Yo, Philly: We all know the whole Arlene Ackerman deal stinks. And we all know that's it's reflective of the shabby era of bossism, cronyism and one-party rule that has infected the town for more than six decades. It's just one of the reasons why Philadelphia has been dubbed the "dumb belt" and why for years people defined "Philadelphia style" as drowning without making any waves. So many in the city -- even the town's so-called business and community leaders -- seem to have lost their capacity for outrage. Are they really all "corrupt and contented?" It would seem so, since more than a few of them appear to be part of this slimy deal. Today, our friend John Baer speculates in the Philadelphia Daily News about who those influential "contributors" were who put up the $400.000+ in private money to help buy out Ackerman at a cost nearing one million dollars. Was a Campbell Soup heiress part of the deal? What about the Comcast honcho who dines with the president on Martha's Vineyard? And how about that soda bottling magnate who's listed as one of the richest people in the region? Oh well -- the fish rots from the head, down. Click here to read Baer's column. It's a gem!
Karen Heller's got some zingy comments on the depressing Arlene Ackerman brouhaha in Philly. The School Superintendent as diva has business leaders trying to assemble a not-so-secret fund to buy her out of her contract. Here's an excerpt from Keller's column at the Inquirer:
This may be a perfect teaching moment in Philadelphia politics. Here we have another weak, kowtowing board overrun by an imperious autocrat [Ackerman] who fosters a cult of personality, a reactive mayor unwilling to take control of the problem, and the permanent power establishment working behind the scenes to fix a problem the board made in the first place. Mayor Nutter likes to boast about how clean his administration is. True, but the problem is he hates getting dirty, handling tough negotiations with unions or City Council. His aversion is a foolish approach in this city.
Governor Chris Christie joined with Harlem Children's Zone (HCZ) Executive Director Geoffrey Canada to announce an expanded Promise Communities initiative and partnership between HCZ and the Christie Administration. July 20, 2011. You may have to turn the volume up a bit to hear this but it's well worth it.
NJ Hero Jerry Walker, First Lady Mary Pat Christie and Governor Christie with Team Walker participants.
With a career that’s taken him around the globe, Jerry Walker just wanted to give something back to the community. Recognizing a need to provide inner city youth with safe and constructive alternatives to the obstacles experienced in their daily lives, the former St. Anthony High School and Seton Hall basketball standout formed Team Walker. The nonprofit organization gives children an opportunity to learn teamwork, responsibility and unity through after-school, athletic and recreational programs. Today, Governor Christie and First Lady Mary Pat Christie named Jerry Walker as the latest New Jersey Hero to honor his efforts aimed at improving the lives of youth in Jersey City.
“Jerry’s not just an athletic standout. He’s the epitome of a true New Jersey Hero who is working to make a difference in the lives of the young people in his community,” said Governor and Mrs. Christie. “He and the volunteers from Team Walker pride themselves in being positive role models and are providing these children with the tools needed to achieve a successful life path now and in the future. We’re proud to announce Jerry Walker as this month’s New Jersey Hero.”
Team Walker offers youth participation programs in academic and recreational activities to replace the negative influences found on the streets. These programs emphasize the importance of education, teamwork and sportsmanship. The primary mission of the after-school academic program focuses on tutoring and study hall sessions to assist children in academic disciplines to supplement their classroom instruction. Team Walker also stresses athletics through an after-school recreation program, day camp and summer youth tournaments, music, cheerleading and even the sport of fencing.
“I am honored and surprised to be named a New Jersey Hero by Governor and Mrs. Christie,” said Jerry Walker. “The work we do every day at Team Walker is not glamorous, but is incredibly rewarding. We create productive after school programs for the youth of Jersey City to give them a positive alternative to the streets. We work with the kids in groups and individually to create a better academic base and self-image. Thank you for this recognition of our programs. Casting the limelight on Team Walker will help let potential volunteers and donors know about our good works and enable us to grow.”
