>To all:
Please take the time this busy holiday season to e-mail your representatives in Trenton with concerns about the new funding formula. Even though there is a proposed funding increase for next year, we do not know where Trenton will find $532,000,000 to fund it. Remember the state already has a $3 billion deficit. In the long run the new formula for special education aid distribution will mean less money than what we would have received with the old formula if it had been properly funded. Finally rushing to enact legislation that the legislators have not even read, analyzed, or debated makes little sense. They will receive the legislation tomorrow and will have only a few legislative sessions during the holiday season before the January 7 vote.
You can cut and paste the letter below and e-mail it to the following legislators:
AsmOtoole@njleg.org
AsmRusso@njleg.org
SenTurner@njleg.org
SenLance@njleg.org
Don’t forget to put your name and address on the e-mail before sending.
To: Assemblymen Russo, O’Toole, Roberts, and Stanley and
Senators McNamara, Turner, Lance, and Codey:
My children attend the Ridgewood Public Schools in Bergen County. I am a taxpayer. Ninety percent of our local school budget is funded through the property tax. I support our schools and the high quality instruction provided to my children. I am concerned about some aspects of the proposed school funding formula.
o The adequacy funding amount should be fairly and appropriately weighted for regional cost differences. It is more expensive to educate a child in northern New Jersey then in central or southern New Jersey. In 2006-07 our cost per student was $12,133. In the proposed formula adequacy per pupil spending is costed out at $11,289. What would we need to strip from our budget in order to meet the adequacy figure? Should be provide fewer AP courses, fewer honors level electives, make cuts to our visual and performing arts program, offer less support to our struggling students, or eliminate our extracurricular activities? Is it adequacy or excellence that we want for our children’s education?
o Do not use a wealth based formula to distribute any part of the special education aid. It should remain as Categorical Aid. This year our enrollment in special education increased by 56 students and there are twenty-four more students waiting for evaluations. Families are moving to Ridgewood for the quality of our special education programs. We are proud of this, but the costs are taking a toll on our budget. The unintended consequence of the proposed hybrid formula – part categorical/part wealth equalized – will pit special education and regular education parents against one another as they vie for precious budget dollars to insure their children receive the high quality instruction that they have come to expect in Ridgewood.
o Slow down the process and do not rush to enact a flawed formula. The legislature is being asked to rush approval of the proposed funding formula. The time between now and January 7, with the holidays in-between, is too short to do the due diligence required on such an important matter that will impact all of New Jersey’s public school students.
Ridgewood has a tradition of educational excellence. Our students benefit from a high quality instructional program offered cost effectively. A school district like Ridgewood should be the norm in New Jersey. The state should support the values of excellence and efficiency and align the public school funding formula with them.
Sincerely,
Name and address