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Needy districts pressed to accept modest increase
Tuesday, March 27, 2007 • BY DUNSTAN McNICHOL • Star-Ledger Staff

School superintendents from Orange, Paterson and other needy districts told lawmakers yesterday they were coerced into accepting inadequate aid for the coming year by state officials who threatened intense audits and potential funding cuts for those seeking more.

Of the 31 communities that receive special assistance under the state Supreme Court's Abbott vs. Burke rulings, only seven have sought more than the 3 percent increase offered by the state Department of Education.

"It's made very clear to us that if you would choose to go for additional funding, the tasks and documentation process would be much more arduous than it would be if you accept the 3 percent," Michael Glascoe, Paterson schools superintendent, told the Legislature's Joint Committee on the Public Schools at a hearing in Trenton yesterday.

"If you apply for more you run the risk of not even getting the 3 percent," added Trenton Superintendent Rodney Lofton. "It's one of those risks you take with no promise."

Assemblyman Craig Stanley (D-Essex), co-chairman of the committee on the Public Schools, called the situation "very, very, very troublesome."

"There's a serious issue here," he said. "What we're engaged in, perhaps, is not just deception but might even be considered criminal."

After the four-hour hearing, a spokesman for the Department of Education, Jon Zlock, confirmed that school districts willing to accept only 3 percent boosts in state aid had been promised an "expedited" budget review process. He said spending in all the so-called Abbott districts will eventually be fully audited and scrutinized, whether they stay within the 3 percent cap or not.

Several superintendents told the lawmakers they would rather grapple with program cuts and layoffs than run the risk of time-consuming audits and further cuts in state aid.

Nathan Parker, Orange's superintendent, said he submitted a budget that stayed within the 3 percent limit by forgoing literacy coaches, math tutors and other features his largely underprivileged students need.

"What I'm trying to do is try to control expenses as much as possible," he said.

Gov. Jon Corzine's budget proposal for the upcoming year includes $4.38 billion in aid to the 31 Abbott districts, compared with $3.3 billion in aid for the balance of the state's 618 school districts. That is enough to cover a 3 percent boost in basic state aid for both Abbott and non-Abbott communities.

A series of state Supreme Court orders in the Abbott case requires the state to fund any supplemental program for which local officials can demonstrate a need.

In a message to Abbott school administrators earlier this month, Education Commissioner Lucille Davy made it clear districts that keep spending within the 3 percent growth limit would receive generous consideration from the state.

Besides the expedited budget review, they would not face the prospect that the state could order money to be shifted around within their budgets to reduce overall spending. They would not see state aid cut when books are balanced after an annual tally of actual school spending is produced this fall. And they would be allowed to raise extra funds through local taxes without seeing their state aid reduced.

In addition, districts staying within the 3 percent limit would be excused from filing voluminous paperwork they would otherwise have to produce for the state's review, Davy's letter shows.

"It appears this administration is trying to get out from under the responsibility of Abbott funding," said Perth Amboy Superintendent John Rodecker, who said he faces the prospect of cutting teachers, parent coordinators, nurses and other positions to meet the budget limits. "All of the innovations which have proven successful will eventually disappear."

Stanley and Sen. Ron Rice (D-Essex), the committee's other co-chairman, promised to bring the concerns over the state's budget strategy to Davy and other officials.

Lawmakers are in the early stages of reviewing Corzine's budget proposal, and could make changes before a final budget is adopted July 1.

Educators say state threatened to cut aid

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