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NJ Spotlight--Newark’s Water Issues Raise Question: Should Other Districts Be Tested?...NJ Department of Environmental Protection takes lead on project and programs, will likely make the call on extended monitoring ‘With revelations of elevated lead levels in the water at half of Newark’s public schools, talk has moved quickly as to whether the state should test in other public schools across the state as well. The state’s environmental commissioner, as well as the chairs of both the State Board of Education and the legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Schools all said this weekend that they would explore whether the state should extend requirements or even guidance to local districts…’
NJ Spotlight-- Senator Proposes Using Budget Surplus to Boost State Pension Paymen…Calls for taking $500 million of expected extra revenue to nearly double additional contribution proposed by Christie ‘Just like a homeowner trying to decide whether to replace an aging roof or put more cash into a savings account, an improving outlook for state tax collections has led to a debate in Trenton over the best way to use a growing surplus fund…’
NJ Spotlight--Op-Ed: Integrating Innovation into Today’s Educational Experiences…The future will demand an unprecedented degree of innovation and technology knowhow, from preschool to high-school graduation, and beyond ‘It's difficult to imagine an aspect of day-to-day existence in 2016 that hasn't been touched or even transformed by innovation. It's even more challenging to envision a future in which innovative technology won't play a central role in every event, every career, and every life….’
Star Ledger--School districts skirt superintendent salary caps with hefty bonuses ‘Local school districts have been able to skirt state caps on superintendent salaries through a system of bonuses and merit pay, the Press of Atlantic City has reported. An analysis of the bonuses doled out to superintendents in some 250 school districts over the past four years totaled $4.5 million, according to the news organization's analysis…’
Star Ledger--N.J. parents waiting 2 full days in line for pre-K registration 'JERSEY CITY — ‘About 100 N.J. parents are waiting in a now-famous, first-come-first-served line for a limited pre-K registration spot at one of the city's most popular public pre-K programs, a line that parents get up earlier and earlier for every year.There are just 82 spots available next year for 3-year-olds interested in Concordia Learning Center's pre-K program, and registration opens Saturday at 8 a.m…All the spots are free…’
The Record-- Property tax cap growing weaker across North Jersey; more towns than ever exceed 2% limit ‘The total amount of tax levied to pay for town and county services, as well as public schools, rose by at least 3 percent in a third of the municipalities across North Jersey and statewide in 2015.Reforms enacted in 2011 to keep the nation’s highest property taxes in check are showing signs of weakening as a growing number of New Jersey towns fail to stay within the 2 percent cap on increases that formed the cornerstone of the effort… The Record has found. The actual number — 334 of the state’s 565 municipalities — is higher than it has been at any point since the reforms were passed, as communities use exemptions in the law to surpass the limit, the analysis found…’
NJ Spotlight--Newark’s Water Issues Raise Question: Should Other Districts Be Tested?...NJ Department of Environmental Protection takes lead on project and programs, will likely make the call on extended monitoring ‘With revelations of elevated lead levels in the water at half of Newark’s public schools, talk has moved quickly as to whether the state should test in other public schools across the state as well. The state’s environmental commissioner, as well as the chairs of both the State Board of Education and the legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Schools all said this weekend that they would explore whether the state should extend requirements or even guidance to local districts…’
John Mooney | March 14, 2016
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NJ Spotlight-- Senator Proposes Using Budget Surplus to Boost State Pension Paymen…Calls for taking $500 million of expected extra revenue to nearly double additional contribution proposed by Christie ‘Just like a homeowner trying to decide whether to replace an aging roof or put more cash into a savings account, an improving outlook for state tax collections has led to a debate in Trenton over the best way to use a growing surplus fund…’
John Reitmeyer | March 14, 2016
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NJ Spotlight--Op-Ed: Integrating Innovation into Today’s Educational Experiences…The future will demand an unprecedented degree of innovation and technology knowhow, from preschool to high-school graduation, and beyond ‘It's difficult to imagine an aspect of day-to-day existence in 2016 that hasn't been touched or even transformed by innovation. It's even more challenging to envision a future in which innovative technology won't play a central role in every event, every career, and every life….’
Adam D. Fried | March 14, 2016
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Star Ledger--School districts skirt superintendent salary caps with hefty bonuses ‘Local school districts have been able to skirt state caps on superintendent salaries through a system of bonuses and merit pay, the Press of Atlantic City has reported. An analysis of the bonuses doled out to superintendents in some 250 school districts over the past four years totaled $4.5 million, according to the news organization's analysis…’
MaryAnn Spoto | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com |March 12, 2016 at 3:07 PM
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Star Ledger--N.J. parents waiting 2 full days in line for pre-K registration
JERSEY CITY — ‘About 100 N.J. parents are waiting in a now-famous, first-come-first-served line for a limited pre-K registration spot at one of the city's most popular public pre-K programs, a line that parents get up earlier and earlier for every year.There are just 82 spots available next year for 3-year-olds interested in Concordia Learning Center's pre-K program, and registration opens Saturday at 8 a.m…All the spots are free…’
Laura Herzog | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com| March 11, 2016 at 2:11 PM, updated March 11, 2016 at 10:05 PM
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The Record-- Property tax cap growing weaker across North Jersey; more towns than ever exceed 2% limit ‘The total amount of tax levied to pay for town and county services, as well as public schools, rose by at least 3 percent in a third of the municipalities across North Jersey and statewide in 2015.Reforms enacted in 2011 to keep the nation’s highest property taxes in check are showing signs of weakening as a growing number of New Jersey towns fail to stay within the 2 percent cap on increases that formed the cornerstone of the effort… The Record has found. The actual number — 334 of the state’s 565 municipalities — is higher than it has been at any point since the reforms were passed, as communities use exemptions in the law to surpass the limit, the analysis found…’
BY DAVE SHEINGOLD AND JOHN C. ENSSLIN|STAFF WRITERS | THE RECORD\ MARCH 14, 2016