The program has expanded significantly since its inception in 1996, beginning with a single tournament and basketball clinic serving a handful of children to over 500 young people participating in year-round academic and athletic programs initiated by the Team Walker organization.
“And we hope this recognition helps us with our latest project – The Team Walker Learning Center. This has been a dream of mine to have a building for our programs. We have close to $1.4 million dollars raised for the project and it will be a reality next summer. All I can say is that I feel very blessed,” added Walker.
The new Center will be located right in the neighborhood on Communipaw Avenue. It will consist of a three-story structure that features five different classroom areas for up to 150 students, a unique library and multi-purpose room, wired classrooms for computers and smart boards, a basement cafeteria with full kitchen, office space for the CEO and other staff, a conference room and outside recreation space.
To learn more about the efforts of Team Walker, visit www.teamwalker.org
New Jersey Heroes is an initiative of First Lady Mary Pat Christie that showcases the positive ways people and organizations are impacting New Jersey in their own unique ways. To nominate a hero, go to the bottom of the page at www.nj.gov/governor/firstlady and click the NJ Heroes tab. Follow the application instructions and submit the person you believe is a true New Jersey Hero.
New Jersey State Senator Michael Doherty, a member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, will hold a town hall meeting on his “Fair School Funding” plan. The town hall meeting will be held tonight, Wednesday July, 20th at 7:30PM in the Washington Township Ambulance Hall, Turnersville, N.J.
The Senator has proposed a new school funding formula that is fair and equitable to all students in the state; urban, suburban and rural. The new formula be would implemented by constitutional amendment that would have to approved by the voters.
The proposed constitutional amendment will provide equal school aid for each student, regardless of where the student resides. New Jersey needs to establish a fair, simple, transparent, and straightforward educational funding formula that takes the income tax fund and distributes the fund equally to each student.
Who: Senator Michael Doherty
When: Wednesday July 20, 2011 at 7:30 P.M.
What: Town Hall meeting on the “Fair School Funding” plan
Where: Washington Township Ambulance Hall 4 Willow Street, Turnersville, NJ
There will be a question and answer session following the presentation. For more information contact the office of Senator Doherty at (908) 835-0552.
Acting Education Commissioner Chris Cerf today released the following statement regarding Assembly Democrats’ hearing next Tuesday:
“When it comes to being committed to New Jersey’s children, Governor Christie has dedicated more money than almost any other state to what matters most - K-12 education. In the fight to ensure that every child has an opportunity for success regardless of zip code or birth circumstances, Governor Christie has acted on that commitment with $850 million in increased funding, spending more on children’s education now than when he first became governor. For the Assembly Democrats to claim anything otherwise is simply inaccurate. To so do while simultaneously blocking an array of substantive education reforms that unquestionably would enhance the life prospects of New Jersey's neediest children is especially unfortunate.”
Thanks, Commissioner Cerf. Let's say it flat out: The games that the Democrats are playing in Trenton these days are nothing short of unconscionable.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has made the difficult decisions that have allowed New Jersey to dramatically increase funding for our schools, increase property tax rebates for seniors, maintain critical funding for the neediest citizens of our state while reducing government spending and cutting taxes to create jobs.
New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney is blocking any consideration of Governor Chris Christie's education reforms in part because Sweeney objects to merit pay. Here's an excerpt from a story in the Philadelphia Inquirer:
New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney won't allow two of the governor's major education overhaul proposals to get a vote, effectively killing the proposals before they were ever formally introduced as bills.The Democratic lawmaker said Monday that he objects to Christie's proposals to link teacher salaries to performance and to eliminate teacher seniority protections. "I've never been a fan of merit pay. I don't believe in it," Sweeney said Monday.
