OU urges action on NJ education panel’s findings
Commission recommends aid to non-public schools
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July 22, 2010
WASHINGTON (JTA) -- The Orthodox Union praised a New Jersey commission’s recommendations about improving non-public schools in the state.
The Governor's Study Commission on New Jersey's Nonpublic Schools recommended improved aid for textbooks, technology, special education and health for nonpublic schools. The bipartisan and multi-ethnic panel also recommended enacting education-related tax credits and deductions.
The commission was established to determine how to constitutionally provide aid to non-public schools. The findings, delivered to Gov. Chris Christie in June, were released to the public Tuesday.
“For too long, families in New Jersey's nonpublic schools, including Jewish day schools and yeshivas, have been treated as stepchildren,” OU Managing Director Rabbi Steven Burg said in a statement. “This report offers clear, affordable and common sense recommendations to change that and to ensure that every student in New Jersey gets the education they deserve. There can no longer be any question as to whether such aid is constitutional or if it is good policy.”
The commission found that the number of students enrolled in non-public schools in New Jersey, including Jewish day schools and yeshivas, has declined by about 18 percent since 2004. This means that more students are enrolled in public school, increasing the cost of educating students for taxpayers.
Former Gov. Jon Corzine established the commission, which included Jewish, Muslim and Catholic leaders, as well as members of the state's treasury, law and education departments.
Read the official news release from Gov. Chris Christie's office
Report Highlights Importance of Nonpublic Schools; Governor Cites Reference to Opportunity Scholarship Act
For Immediate Release: Contact: Michael Drewniak
Date: Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Trenton, NJ - The Governor's Study Commission on New Jersey's Nonpublic Schools, in a report released today by the Christie Administration, pointed out that nonpublic schools save New Jersey residents more than $2.7 billion annually in operating costs while providing parents and students with expanded educational options for their children.
"I would like to thank Assemblyman Schaer and the Commission for its hard work, and I will take its recommendations under consideration," said Gov. Chris Christie. "The section of the report supporting tax credits for scholarship programs is especially important. Many states provide such tax credits, and we support providing them here in New Jersey, as well. They would immediately expand the scholarship assistance available to poor and working families, and with it the educational opportunities available to their children."
The Study Commission report states that nonpublic schools provide choice and opportunity for more than 160,000 students in New Jersey, and it shows that there are also important economic reasons to keep private schools strong.
In the five years between 2004 and 2009, the financial stresses affecting New Jersey's families caused enrollment in privately managed schools to decline by 29,810. Most of these students entered the public education system, and the report calculates that this is now costing taxpayers more than $430 million a year in increased public school expenses. It would be far cheaper for taxpayers to provide scholarship assistance to working families so they could once again consider private school options for their children.
Education Commissioner Bret Schundler welcomed the "creative suggestions" offered by the Commission, which was established under former Governor Jon Corzine in December 2009. "The report highlights the fact that a few thousand dollars of financial assistance can make it possible for a child to attend a privately managed school, and save taxpayers three to five times as much in public education costs," said Schundler.
To help keep privately managed schools affordable for families, the report recommends that the state increase funding for the transportation assistance it provides them, by raising it in line with inflation. The report also recommends an increase in support for nursing services for privately managed schools. Support should also be provided, the report argues, for technology and special education classes.
A failure to keep private sector schools affordable will cause more school failures, dramatically increase the cost of our public education sector, push up taxes and - the report concludes - further strain the already "perilous state of our economy."
To view the report, go to http://nj.gov/governor/news/reports/pdf/20100720_np_schools.pdf
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