description
Are Bayonne Schools going up or down???
Posted 04-04-2008 at 11:55 AM by LDePinto
Abbott districts are defined as poorer, urban or special needs district under AbbottII rulings of the NJ supreme court As follows from Wikipedia:
The Court in Abbott II explicitly limited the Abbott programs and reforms to a class of school districts identified as "poorer urban districts" or "special needs districts." In 1997, these districts became known as "Abbott districts." The Court identified the specific factors used to designate districts as "Abbott districts." These districts:
-must be those with the lowest socio-economic status, thus assigned to the lowest categories on the New Jersey Department of Education's District Factor Groups (DFG) scale;
-"evidence of substantive failure of thorough and efficient education;" including "failure to achieve what the DOE considers passing levels of performance on the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA);
-have a large percentage of disadvantaged students who need "an education beyond the norm;"
-existence of an "excessive tax [for] municipal services" in the locality where the district is located; and
Using these factors, the Court in Abbott II identified 28 districts as Abbott districts. The Court also gave the New Jersey Legislature or the Commissioner of Education the authority to classify additional districts as Abbott districts based on these factors, which would then entitle the children to the Abbott programs and reforms. In 1998, the Legislature classified 3 additional districts, bringing the present total of Abbott districts to 31
There is a Bayonne BOE plan hatching to get funding to create a 3-4 year old accredited preschool program, typically found in Abbott districts. I'm not sure the actual benefits as I foresee additional tax dollars to support something that is really no more than funded daycare. I'm not sure how this will benefit taxpaying citizens. I believe it will promote an influx of new (probably rental) residents requiring low-cost, subsidized daycare into Bayonne. Is this a service we taxpayers want to support in the current state of BOE taxes. Does it promote the upward mobility of Bayonne or does it support further decline into official Abbott District status?
Oh and I do believe that Abbott districts get additional funding........
I DO see how a BOE preschool program will benefit spending spending spending.....on construction (contractor buddies), administrators, etc.
The Court in Abbott II explicitly limited the Abbott programs and reforms to a class of school districts identified as "poorer urban districts" or "special needs districts." In 1997, these districts became known as "Abbott districts." The Court identified the specific factors used to designate districts as "Abbott districts." These districts:
-must be those with the lowest socio-economic status, thus assigned to the lowest categories on the New Jersey Department of Education's District Factor Groups (DFG) scale;
-"evidence of substantive failure of thorough and efficient education;" including "failure to achieve what the DOE considers passing levels of performance on the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA);
-have a large percentage of disadvantaged students who need "an education beyond the norm;"
-existence of an "excessive tax [for] municipal services" in the locality where the district is located; and
Using these factors, the Court in Abbott II identified 28 districts as Abbott districts. The Court also gave the New Jersey Legislature or the Commissioner of Education the authority to classify additional districts as Abbott districts based on these factors, which would then entitle the children to the Abbott programs and reforms. In 1998, the Legislature classified 3 additional districts, bringing the present total of Abbott districts to 31
There is a Bayonne BOE plan hatching to get funding to create a 3-4 year old accredited preschool program, typically found in Abbott districts. I'm not sure the actual benefits as I foresee additional tax dollars to support something that is really no more than funded daycare. I'm not sure how this will benefit taxpaying citizens. I believe it will promote an influx of new (probably rental) residents requiring low-cost, subsidized daycare into Bayonne. Is this a service we taxpayers want to support in the current state of BOE taxes. Does it promote the upward mobility of Bayonne or does it support further decline into official Abbott District status?
Oh and I do believe that Abbott districts get additional funding........
I DO see how a BOE preschool program will benefit spending spending spending.....on construction (contractor buddies), administrators, etc.
Total Comments 4
Comments
|
lululaura,
AS I watched the BBOSE meeting, Cliff Doll did talk about this program. He offered a few suggestions such as utilizing day care centers now in existence and any new centers that might open up this year. All the available data I found suggested the program is funded through the State. The original preschool idea was strictly for Abbott districts but so many who qualify live in non- Abbott towns that the Administrative law judge decided Abbott quality preschool is to be available for all eligible children. |
 
|
|
|
ohonestyEven if it it funded by the state we still pay for it. N.J. economy is in very bad financial state. I think the Gov. should take a long hard look at all the unnecessary funding that goes on and stop most of the grants that are given out. N.J. just does not have the money.
|
|
|
|
|
luluYou're right , every program city, state or federal comes out of our pockets. Mr. Zientek made a valid point at the BOSE meeting when he said to Cliff - when the State offers money to initiate a project, tell them to keep their money because eventually it becomes a direct burden on the Bayonne taxpayers. I thought the preschool program was to be in place by 2010, but a friend of mine said her neighbor was being interviewed next week. The woman is a preschool teacher in Harrison ( an Abbott district).
|
|
|
|
|
LDePintoI'm just very concerned it brings money to be squandered on a program of lesser value and diluted the efforts needed to improve the NJ constitutionally mandated 6-16 (or K-12)education.
|
|
|
Recent Blog Entries by LDePinto
- No elected BOE on the November Ballot (06-22-2008)
- Matrix Report (06-21-2008)
- A wolf in sheep's clothing??? (05-21-2008)
- BOE Meeting 4/24/08 (05-19-2008)
- Latest Bayonne Parking Authority Court Documents (04-28-2008)