Sweeney says he objects to merit pay because under a merit pay system a hard-working teacher may be passed over for a raise because he or she is not "a favorite." Does Sweeney even know what merit pay is? Merit pay is a system under which employees are evaluated according to a set of agreed-upon, objective standards and criteria. Goals, strategies and performance are regularly reviewed by the employee and the employer. A performance evaluation is rendered usually annually or semi-annually. For almost my entire working life (and we're talking multiple decades, here) I've worked under a merit pay system as an at-will employee, meaning I could be fired at any time. I can assure you of this: I have rarely a been a candidate for the title of "favorite." But my salary steadily increased and I was never fired. I worked hard. I performed. I gave my all. Most people work under some sort of merit evaluation (merit pay) system. Indeed, how else can the performance of employees be measured? A system that gives automatic raises to all employees on a year-by-year basis seems like no system at all. It's certainly not a system that rewards effort since I may be minimally productive and you may be a powerhouse employee and, at the end of the year we will both get the same raise. Why bother to achieve? What's the motivation? Is this with Sweeney advocates? Or is he simply playing to (and shoring up) his base (unions, etc.) as the November legislative election approach?
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announces increased aid to all school districts on June 30, 2011. "My budget increases state aid to school districts by $850 million over last year. This means we have restored every dollar of the cuts we made last year AND increased it by an additional $30 million. I told the people of New Jersey last year that I made the cuts to K-12 education funding as a last resort. The very next year we restored every dollar of that funding and in fact increased it. We are keeping faith with our commitment to New Jersey's children and families."
Better Education for Kids (B4K), a 501(c)(4) organization, launched a new statewide radio ad this morning. The ad, which begins the second campaign launched by the organization this month, calls for bipartisan common sense changes to New Jersey’s public education system. “We need a new way forward in New Jersey. It’s time to end politics as usual and give parents, students and concerned citizens a real voice in this debate. Every child deserves to receive a first-rate education and an opportunity to succeed in the 21st century. We need to act now and make New Jersey’s public school system a national model for student achievement. It’s time to end special interest domination of our public education system and put our children’s interests first," said Derrell Bradford, Executive Director of Better Education for Kids. B4K believes student achievement should be the first priority of the New Jersey school system. Every student should have the opportunity to learn from a great teacher and every school should have a great principal. We need to elevate the teaching profession so that great teachers and principals are rewarded with merit pay and tenure becomes a significant professional milestone. The ad can be heard on: www.b4njkids.org Better Education for Kids (B4K) is an independent non-profit organization established to promote education reform in New Jersey. B4K is a 501(c)(4) organization under the Internal Revenue Code and is not affiliated with any political group or committee.
Better Education for Kids (B4K), a 501(c)(4) organization today launched a million-dollar statewide television campaign to promote education reform in New Jersey.
B4K is an independent organization calling for bi-partisan common-sense changes to New Jersey's public education system.
"Special interests have dominated our public education system for decades. They like the status quo, but our parents and kids don't. It's time for us - parents, students and concerned citizens - to stand up and make sure our public education system puts our children's interests first. We can change the status quo and bring an independent voice against the special interests. We have an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of New Jersey kids. And we can make that difference now," said Derrell Bradford, Executive Director of Better Education for Kids.
B4K is a pro-education, pro-teacher and most importantly pro-student organization. B4K believes that:
· We must reward and support excellence in the teaching profession through merit pay and tenure reform.
· Every school must have an effective principal who is held accountable for their school's academic success.
· We need to empower parents with the tools they need to evaluate schools and teachers.
In New Jersey, we have too many kids attending failing schools, and too many public high school graduates in need of remedial instruction. New Jersey spends more money per student on education than almost any other state, yet too many of New Jersey schools fail to deliver an adequate education to our kids. We need to guarantee equal access for all kids to get a quality education; it is the civil rights issue of our time.
"We're fighting for the children and parents of New Jersey. We need to give every child a pathway to success through a great education. We can make our public schools the model for a modern, effective and successful education system that prepares all of its students for a productive role in the competitive global economy. The stakes couldn't be higher, and B4K intends to be a long term driving force in the education debate here in New Jersey." Bradford added.
