Criteria made a concerted effort to award money based on crowding conditions, and costs to maintain; Only 22 percent of the funding formula was based on the condition and age of a school
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TRENTON — The Schools Development Authority approved 10 schools for more than $500 million in construction projects today and for the first time revealed the criteria used to decide which facilities would get state funding.
The announcement, however, did little to appease Phillipsburg school officials, who are still angry that their district was passed over for a new high school.
Last month, Gov. Chris Christie named the 10 schools in the state’s poorest districts that will receive money, saying he was departing from the notion every district would get a new school. Instead, he said, the administration would focus heavily on the cost of each school.
Based on the criteria used to select the schools a concerted effort was made to award money based on how crowded existing schools are and how much they cost to maintain. Only 22 percent of the funding formula was based on the condition and age of a school.
The formula used in 2008 to develop a list of 52 schools that received funding under former Gov. Jon Corzine relied more heavily on the condition of the schools, whether temporary facilities were being used and whether new space would be used for preschool classes.
The new formula omits preschools entirely as a consideration. Instead, it added "efficiency," which is described as how well districts are utilizing current space and requires that 90 percent of space will be used after completion of a new project.
SDA Director Marc Larkins said school population was stressed because identifying places where children don’t even have a seat was the biggest priority.
"One of the most critical needs for kids is to get them a seat," Larkins said.
The SDA released a complete list of schools selected and how they were scored. Some districts, such as Phillipsburg, were passed over even though received higher scores than those that were awarded construction dollars.
That had Superintendent Mark Miller fuming.
"Just look at the math, and please explain to me why we didn’t get our school." said Miller, who was hoping for funds for a new high school. "This makes no sense to me at all."
Part of the reason Phillipsburg was passed over, Larkins said. was because of total cost.
A new high school for the Warren County town is expected to cost $122 million, compared to $75 million for a new high school in Elizabeth, Larkins said. The Phillipsburg school also called for 10 more square feet per student than the Elizabeth school, Larkins said.
"I’ve been saying for a long time, that type or that magnitude for one single project is a type that makes a project unsustainable," Larkins said.
Assemblywoman Joan Voss (D-Bergen) said the release of the criteria and scoring has left her more frustrated than when she had no information.
"Education, to me, is the most important thing for the families of our children. We have to provide them with the kind of situation where they are safe, where they can learn, where it’s healthy for them," Voss said. "I think we’re doing them a disservice."
Staff writer Jessica Calefati contributed to this report.