NJ ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS NEWS RELEASE

Diegnan, Jasey, Jimenez & Caride Bill to Again Object to Christie School Funding Changes for At-Risk & Bilingual Students Approved by Assembly (TRENTON) – Legislation Assembly Democrats Patrick J. Diegnan Jr., Mila Jasey, Angelica Jimenez and Marlene Caride sponsored to notify the governor that the Legislature does not accept his school funding recommendations for at-risk and bilingual students was approved 44-26-2 Thursday by the Assembly. "The current law is designed to determine school funding based on extensive analysis of the cost of delivering a quality education to all students, including low-income students wherever they live in New Jersey. These recommendations seem designed to reduce funding available to at-risk children," said Diegnan (D-Middlesex). "This proposal seems to lack regard to the implications for at-risk children. That approach is simply unacceptable, especially without any apparent thoughtful analysis.” During the last session, the Legislature rejected Gov. Chris Christie's proposed school funding changes targeting at-risk and bilingual students. That resolution informed Governor Christie that the Legislature objected to recommendations included in his administration's Educational Adequacy Report that could sharply reduce funding for at-risk children. That concurrent resolution directed the Commissioner of Education to submit a revised report to the Legislature that responds to these objections. “To date the governor has failed to provide any information to respond to the Legislature’s specific objections,” said Jasey (D-Essex/Morris). “That’s unacceptable. The parents, children and educators of our state deserve better.” "These recommendations are not supported by any research or analysis demonstrating the school funding law has provided schools with more resources than required to provide for the needs of these students," said Jimenez (D-Hudson/Bergen). "In the absence of substantive analysis, the weights for at-risk and bilingual children should remain the same as those established under the school funding law when enacted.” "The current law is designed to determine school funding based on extensive analysis of the cost of delivering a quality education to all students, including low-income students wherever they live in New Jersey, but these recommendations seem designed solely to sharply reduce funding available to at-risk children," said Caride (D-Passaic/Bergen). "Saving money is vital, but this proposal seems motivated by an ideological desire to slash without any regard to the implications for at-risk children. That cannot be allowed to stand." The new resolution (ACR-118) again notifies the governor that the Legislature objects to school funding recommendations for at-risk and bilingual students. It also recognizes that the state aid notices issued by the Commissioner of Education for the 2014-15 school year did not notify school districts of the maximum amount of aid payable pursuant to the provisions of the School Funding Reform Act of 2008, and did not notify school districts of their adequacy budgets for the 2014-15 school year, as required. The resolution directs the commissioner, within 10 days of the adoption of the concurrent resolution, to notify school districts of the maximum amount of aid payable pursuant to the provisions of the school funding law, and, within 14 days of the adoption of the concurrent resolution to notify school districts of their adequacy budgets for the 2014-15 school year. The bill will be referred to the Senate for consideration. It requires no action by the governor.