Brett Schundler: Charter Schools Funding Is Expected To Remain Flat

bret schundler at schi dinner(TLS photo of Brett Schundler (L) at the SCHI Dinner) Funding for New Jersey’s charter schools is expected to remain flat next year, requiring school officials to work cooperatively with their public counterparts and rein in increasing health benefits and salary packages, the state’s education commissioner said this morning. Speaking at the annual conference of the New Jersey Charter Schools Association in Long Branch, Education Commissioner Brett Schundler said the state’s $238 million increase in funds to school districts wasn’t enough to offset the loss of $1 billion in federal funding. “The bottom line is even with our state increase (and) the reduction in federal dollars, school districts will be getting a little bit less, Schundler said. “Most of them will be relatively flat just like charter schools.’’

Schundler advocated having charter schools students’ test scores count toward the scores of the entire district. He also encouraged charter schools and public schools to share buildings to reduce costs. He said the state will encourage school districts to cap their tax levy increases at 4 percent.

The new education commissioner also touted Gov. Chris Christie’s proposed 2.5 percent cap on the growth of state spending and a plan to require public employees, including teachers, pay 1.5 percent of their health care cost as a way to control costs and avoid layoffs.

“If we implement these reforms expeditiously, we can avoid layoffs throughout New Jersey’s public schools,’’ he said.

Schundler noted some compensation packages for teachers are “out of sync with the general economy.’’

Christie, a supporter of charter schools, is scheduled to speak later this morning at the conference.

Gloria Bonilla-Santiago, founder of the LEAP Academy University charter school in Camden, said she sees better days ahead for charter schools with Christie at the state’s helm.

“These next four years are gong to be critical for charter schools,’’ she said.

Specifically, state funding for charter schools needs to be more in line with aid to public schools and the state needs to reduce the “overregulation’’ of charter schools, which she said are working with small budgets.

She noted in public schools in Camden receive $19,000 per student in state aid, but the charter schools there get $9,000 per pupil. Star Ledger

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1 COMMENT

  1. was there and chrisite said he does not care if he does not get re elected next term. He is going to fix up the waist and the cadillac benifits the teacher unions get. Now lets see if he tells the schools that they should not over pay for outrageous union wages when it comes for construction. they we will know he is there to save our economy and schools.

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