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NJ Spotlight--Healthcare Costs for Retired Public Workers Edge into the Political Crosshairs...Public-employee pension payments have been the high-profile target, but rising cost of retiree healthcare coverage could make it a bigger problem 'The future of New Jersey’s grossly underfunded public-employee pension system has been the subject of a high-profile feud between Gov. Chris Christie and Democratic legislative leaders for well over a year...'
The Record--North Jersey schools stress need for state testing 'School officials are holding one-on-one meetings with parents...The tests, known as PARCC, had a rough rollout last year as tens of thousands of students refused to participate amid an anti-testing backlash, while others purposely tanked the test in protest. This year, schools are asking families to hear them out before they make a decision whether to test...'
Star Ledger--Lawyers: State is obligated to pay for Newark schools' lead fix 'Whatever the cost, the state should pay to alleviate infrastructure issues that have caused lead levels in the drinking water at Newark schools to rise above the federal safe level. That was the message of a letter the Education Law Center sent to state Education Commissioner David Hespe and Schools Development Authority CEO Charles McKenna...'
The Record—Pascack Valley enters national debate on transgender rights 'A crowd of more than 100 packed Pascack Hills High School in Montvale on Tuesday night to hear about a proposed policy that regional district officials say is geared to prevent discrimination against transgender students, with loud cheers erupting for points made by people on both sides of the issue...'
NJ Spotlight--Healthcare Costs for Retired Public Workers Edge into the Political Crosshairs
Public-employee pension payments have been the high-profile target, but rising cost of retiree healthcare coverage could make it a bigger problem
The future of New Jersey’s grossly underfunded public-employee pension system has been the subject of a high-profile feud between Gov. Chris Christie and Democratic legislative leaders for well over a year.
But the growing cost of providing healthcare coverage to the state’s retired public workers, another one of the state’s big fiscal challenges, has received far less attention.
John Reitmeyer | March 31, 2016
The Record--North Jersey schools stress need for state testing
School officials are holding one-on-one meetings with parents, giving warnings about graduation requirements and showing videos and presentations in an effort to try to get more students to sit for state exams next month.
The tests, known as PARCC, had a rough rollout last year as tens of thousands of students refused to participate amid an anti-testing backlash, while others purposely tanked the test in protest. This year, schools are asking families to hear them out before they make a decision whether to test.
Marko Georgiev/Staff photographer
Minnie Kim listens to Brad Siegel, K-12 director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, give a presentation titled "Preparing for PARCC" at Northern Highlands Regional High School on Tuesday, March 29, 2016.
BY HANNAN ADELY
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
BY HANNAN ADELY| STAFF WRITER | THE RECORD| MARCH 31, 2016
Star Ledger--Lawyers: State is obligated to pay for Newark schools' lead fix
NEWARK — Whatever the cost, the state should pay to alleviate infrastructure issues that have caused lead levels in the drinking water at Newark schools to rise above the federal safe level.
That was the message of a letter the Education Law Center sent to state Education Commissioner David Hespe and Schools Development Authority CEO Charles McKenna. The letter, sent Monday, cites the court decisions that created what were then-called Abbott districts (now SDA districts), and ordering state funding at the districts. The ELC is a public interest law firm that represents the students in schools affected by the rulings.
"The state is required to fully fund, undertake and complete all school facilities improvements in districts classified as 'SDA districts,'" the letter reads.
Jessica Mazzola | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com |March 29, 2016 at 9:44 AM, updated March 29, 2016 at 10:01 AM
The Record—Pascack Valley enters national debate on transgender rights
A crowd of more than 100 packed Pascack Hills High School in Montvale on Tuesday night to hear about a proposed policy that regional district officials say is geared to prevent discrimination against transgender students, with loud cheers erupting for points made by people on both sides of the issue.
The proposal would allow Pascack Valley Regional High School District students to use restrooms and locker rooms based on their gender identity or to have increased privacy in some cases, among other provisions. Several North Jersey school districts recently adopted similar policies with little fanfare.
Tuesday’s meeting was held as schools across the state have been considering similar proposals and amid a national discussion spurred by North Carolina’s passage last week of a law requiring people to use bathrooms corresponding to their gender at birth. The law was a response to an anti-discrimination ordinance that had been approved in the city of Charlotte.
BY ANDREW WYRICH AND ABBOTT KOLOFF| STAFF WRITERS | THE RECORD| MARCH 30, 2016
