Seriously. The Education Law Center is at it again on behalf of the Bacon districts.
(more background on Bacon is here)
The Bacon districts are sixteen mostly poor, but not consistently poor, districts mostly in southern New Jersey that are demanding the same state aid "remedies" provided to the Abbott districts.
 |
| ELC? Social justice organization or law firm? |
Here are some financial bits of information about the Bacon districts:
| Bacon District | FRL Eligibility | Local Fair Share | Local Tax Levy | Percentage of Local Fair Share Paid | Local Fair Share Per Student |
| Lakewood | 92% | $96,735,200 | $84,693,837 | 88% | $15,887 |
| Commercial | 79% | $3,541,907 | $1,767,443 | 50% | $5,983 |
| Egg Harbor City | 77% | $2,362,322 | $2,523,087 | 107% | $4,734 |
| Fairfield | 73% | $3,078,470 | $754,016 | 24% | $4,629 |
| Woodbine | 57% | $1,984,654 | $1,444,527 | 73% | $8,555 |
| Lawrence | 56% | $3,365,882 | $2,157,571 | 64% | $6,786 |
| Clayton | 51% | $8,035,430 | $7,711,155 | 96% | $5,948 |
| Lakehurst | 50% | $2,434,311 | $1,088,776 | 45% | $6,147 |
| Upper Deerfield | 50% | $6,630,077 | $6,513,969 | 98% | $7,302 |
| Quinton | 46% | $2,848,104 | $2,307,609 | 81% | $8,232 |
| Ocean Township | 43% | $15,952,768 | $10,143,436 | 64% | $29,488 |
| Little Egg Harbor | 43% | $15,957,145 | $11,023,550 | 69% | $8,980 |
| Maurice River | 41% | $4,232,055 | $2,702,847 | 64% | $9,160 |
| Hammonton Township | 38% | $20,385,878 | $16,506,429 | 81% | $5,578 |
Buena Regional | 35% | $13,216,890 | $12,540,075 | 95% | $6,880 |
| Wallington | 30% | 14,218,916 | 14,078,890 | 99% | $11,541 |
Three of the Bacon districts (Wallington, Buena, and Hammonton) are below the 40% FRL-eligibility threshold that is supposed to qualify a district for universal Pre-K.
Two or three of the Bacon districts (definitely Wallington and Ocean Township, arguably Lakewood) are actually above average in financial resources based on Local Fair Share per student. Lakewood is very unusual demographically though so I will concede that its real financial resources are below what SFRA indicates for it.
Six of the Bacon districts (Maurice River, Little Egg Harbor, Ocean Township, Lakehurst, Lawrence, Woodbine, Fairfield, and Commericial) pay significantly below the state's average tax effort as measured by taxes as a percentage of Local Fair Share.
Three of the Bacon districts are actually overaided (Ocean Township, Woodbine, Lakehurst)
| Bacon Districts | |
| OCEAN TWP (Ocean County) | $6,203 |
| WOODBINE BORO | $4,680 |
| LAKEHURST BORO | $215 |
| BUENA REGIONAL | -$606 |
| COMMERCIAL TWP | -$637 |
| QUINTON TWP | -$702 |
| MAURICE RIVER TWP | -$1,120 |
| FAIRFIELD TWP | -$1,785 |
| EGG HARBOR CITY | -$2,453 |
| UPPER DEERFIELD TWP | -$2,454 |
| LAKEWOOD TWP | -$2,558 |
| LAWRENCE TWP | -$2,618 |
| LITTLE EGG HARBOR TWP | -$3,941 |
| WALLINGTON BORO | -$4,326 |
| CLAYTON BORO | -$5,027 |
| HAMMONTON TOWN | -$5,200 |
| Average | -$1,396 |
So I'm not seeing what the Bacons have in common with each other.
This is what I think would be fair:
1. Hammonton, Clayton, and Wallington should get relief for K-12 aid along with every other district that has more than a $4000 per student state aid deficit.
There are at least forty districts who are this underaided, three of which are Abbotts.
Bringing all of these districts up to a $4,000 per student deficit would mean that they are still treated unfairly, but it would only cost $137 million, an amount which should be findable.