The organization is being funded by a group led by longtime New Jersey philanthropists David Tepper and Alan Fournier. David is an advocate for education reform and is a product of the public school system. His charitable interests include University of Pittsburgh, Rutgers University, Phoenix House, United Jewish Appeal, St. Anthony High School, Community Food Bank of New Jersey, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and many other food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters in the New Jersey and Pittsburgh region. David also serves on the Board of Robin Hood and various boards and committees for other charitable organizations. He has donated to Carnegie Mellon University's business school, now known as the Tepper School of Business. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of Carnegie Mellon University and is on the Tepper Business School Board of Advisors.
Alan Fournier's charitable interests include St. Anthony's High School, Community Food Bank of New Jersey, New Jersey SEEDS, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Newark, TEAM Schools of New Jersey and the All Stars Project of New Jersey. He has donated to the Wounded Warrior Project and The Humane Society.
B4K's Core Principles:
1. Reward and Support Excellence in the Teaching Profession with Improved Evaluations and Merit Pay
Teachers are the most important part of a great education system and reforms are needed to encourage, support and reward teacher excellence. NJ must develop a system that can evaluate teacher performance, give teachers meaningful and actionable feedback, reward effective teachers and identify teachers that need additional support. The teacher evaluation process must be transparent and significantly based on measured student outcomes, with clear guidelines and standards. Compensation, promotion and retention policies must all reward excellence. Excellent teachers must be provided with enhanced career and compensation opportunities, including merit pay, elevated professional status, mentoring and peer development responsibilities, and incentives for placement into high-needs schools or subject areas. Underperforming teachers must be identified and given the support to improve their performance, and removed if improvement is not forthcoming after a reasonable period.
2. Grant Tenure Based on Performance and End LIFO Tenure must be re-established as a significant professional achievement rather than an automatic and permanent reward for time served. Teacher performance, as reflected in evaluations, must be a significant factor in any decision to grant tenure. If layoffs are necessary, they must be based on teacher performance first and foremost, instead of relying solely on seniority as in the current system. Seniority and teacher experience are important, but they cannot be the only determinative factors in granting tenure or making layoffs.
3. Empower Parents to Demand Excellence
Parents must be provided with accessible and accurate data that permit them to evaluate schools and teachers. Such data would include attendance, student test scores (aggregated for class and school), teacher/principal evaluations and salaries, graduation rates and other relevant information. Principals must be tasked with ensuring the transparency of personnel decisions and the evaluations process, as well as with outreach efforts so that parents are informed about their rights, responsibilities and options.
4. Empower Principals and Hold Them Accountable for Excellence in their Schools Along with teachers, principals must also be evaluated on their ability to drive student outcomes (aggregated on a school-wide basis). Principals must have the authority to assemble their team of educators, and teacher placement must be by mutual consent of both the principal and the teacher. Principals should have significant input into the teacher evaluation and feedback process and then hold teachers accountable for their performance. Principals must be accountable for attracting, developing and retaining effective teachers and removing ineffective teachers. Excellent principals should be rewarded with merit pay, career advancement and mentoring opportunities.
5. Expand Opportunities for Non-traditional Teaching and Principal Candidates Expand opportunities for recruitment of non-traditional teaching candidates such as outstanding college students (via programs like Teach For America), military veterans and mid-career professionals. Expand opportunities for recruitment of non-traditional principal candidates to include those with a proven record of success in non-academic careers. Credentials should be valued insofar as they are shown to promote student achievement.
For more information and to view the ad please visit: www.b4njkids.org
Better Education for Kids (B4K) is an independent non-profit organization established to promote education reform in New Jersey. B4K is a 501(c)(4) organization under the Internal Revenue Code and is not affiliated with any political group or committee.
