newjerseynewsroom.com

BY JOAN WHITLOW

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

COMMENTARY

There have been 20 New Jersey Supreme Court opinions handed down in the long running battle known as the Abbott school funding case, which has sent billions of extra cash to needy school districts. The most recent Abbott opinion delivered May 29, changed the original recipe for what I think of as extra crispy in a bigger bucket, which is just what was needed.

Frankly, I was amazed that the court stood behind the basics of Abbott for as long as it did, particularly since most of the 31 districts that benefited from the court's orders over the years never lived up to their part of the bargain. They have not yet delivered the "thorough and efficient education" the Abbott money - more than $4 billion a year in state aid just for them - was supposed to buy. I'll get back to that part of the problem.

The court originally ordered an extra measure of state educational aid exclusively for the 31. That group, the court said, had such overwhelming educational needs and such inadequate resources that special state aid was necessary to achieve the "thorough and efficient education" the state constitution requires for all kids. The justices also said the state had to cough up whatever money the court ordered, and the court would go on to order money for preschool and the construction of new school buildings.

The 20th Abbott decision, delivered May 28, accepted a new funding plan that was created by Gov. Jon Corzine's administration and the Legislature, not the court. The new formula will give a portion of some $8 billion to any district with a significant number of educationally disadvantaged kids. The Abbotts are included in that count, and will get about half the $ 8 billion, with some "emergency" state aid set aside for the Abbotts just in case.

The change will placate the critics who said the court's Abbott rulings and mandated funding stepped into Constitutional territory reserved for the executive and legislative branches - which, however, might never have stepped in without the court's involvement. The critics who never liked the idea of special aid for needy districts aren't going to be happy that the state is expanding its giving. In the meantime, Abbott advocates are concerned that the funding formula is a scheme to end the court's involvement, find a way to cut back funding or spread the money too thin to do much good - except for the state's budget - all in the name of fairness.

It is, however, not only fair, but necessary to provide help to the other districts that legitimately need it.

The justices accepted the new funding formula in "anticipation of a continued commitment" by the other branches of government to do what is right and make sure the funding is adequate. If not: "There should be no doubt that we would require remediation," the opinion said. In other words, the court will stick its nose back in the bucket. Good.

However, anyone who thinks pouring in more money is all it takes to solve New Jersey's widespread, chronic education problems, is as delusional as those who think the money doesn't matter.

The tests scores in the Abbott schools have improved. Those scores, however, started out so low that better is still less than average in most cases. Overall, graduation rates are dismal. Yet, even in bad districts you will find at least one good school that is making the grade, which makes me believe that more schools should be doing as well by now. Examining what works and replicating it has to be the priority.

Some of what is wrong in the schools that don't perform might be remedied by sending teachers to summer school instead of sending the kids. State Department of Education officials have been saying for years that too many teachers are not prepared to teach the subject matter, particularly math, that the state expects students to learn. A teacher should be able to ask for help and get help, not punishment or ostracism. Teachers that don't know enough to ask for help should be required to go get some. Both school administrators and teachers unions most cooperate to create the kind of faculties that make a difference.

Financial audits of the Abbott schools turned up some crazy spending, such as the $345 a month in overtime that Union City school bus drivers were paid to charge their cell phones and the $10,000 East Orange spent on a staff pep rally. Some of the spending on travel and other frills would only make sense to administrators who were playing with other people's money and thought the supply was inexhaustible.

Poor academic results and fiscal abuses strengthen the arguments of those who would happily strip away the money that should be spent to improve the public schools. Taxpayers will never get the financial break they are looking for as long as New Jersey continues to graduate thousands of young people who fail to get an education good enough to make them independent, employable citizens. The investment in education is the best hope for breaking the cycle that makes poverty and crime the companions of bad education

Whatever formula is used to hand out educational aid, the state must hold the districts accountable for educational progress and good fiscal stewardship. The Corzine administration fought to defend its idea that the money should "follow the child." It must fight as hard to see that the educational job gets done.