Star Ledger - Democrats oppose Christie proposal to change school funding formula “…Watson Coleman, a sponsor of the Assembly resolution, said her staff determined aid to low-income and bilingual students would be cut by $160 million under the recommendations, although an Education Department analysis indicates that financing would increase in every category under the proposal. "It will still be a reduction — a ratio reduction," she said.”

By Ryan Hutchins/The Star-LedgerThe Star-Ledger
on January 15, 2013 at 3:32 PM, updated January 15, 2013 at 5:09 PM

TRENTON — Democratic legislators say they oppose recommended changes to the way New Jersey provides aid to local school districts, claiming that a Christie administration proposal unveiled last month would cut support for bilingual and low-income students.

"There doesn’t seem to be any research, data or justification for having taken the leap that is proposed here in the report," Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer) said at a hearing in Trenton on Monday.

Budget committees in both houses of the Legislature approved resolutions objecting to the governor’s Educational Adequacy Report, which recommends three-year adjustments to the state’s school financing formula that was adopted in 2008. The resolution was approved by a vote of 8-5 in the Senate committee, and 8-4 in the Assembly panel.

If a joint resolution is approved by the full Legislature, the state Department of Education will be required to submit a revised report addressing the concerns. If it isn’t, the changes will be approved.

While the plan proposed by Gov. Chris Christie would increase the base amount of aid for each pupil, it would reduce what is called extraordinary aid for special education students and decrease the weight placed on low-income and limited-English students. Some say that could mean less money for urban districts.

"Any district with a large number of poor students is going to experience a lower state-aid increment for covering those students," said Frank Belluscio, acting deputy executive director of the state School Boards Association.

The association has not taken a position on the administration proposal.

Watson Coleman, a sponsor of the Assembly resolution, said her staff determined aid to low-income and bilingual students would be cut by $160 million under the recommendations, although an Education Department analysis indicates that financing would increase in every category under the proposal.

"It will still be a reduction — a ratio reduction," she said.