Be careful when you ask New Jersey Governor Chris Christie a pointed question. Because you're gonna get it right back atcha. The rising star of the GOP sat down with Piers Morgan for an hour last night, and the two discussed his tough talk regarding education in New Jersey. Morgan mentioned a critic who wondered why he sent his kids to private school, when he speaks in favor of public school. "That's none of her business," said Christie. "That's my choice, and my wife's choice. We happen to believe that a religious education is an important part of an overall education for our children...It's not a shot on the public schools. I'm a graduate of the public schools." He went on to describe why the "liberal" comment bothered him. Why is Christie doing all of these big, national interviews? Well, first because he really is a rising national political star. But I also suspect that Team Christie wants to keep the Big Guy feisty, ready and on his toes. They want the practice in the Big Spotlight as much as the exposure -- just in case a national opportunity presents itself. They also want to be prepared for the years ahead. Remember: Christie was a successful trial lawyer and prosecutor. He learned to always be prepared. He's now not only a master of one-liners and quick soundbites but he's also thoroughly steeped in all of the facts, figures, laws and provisions he needs to know about to tackle the major public issues of the day. And the Governor isn't simply appearing on national media. He also continues to hold town hall meetings in towns and cities throughout New Jersey where he's been remarkably attentive to his constituency and nonetheless quick on the uptake. Note that when Morgan says "I can see the fire welling up inside you" and adds "that's the real Christie" the Governor is quick to correct his host: "That's just part of the real Christie," he explains. The real Christie can be tough when he has to be but tender and caring as well.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie refuses to back down in his campaign for teacher accountability and better schools. And he's made it very clear to the powerful state teachers' union (NJEA) that he will not be silenced and he will not be intimidated. The union has spent millions of dollars in ad money to try to get citizens to "hate me," Christie says. But the Governor says it won't work because the campaign that he's waging is not about him. It's about better schools and a better education for our children. In this video, as Governor Christie holds his 19th Town Hall meeting of 2011 in Toms River, New Jersey. on June 7 he once again demonstrates why he's the most forthright and exciting public figure on the scene today. Watch the audience's reaction as Chris Christie fearlessly speaks truth to power..
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie joined Camden Mayor Dana Redd today to announce an innovative education project aimed at turning around chronically failing schools. The public-private partnership is designed to expand the education options available for children and parents who are trapped in some of New Jersey’s school districts with the largest achievement gaps. This pilot program will authorize public “Transformation Schools” operated by school management organizations and is limited in scope to specifically target students with the greatest need in order to ensure every child in New Jersey has access to the same quality education. In New Jersey,100,000 New Jersey children are trapped in nearly 200 chronically failing schools.
“While we pursue a comprehensive reform agenda to deliver positive results to every student in New Jersey, we simply cannot continue asking parents and children in failing schools to wait for relief," said Governor Christie. "This pilot program will provide an innovative alternative for those children who need it most, bolstering our efforts to ensure opportunity for every child in our state. Perhaps most importantly, through the knowledge that change is on the way, this program will begin to restore hope in communities where failing schools deny children hope and opportunity. I thank Mayor Redd for her leadership and commitment to addressing the tough challenges facing this city, and local leaders for getting behind this needed program."
This pilot program will be established by legislation that will allow for a board of education to apply to the Department of Education to create a public-private partnership. These Transformation Schools will be operated by a school management organization and will be subject to the same educational standards as any other public schools and be accountable to the Department of Education.
“For far too long, our urban youth have struggled to break through the achievement barriers found in the chronically failing schools in urban communities like Camden,” said Mayor Dana Redd. “This Transformation Schools initiative will give these students and their parents renewed hope, access to quality educational opportunities and the ability to reach their potential for a productive and successful future.”
As of December 2010, school management organizations operated in 31 states, in over 700 schools across the country, including elementary, middle, and high schools, and educating over 350,000 students. Under President Barack Obama, funding for School Improvement Grants (SIGs) has increased and is awarded based on the requirement that states direct the funds to the lowest performing schools and adopt one of four intervention models to turn around the low performing schools, including utilizing school management organizations
The Transformation Schools Pilot Program: · Limited to School Districts with Persistently Failing Schools. Districts where students face a chronic achievement gap will be able to apply to the Department of Education to create Transformation Schools.
