NJ NAACP Education Chair: 
        Adrienne Sanders - 732-539-5329
        asburyneptnaacp@aol.com

NJ News 09-03-2010 - The South Jersey Committee of the Delaware Valley Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State will host a panel discussion featuring members of the "No Vouchers NJ" Coalition. Members of the panel will explain opposition to the "voucher bill" known as the "Opportunity Scholarship Act" (S1872/A2810).  Panel members include Frank Corrado, Esq., President, ACLU-NJ; Lauren Hill, Ed.D., Project Director, Education Law Center; John Bartram, President, Monmouth County Chapter, Americans United for Separation of Church and State; and Adrienne Sanders, Education Chair, NJ NAACP.

Where: Katz Jewish Community Center, Room 206
1301 Springdale Road
Cherry Hill, NJ 08003-2763

NJ News 09-01-2010 - NJ SUPREME COURT ACCEPTS AMICUS FILERS IN SUPPORT OF SFRA FUNDING - The NJ Supreme Court released several orders in the middle of August granting organizations and school districts the right to appear as amicus curiae ("friends of the court") to support the pending motion on school funding.  In June, Education Law Center, on behalf of NJ public school students, asked the Court to enforce its May 2009 ruling, in which the School Funding Reform Act (SFRA) was found constitutional "premised on the expectation that the State will continue to provide school funding aid during this and the next two years at the levels required by SFRA's formula each year." The request to the Court became necessary when Governor Christie proposed, and the State Legislature voted in favor of, a $1.08 billion cut in state aid to schools in FY2011.

The following organizations have been granted amicus status:

NJ News 09-01-2010 - NJDOE presented the attached AHSA report and  data at today's State Board of Education Mtg. - The data is incomplete and does not include results of the summer AHSA testing. (Those results were supposed to be available by Aug. 31 but have been delayed by several weeks. The delay has caused problems for some students seeking to enroll in fall college programs. NJDOE officials said individual students who needed the results immediately could contact AHSA coordinator Faye Ball for assistance  [faye.ball@doe.state.nj.us 609-984-1970 (work) 609-984-4942 (fax) ]  The Dept's report has some dubious analysis alongside some potentially positive recommendations. For example, the report blames unnamed districts for passing some students in advanced math courses who were unable to present credible evidence they had mastered basic math skills. But it failed to produce any data or documentation of these claims and, more importantly, overlooked the fact that last month the Dept. reported that 50,000 students, many of whom passed Algebra, did not pass  the state's new end of course Algebra exam. Whatever issues the test results may reveal, they are not particularly tied to the AHSA. ASHA Report  AHSA Data

NJ News 08-10-2010 - Preschool extras are another casualty of Christie budget - Star-Ledger Editorial Board  - It’s yet another casualty of Gov. Chris Christie’s veto of a tax on millionaires: Thanks to a state budget cut, some of New Jersey’s poorest families will no longer be eligible for the extra hours of day care they rely on to send their children to preschool. Christie can’t cut the free preschool program itself because it’s been ordered by the state Supreme Court. But when he cuts support services like this — child care offered before and after preschool hours — he is chipping away at a successful program that’s among the best in the nation and saves taxpayers money down the road. Research has shown that children who attend preschool are less likely to repeat grades later, wind up in special education or drop out of high school. As adults, they are more likely to hold jobs and less likely to commit crimes or be dependent on welfare.  Despite the clear benefits, poor families have to make tough choices. Under the new eligibility requirements, both parents must prove they are working or going to school full time for their child to qualify. Many will now foot copays of about $50 to $80 a month.  That could mean some families with tight budgets and temporary jobs may no longer find a way to send their children to preschool. A parent with several part-time jobs may not be able to pick up a child at 3 p.m., or afford the copay for after-school care. Instead of being educationally stimulated, these children will be parked in front of the television for hours by older siblings or neighbors.  State officials argue this cut has nothing to do with saving money. They say it makes the program more equitable, by putting services offered to low-income families living in the state’s 31 poorest districts on par with what poor families in other districts receive.  But cutting back support services doesn’t help any poor families. And the savings for the state are short-term and small. Once again, Christie has prioritized the interests of our richest residents over those of the poor.

NJ News 08-09-2010 - Survey: 80 percent of districts will have fewer teachers this fall - By Leslie Brody
The Record -  Eighty percent of school districts will open doors this year with fewer teachers due to state aid cuts, defeated budgets and other factors, according to a New Jersey Schools Boards Association survey released Monday.  One out of six districts said they had to reduce teaching staff by more than 10 percent. One out of three said they lost 6 to 10 percent of their teachers. Almost half said they lost up to 5 percent of last year’s staffing levels.

NJ News 06-05-2010 - NJ State NAACP Opposes Voucher Legislation S-1872—"Opportunity Scholarship Act" - The New Jersey State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (New Jersey State NAACP) adamantly reasserts its organizational opposition to the creation of voucher schools that are supported by public dollars, such as those described in current Senate Bill S-1872. Titled the "Opportunity Scholarship Act", this legislation was introduced by State Senators Ray Lesniak (D-20th district) and Tom Kean, Jr. (R-21st district). The New Jersey State NAACP urges all legislators to thoroughly educate the tax-paying citizenry before this legislation advances any further.

NJ News 06-01-2010 - Education Committee Issue 1 Newsletter
        
NJ News 05-06-2010 - The voucher bill (S1872, "Opportunity Scholarship Act") will be introduced in the Senate Economic Growth Committee, chaired by Senator Lesniak (sponsor of S1872), on Thursday morning, May 13. We urge everyone to attend the Economic Growth Committee meeting to demonstrate your opposition to the voucher bill. The Committee meeting agenda is expected to be available on the NJ Legislature's website as of May 6.

NJ News 05-06-2010 - MR. CHRISTIE GOES TO WASHINGTON PUSHING EVEN MORE CUTS TO NJ PUBLIC SCHOOLS - GOVERNOR WANTS TO DIVERT PUBLIC FUNDS TO PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS -Newark, NJ -- May 3, 2010 - Today, Governor Christopher Christie will give the keynote address at a Washington, D.C. summit of groups promoting private school vouchers. The Governor will use the occasion to tout a bill introduced in the Legislature that brings vouchers to New Jersey by diverting public money to support private and religious schools, financed through a corporate tax break.

NJ NAACP News 04-05-2010 -  NAACP Resolution in support of AMISTAD Commission Staff and Budget

NJ NAACP News 03-01-2010 -  NAACP supports Better Choices 2010

NJ NAACP News 12-04-2009 - For Immediate Release:  New Jersey NAACP Resolution celebrating the extraordinary work of Dr. A. Zachary Yamba upon his retirement as President, Essex County College.

NJ NAACP News 10-19-2009 -  NAACP supports HBCU College Fair

NJ NAACP News 04-19-2009 -  NAACP supports Our Children/Our Schools

NJ NAACP News 03-19-2009 - NAACP supports Our Children/Our Schools

NJ NAACP News 03-01-2009 -  NAACP supports Rutgers University Future Scholars Program A Statewide Education Justice Campaign