David Sciarra said of the Bacons "There hasn't been one new preschool class opened in these districts. These kids have waited long enough."
Umm, why should kids in Hammonton get "free" Pre-K when kids in Red Bank Boro, East Newark, Freehold Boro don't?
3. Lakewood is a unique case.
SFRA does not give an accurate Local Fair Share for Lakewood and special K-12 relief is justified. Since Lakewood's expenses for Transportation are so high the relief can take the form as an amendment to the formula for Transportation Aid so that districts with very high costs for private school transportation get some extra assistance.
| District | Aid Deficit per Pupil | Amount of Deficit | Amount to Bring district up to a $4000 per student aid deficit |
| MANCHESTER REGIONAL | -$10,737 | -$10,254,058 | -$6,454,046 |
| BOUND BROOK | -$9,780 | -$16,538,543 | -$9,340,480 |
| EAST NEWARK | -$8,906 | -$3,606,961 | -$1,339,338 |
| FAIRVIEW BORO | -$8,746 | -$15,750,845 | -$6,236,244 |
| FREEHOLD BORO | -$8,113 | -$13,434,607 | -$6,675,399 |
| GUTTENBERG TOWN | -$6,341 | -$8,154,474 | -$2,413,571 |
| MANVILLE BORO | -$6,211 | -$8,980,439 | -$3,057,813 |
| LODI | -$6,179 | -$21,192,598 | -$7,476,149 |
| NORTH PLAINFIELD | -$6,021 | -$20,373,672 | -$6,550,061 |
| HALEDON BORO | -$6,001 | -$5,983,279 | -$2,045,022 |
| ELMWOOD PARK | -$5,985 | -$15,852,989 | -$5,077,630 |
| WOODLYNNE | -$5,982 | -$3,385,931 | -$822,530 |
| PROSPECT PARK | -$5,896 | -$4,917,551 | -$1,664,688 |
| LINDENWALD | -$5,885 | -$15,385,916 | -$4,776,590 |
| RIDGEFIELD PARK (Bergen) | -$5,706 | -$11,714,006 | -$4,044,926 |
| DOVER TOWN | -$5,484 | -$15,158,394 | -$4,636,016 |
| BAYONNE | -$5,459 | -$50,572,558 | -$14,412,002 |
| DUNELLEN | -$5,429 | -$6,319,775 | -$1,671,930 |
| WHARTON | -$5,385 | -$4,308,142 | -$1,066,450 |
| KEARNY TOWN | -$5,282 | -$30,799,839 | -$7,579,184 |
| HI NELLA | -$5,263 | -$636,815 | -$89,673 |
| HAMMONTON (B_ | -$5,200 | -$14,331,706 | -$4,386,000 |
| BELLEVILLE | -$5,162 | -$24,868,905 | -$5,507,880 |
| CLAYTON (B) | -$5,027 | -$6,811,858 | -$1,387,477 |
| NORTH BRUNSWICK | -$4,755 | -$30,031,672 | -$4,652,310 |
| JAMESBURG | -$4,752 | -$4,457,574 | -$564,752 |
| RED BANK BORO | -$4,665 | -$6,494,224 | -$938,315 |
| CARTERET | -$4,591 | -$16,807,010 | -$2,233,980 |
| HACKENSACK CITY | -$4,574 | -$24,478,363 | -$3,414,726 |
| BLOOMFIELD | -$4,545 | -$28,998,675 | -$3,393,170 |
| ATLANTIC CITY | -$4,526 | -$31,596,134 | -$3,838,222 |
| LAUREL SPRINGS BORO | -$4,519 | -$1,522,957 | -$107,433 |
| RIVERSIDE TOWNSHIP | -$4,475 | -$5,634,399 | -$712,500 |
| NEWFIELD BORO | -$4,423 | -$1,061,636 | -$85,446 |
| LITTLE FERRY BORO | -$4,414 | -$5,743,020 | -$411,930 |
| CLIFTON | -$4,374 | -$48,912,145 | -$4,198,150 |
| WALLINGTON BORO (B) | -$4,326 | -$5,944,356 | -$401,632 |
| NETCONG BORO | -$4,258 | -$1,217,849 | -$73,014 |
| CHESTERFIELD TOWNSHIP | -$4,246 | -$3,281,982 | -$182,778 |
| PLAINFIELD CITY (A) | -$4,106 | -$38,302,162 | -$914,250 |
| NEWTON TOWN | -$4,101 | -$4,535,355 | -$156,752 |
| KINGSWAY REGIONAL | -$4,086 | -$9,793,224 | -$215,774 |
| STERLING HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT | -$4,077 | -$3,376,135 | -$71,225 |