· Participation in the Pilot Program is Voluntary. Eligible school districts can choose whether or not to apply and the Department of Education will be permitted to authorize up to five Transformation Schools.
· Eligible Board of Education Must Demonstrate to the Commissioner of Education Clear Measures for Success. Whether the application is to build a new school or to convert a persistently failing school, the same standards apply.
o The Board of Education supports the application. If the board does not support the application, it will not be considered by the Department of Education;
o School management organization has experience operating and managing schools, has been successful in doing so, and is financially healthy and sound;
o All construction costs will be borne by the school management organization.
· School District Spending. For each student enrolled in the Transformation School, the school district will pay the school management organization no more than 90% of the district’s per-pupil expenditure (the same amount as the Charter School rate).
· Enrollment:
o Converting Failing School. If a failing school is converted, all students who were enrolled in the failing school will automatically be enrolled in the Transformation School unless they opt out. If the Transformation School is larger than the failing school it replaced, enrollment for the additional openings will be open to all students in the district based on a random selection process.
o New School. Enrollment will be open to all district students based on a random selection process that will not discriminate on the basis of intellectual capacity, aptitude, proficiency in the English language, or any other basis that would be illegal if used by a school district.
Under the proposed legislation, Transformation Schools would be authorized for five years, with the ability to apply to the Commissioner of Education for re-authorization. At the end of the first five years, the Commissioner of Education will be required to submit a comprehensive report to the Governor and Legislature concerning the effectiveness of the Transformation Schools and making recommendations as to whether the pilot program should be expanded.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie continued to exercise his veto authority today by rejecting a portion of the minutes of the May 24, 2011 board meeting of the New Jersey Educational Facilities Authority (NJEFA) for its approval to appoint a new Deputy Executive Director. The Governor noted that the selection process for the position was flawed since no application or interview process was conducted and that the Board simply handpicked an employee for the post.
“The need for a Deputy Executive Director at EFA, which has a staff of only fourteen employees, is questionable,” the Governor wrote in his veto letter to NJEFA Executive Director James Poole. “The designation of important staff titles such as Deputy Executive Director should be made only after the appropriate agency leaders have determined that the position is necessary and that candidates have been considered in a fair and consistent manner. Neither of those tasks was accomplished here.”
In his letter, the Governor also pointed out that the Executive Director, on the record at the May 24, 2011 meeting, noted there was no need for the position.
No other veto power was exercised on any other action taken by the Board.
This veto is the twenty-third exercised by Governor Christie in his effort to reform spending, budgeting and management practices at New Jersey authorities, commissions and boards over which he has veto authority. A bill proposed by Governor Christie that is pending before the legislature would expand that veto authority to numerous other semi-autonomous state entities.
