The New Jersey Supreme Court, in a unanimous ruling, today accepted Gov. Jon Corzine's plan to revise the state's school funding plan that has been in place since the 1970's Abbott decision, as long as the state makes extra money available to 31 urban districts for at least three more years.
"The Court holds that SFRA is constitutionally adequate school funding scheme and that it may be implemented in the Abbott districts. Furthermore, the Court recognizes that SFRA is meant to be a state-wide unitary funding system," the decision read. "Because continuation of supplemental funding may undermine or distort the effectiveness of SFRA, and because the Abbott districts will be the recipients of a considerable amount of federal and other non-SFRA funds during the period of time until the look-back review occurs, the Court declines to order the continuation of supplemental funding until SFRA's review occurs."
Assembly Education Committee Chairman Joseph Cryan (D-Union), the Democratic State Chairman, called the ruling an "absolute victory for New Jersey's school children."
"The Legislature and Governor Corzine made a promise to ensureevery child has access to a quality education, regardless of where they live. Now that promise can be fulfilled," Cryan said. "To those who have spent their lives opposing our efforts, the time has come to focus on improving educational outcomes for all children across the state and not on dollars, cents and lawsuits that have divided New Jersey for a generation."