| SOUTH RIVER BORO | -$4,069 | -$9,420,236 | -$164,565 |
| WOODBRIDGE TOWNSHIP | -$4,061 | -$54,742,677 | -$838,567 |
| PENN'S GROVE | -$4,059 | -$8,573,210 | -$138,768 |
| NEW BRUNSWICK (A) | -$4,056 | -$37,822,463 | -$496,496 |
| HILLSIDE | -$4,036 | -$12,071,649 | -$112,356 |
| BRIDGETON CITY (A) | -$4,033 | -$22,368,608 | -$186,285 |
| ROSELLE BORO | -$4,012 | -$6,625,586 | -$32,304 |
Bringing all of these districts up to a $4,000 per student deficit would mean that they are still treated unfairly, but it would only cost $137 million, an amount which should be findable.
2. Lakewood, Commercial, Egg Harbor City, and Fairfield should get Pre-K funding along with every other district that has more than 70% FRL-eligibility.
| Percentage FRL-eligible | Percentage FRL-eligible | Percentage FRL-eligible | Percentage FRL-eligible |
| Camden City* | 95% | Prospect Park | 85% |
| Union City* | 95% | Fairfield Twnp | 83% |
| Seaside Heights Boro | 94% | Commercial Township (B) | 81% |
| Woodlynne Boro | 93% | Harrison* | 81% |
| Asbury Park City* | 93% | Egg Harbor City | 79% |
| Bridgeton City* | 93% | Long Branch* | 79% |
| Passaic City* | 91% | Guttenberg | 78% |
| Paterson* | 90% | Fairview | 77% |
| Trenton* | 89% | Freehold Boro | 77% |
| Atlantic City | 89% | Lindenwold | 76% |
| Red Bank Boro | 89% | East Orange* | 76% |
| Salem City* | 89% | Paulsboro | 75% |
| Plainfield* | 88% | Irvington* | 74% |
| East Newark | 88% | Lawnside | 74% |
| New Brunswick* | 88% | Keansburg | 73% |
| Lakewood (B) | 86% | Bound Brook | 73% |
| Orange* | 86% | Haledon | 72% |
| Pleasantville* | 85% | Garfield | 71% |
| Perth Amboy* | 85% | Jersey City | 71% |
| Elizabeth City* | 85% | Vineland | 70% |
| Wildwood City | 85% |
Half of these districts are Abbotts and thus already get universal Pre-K. There are only four Bacons on this list! (Lakewood, Fairfield Township, Commercial Township, and Egg Harbor City) The non-Abbott/non-Bacons that are just as entitled to help are Seaside Heights, Woodlynne, Atlantic City, Red Bank Boro, East Newark, Wildwood City, Prospect Park, Guttenberg Fairview, Freehold Boro, Lindenwold, Paulsboro, Lawnside, Bound Brook, and Haledon.
David Sciarra said of the Bacons "There hasn't been one new preschool class opened in these districts. These kids have waited long enough."
Umm, why should kids in Hammonton get "free" Pre-K when kids in Red Bank Boro, East Newark, Freehold Boro don't?
3. Lakewood is a unique case.
SFRA does not give an accurate Local Fair Share for Lakewood and special K-12 relief is justified. Since Lakewood's expenses for Transportation are so high the relief can take the form as an amendment to the formula for Transportation Aid so that districts with very high costs for private school transportation get some extra assistance.
Lakewood's governance is also dysfunctional. Some reforms are necessary.
The Education Law Center should have to explain why it is taking this case. The Bacon districts do not seem to me to merit the kind of special relief that the Abbott districts qualified for in 1990. The Education Law Center should also explain where it thinks the money to Abbottize the Bacons should come from.
No comments:
Post a Comment