It’s All About the Money: Pre-School Program Funding
New Jersey, not unlike most (all?) states, has struggled with how to fund public education for decades now. I’ll save the history lesson for now, but in 1998 the NJ Supreme Court mandated (legislated) that all Abbott districts (identified poor, disadvantaged, and already maxed out in taxing its constituents) were required to provide full-day pre-school.
The question immediately became Who will pay for this? An administrative law judge ruled that the state would pick up the tab. And so it has gone in New Jersey.
Now, some of these Abbott districts are suing for full-funding from the state. It will be interesting to see the outcome of this. The Star-Ledger stated:
In part, it is a case about money.
It is not “in part” about money, it is all about money and has been from the beginning.
As many of us have pointed out through all this, the state constitution requires a “thorough and efficient” education for all students five-18 years old. Pre-schoolers are three- and four-year olds. The state constitution does not afford a thorough and efficient education for these students, despite the bench’s legislation.
NEW JERSEY STATE CONSTITUTION 1947 (UPDATED THROUGH AMENDMENTS ADOPTED IN NOVEMBER, 2003) ARTICLE VIII TAXATION AND FINANCE SECTION IV
1. The Legislature shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of free public schools for the instruction of all the children in the State between the ages of five and eighteen years.
[an aside]Special education mandates in the Garden State require services for some students until they are 21 years old. Again, how can this be if the state constitution does not provide for it? Yes, I am a strict constructionist even at the state level.[/an aside]
The model to fund education in New Jersey is flawed. It will not be solved soon, but perhaps the NJ Supreme Court will limit its scope on this matter.
Also blogged on this date . . .
- Dot . . . Dot . . . Dot . . . - 2007
- Planning - 2006
- National Magic Week - 2004
- AC Press Runs Article About Political Blogging - 2004
- LBI, Tuckerton, Etc. w/ Moose - 2003
- Life on the Rocks - 2003
- little cache B I G V I E W - 2003
- JU4335: NJGPS SOUTH - 2003
Tags: Education, New Jersey