As you can see by the reaction of the Governor and many state lesgialtors, the New Jersey Supreme Court's decision reiterating the imposition of the school funding formula for the state's so-called "Abbott" (allegedly "poorer") school districts has touched off a firestorm. New Jersey has faced a continued financial crisis. The state is not undertaxed. It's not a revenue problem that the state faces. It's a tax problem. New Jersey residents are taxed too much. And the highest burden on the already highest-in-the-nation New Jersey property taxes is the cost of education -- funding local school districts. It's the biggest chunk of local towns' skyrocketing property taxes and homeowner's feel the pain day after day. Governor Chris Christie has courageously taken on this battle. He has been fearless and steadfast in his efforts to rein in "education" costs that are draining revenues: too many administrators with too many Big Fat Paychecks; the huge burden of teacher and public employee health benefits and pensions; huge sick and vacation day "jackpot" payouts upon retirement; too many school districts with overlapping spending and wasteful practices. The list goes on and on. The last thing the Governor and other common-sense leaders needed at this time was the imposition of this latest Supreme Court decision. For a long time, the New Jersey Supreme Court has acted in an imperious and overbearing manner. The Supreme Court has taken an "our way or the highway" approach to its judicial responsibility. And the Court has turned a deaf ear to the stark realities that face the state -- the real problems that taxpayers and elected officials face day-to-day. The Court seems to see itself not as a co-equal branch of the state government but rather as a super-authority (an almost regal entity) above and beyond the people, the elected leaders or any other agency, bureau or body in the state. Throughout these years of unbridled court activism, New Jerseyans have been far too complacent. Sweeping decisions such as the Mt. Laurel decision and the Abbott decision have come and gone and the people have accepted their consequences (and their own fate) in a largely docile manner. Part of this is understandable. A lot of people are uniformed. The state has no statewide commercial TV station and no statewide newspaper. And New York and Philadelphia media outlets give short shrift to New Jersey. But these factors can only excuse a finite amount of apathy. And now the complacency must end. The people must take up the mantle of Christie and like-minded legislators. And this means that the Governor must be given a legislature that will enact spending and/or court reform and also allow Christie to make siginifant changes in the makeup of the hgh court as those opportunities present themselves. Major change must occur -- even if it takes a constitutional amendment to make it happen. The statewide legislative elections are coming up this November. The fiscal crisis and the court must be front and center. ANY legislator (Republican or Democrat) who supports the policies of this court (and the Abbott funding approach in particular) should be thrown out of office. Those who favor an activist court that legislates from the bench should be removed. New Jersey must change its ways. That means a changed legislature and a changed legislative leadership. The people still have the power -- IF they choose to exercise it.
New Jersey State Senator Michael Doherty, a member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement in response decision of the New Jersey State Supreme Court to order the Legislature to expend additional money for Abbott districts:
“Once again, the Court has overstepped its clearly defined constitutional authority. This position was acknowledged by the two dissenting justices.
“This decision also perpetuates a failed legal theory that more money will improve educational outcomes. This theory has been disproved after more than three decades of Abbott decisions.
“At the next quorum of the Senate, I will introduce a proposed constitutional amendment that will forever remove the Court from decisions on how we fund our schools. The proposed constitutional amendment will provide equal school aid for each student, regardless of where the student resides. New Jersey needs to establish a fair, simple, transparent, and straightforward educational funding formula that takes the income tax fund and distributes the fund equally to each student.
“I look forward to a full and vigorous debate on the merits of my proposed amendment. I believe the voters of this state will approve a fair school funding formula by an overwhelming margin.”
New Jersey State Senator Gerald Cardinale noted today that two of the five voting members of the New Jersey Supreme Court dissented from the latest Abbott Decision because the “relief demanded of this court treads on the constitutional prerogatives of the Legislature and the Executive branch.”:
“The two dissenting opinions of the court are very telling. Two justices argued that the court had no right to order the Legislature to spend money. This is a principle that is maintained in both the state and federal constitutions. Only the Legislature can appropriate and spend the taxpayers’ money, not the executive branch and certainly not the Supreme Court.
“In the second dissent the two Justices acknowledge the abject failure of the Senate Democrats to fulfill their constitutional obligation of advice and consent. The determination made by the court today was by a 3-to-2 vote. Clearly, in a case that literally impacts the wallets of every person living in the state the court must acknowledge that a minimum of four votes are needed to grant relief on this motion.
“The Court has ignored the Constitutional provision that all education aid be distributed for the equal benefit of the state. (Article 8, Section 4, paragraph 2) this provision of the State Constitution is as binding as any other and should not be disregarded by the Court to further their misguided ambitions of social engineering.
“It is extraordinary that the Court is not averse to violating the very principles it is sworn to uphold. I object to the court’s arrogance and to its conduct. Today was a very bad day for the American system of jurisprudence.
