School officials say state aid formula doesn't work

[news]

School officials say state aid formula doesn't work

Friday, October 26, 2007 10:49 AM EDT
By Sean Ruppert, Staff Writer

Local school officials are hopeful that the state will create a new school funding formula that will lessen the burden on property taxpayers.

But they remain skeptical that a new formula will address their concerns.

School administrators and board members from South Brunswick, Cranbury, Jamesburg and Monroe said the current system is inadequate and more money needs to be provided to suburban school districts.

The Garden State Coalition of Schools, of which Cranbury, Monroe and South Brunswick are members, laid out a series of goals for a new funding formula on Monday that include increasing state spending on schools and tying aid to enrollment.

In addition, the State League of Municipalities has convened a Mayor’s Committee on School Funding to study the issue.

The governor and state Legislature have promised to address the funding issue after the Nov. 6 election, with most elected officials and those running for office this year saying that school spending will be a key to property tax reform.

Under the current state funding law, adopted in 1996, state aid to school districts is based on total property values and community income levels. The state funds about 38 percent of total educational spending in the state, with much of it going to the 31 districts classified as Abbott districts under the law. The Abbott districts were those covered by a series of state Supreme Court and lower court decisions that have ruled that the state had a constitutional responsibility to provide more support to poor districts.
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http://www.packetonline.com/articles/2007/10/26/cranbury_press/news/doc4721fb513d459273539181.prt