School budget cuts made in the wake of last year's $820 million reduction in state aid may have affected some students' ability to meet the state's education standards, Piscataway Schools Superintendent Robert Copeland testified in state Superior Court this morning, as the state's Abbott V. Burke school funding case returned to court. Copeland was the first witness called before...
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John Crowe, Woodbridge School Superintendent, testifies in the Abbott v. Burke school funding case before Judge Peter Doyne at Bergen County Superior Court during a hearing which is attempting to decide whether the current level of school funding can provide a "thorough and efficient" education for the nearly 1.4 million kids in NJ schools.School budget cuts made in the wake of last year's $820 million reduction in state aid may have affected some students' ability to meet the state's education standards, Piscataway Schools Superintendent Robert Copeland testified in state Superior Court this morning, as the state's Abbott V. Burke school funding case returned to court.
Copeland was the first witness called before Bergen County Superior Court Judge Peter Doyne, in a hearing conducted to determine whether the statewide school cuts, and the reduced level of funding, allow districts to provide education meeting the core curriculum content standards.
"I'm not sure I can give an accurate answer. We're giving our optimum best. I think there are teachers and students who are going to succeed no matter the hurdle," Copeland said, in response to a question from Doyne about whether Piscataway is able to deliver education that meets the state standards.
"I'm worried about the kids it doesn't come easy for," Copeland said.
He said he would be better able to provide an answer after the current school year, when children are tested on what they have learned.
Piscataway lost $5 million in the state aid cuts enacted by the Christie administration. Copeland described how that affected his district: Fourteen classroom teachers cut, four elementary media specialists and three guidance counselors gone, middle school sports eliminated, two technology teachers lost. In grades K-3, he said, Spanish classes are now delivered by children watching homemade DVDs —after four elementary Spanish teachers were cut.
Other cuts were made to support services, administration, the purchase of new computers, and other areas.
The long-running school funding case ended up back in court after the Newark-based Education Law Center, an advocacy group representing children in urban school districts, last year filed a legal challenge to the New Jersey Supreme Court, calling the Christie administration's school aid cuts unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court appointed Doyne to conduct a fact-finding hearing on the question of whether the reduced funding can sufficiently provide a "thorough and efficient education" to the state's nearly 1.4 million school children.
The case is expected to resume this afternoon, with school superintendents from Montgomery and Woodbridge also expected to be called as witnesses.
