening in Trenton. The level of state aid and support will change.”
State Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth and Mercer) explained that this year’s options for filling the hole left by the state budget deficit are limited.
“Most of this year’s line items are already out the door,” he said. “It’s extreme and it’s definitely going to be a challenge.”
State Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth and Mercer) said everything in the budget is being examined and that newly appointed Education Commissioner Bret Schundler said he will review the high cost of the former Abbott schools and the overwhelming excesses found in those districts.
“He will start there, not in the districts that have been financially responsible, like we are here,” Beck said.
State Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande (R-Monmouth and Mercer) explained that in future years there will be more-effective methods in place.
“What Gov. Christie intends to do will give us more tools. There will be a new committee designed to limit excess spending,” she said. “His aggressive de-regulatory agenda is a good fit for smaller municipalities. It will take some waste and mandates away. It won’t take all the problems away, but these are the solutions.”
According to the reports, Strickland stated that Christie believes in giving parents options on how to educate their children.
“It’s a bad economy, but there’s a lot of good coming out of this administration,” she said.
According to the report, families should have choices in the education of their children and have access to a full range of highquality educational opportunities, including a traditional public education, charter schools, and private school options.
“It’s a big step in the right direction,” said Casagrande.
According to the subcommittee report, other critical factors related to the educational progress made by children in school, their overall development, the efforts made by the school to address socioeconomic factors beyond the child’s or the school’s control, and the general safety and well being of the children in the school are not part of the judgment.
“We have come a long way since last year. There are a lot of good things on the horizon,” Casagrande said.
Strickland said the Christie administration has plans to ease mandates that have been placed upon local school districts.
“The Christie administration is calling for the state to move away from a one-sizefits all approach to governing local districts,” she explained. “The subcommittee reports call for allowing well-performing districts to be released from ‘burdensome central controls and oversight.’ ”
Casagrande explained that Christie’s subcommittee recommends the expansion of charter schools in failing districts.
Charter schools are outcome-based schools that are publicly funded. When demand for admission exceeds space, students are chosen randomly by lot.
“They want to open five to 10 new charter schools in high-need, low-performing districts in time for fall 2010. They want to expand the successful charters,” the assemblywoman said.
Simultaneously, Casagrande said, the subcommittee recommends that the charters of the lowest performing charter schools be rescinded to demonstrate commitment to high standards for existing and new charter schools.
Other topics of discussion included tenure, school consolidation, teacher certification and salary, and special education.
Strickland said Christie’s educational transition team took the GSCS suggestions into consideration when crafting its report.
“There are a lot of reasons to be optimistic about the change that happened in Trenton,” Casagrande concluded.