New Jersey
South Jersey schools would bear the brunt of state aid cuts, led by Burlington County
Singleton and Tiver are sponsoring a measure that would reconfigure how funding is distributed within the state’s school funding formula.
“Essentially, every school district would receive an increase of 4.5%, which is consistent with the consumer price index here in our region,” Singleton said, adding that some districts would get more based on tougher economic climates.
“And then, we’d still – within the existing pot of money in the school funding formula – we would still have an additional pot of money in the neighborhood of about $300 to 350 or so million, that would … be utilized by the Department of Education to provide additional resources to support districts that make a case that, hey, we needed a little bit more for this reason or that.”
A formula for tension and pressure
The numbers that the Education Department calculated are guided by the School Funding Reform Act of 2008, or SFRA. A revision, known in Trenton as “S2,” was added in 2018.
Before SFRA, school funding reform was driven by a series of court decisions, according to Dr. Mark Weber, senior analyst for education policy at New Jersey Policy Perspective, starting with Robinson v. Cahill in the early 1970s and continuing through several Abbott Decisions starting in the mid-1980s.
The formula is based, in part, on a district’s ability to raise revenue.
“[With SFRA] the legislature said, ‘Okay, we’re going to help all districts, every district,’” he said. “We’re going to provide the aid for you that is commensurate with your ability to be able to tax yourself and with the population of students that you are educating,” he said.
Once the formula was executed, the amount of aid given was changed after some districts complained, and lawmakers moved to preserve funding for those districts.
Another factor was when Gov. Chris Christie, in 2010, put in place a 2% cap on annual property tax increases, limiting a district’s ability to raise revenue. A measure to allow districts to exceed the cap was proposed over the winter.
Weber said SFRA is not a “complete disaster,” but it could be better while defending the fundamental core of the law.
“The idea that if you have more students who have greater needs, you should get more funding,” he said. “If you have a community that doesn’t have the ability to raise enough in taxes, you should get more funding.”
Weber believes the problem is in the “nuts and bolts” of the law.
“There are…specific parts of SFRA that are subjected to economic swings and all kinds of volatility that school districts really don’t expect,” he said. “All it takes is a few changes in property values for your district, particularly if you’re a small district, you may be expected to contribute a lot more.”
Better funding targets with real data plus a more careful look at “local fair share” are a couple of ideas that Weber offered to improve SFRA.
What the long-term fix will look like remains to be seen according to Gov. Murphy. During the April edition of WHYY’s “Ask Governor Murphy” program, he said a conversation with all parties would be needed.
“Not just the legislators, but certainly them and our team, but also the stakeholders,” said Murphy. “Whether that’s superintendents, principals, the teachers’ unions, moms and dads; let’s get around a table and figure out where this is working and where it isn’t working.”
New Jersey
NJ beach weather and waves: Jersey Shore Report for Mon 5/27
MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. Life-threatening rip currents are possible in the surf zone.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY in effect between 3 p.m. and late Monday night
At the Shore
Current conditions and forecast as of Mon morning
Rip Current Risk | Moderate |
---|---|
Waves | 1 – 3 feet |
Winds | From the Southeast 11 – 17 mph (Gust 23 mph) 10 – 15 knots (Gust 20 knots) |
Ocean Temperature | 58° – 70° (Normal 58° – 68°) |
Air Temperature | 68° – 77° |
Sunrise/Sunset | 5:30am – 8:17pm |
UV Index | 7 (High) |
Tide Times
SANDY HOOK Sandy Hook Bay |
Low Mon 5:28a |
High Mon 11:25a |
Low Mon 5:19p |
High Mon 11:36p |
|
LONG BRANCH Atlantic Ocean |
High Mon 10:59a |
Low Mon 4:43p |
High Mon 11:10p |
Low Tue 5:39a |
|
MANASQUAN INLET Atlantic Ocean |
Low Mon 5:04a |
High Mon 11:13a |
Low Mon 4:55p |
High Mon 11:24p |
|
SEASIDE HEIGHTS Atlantic Ocean |
High Mon 10:55a |
Low Mon 4:47p |
High Mon 11:06p |
Low Tue 5:43a |
|
SEASIDE PARK Barnegat Bay |
Low Mon 9:33a |
High Mon 3:05p |
Low Mon 9:24p |
High Tue 3:16a |
|
BARNEGAT INLET Barnegat Bay |
Low Mon 5:32a |
High Mon 11:16a |
Low Mon 5:11p |
High Mon 11:31p |
|
MANAHAWKIN BRIDGE Manahawkin Bay |
Low Mon 9:07a |
High Mon 2:12p |
Low Mon 8:58p |
High Tue 2:23a |
|
LITTLE EGG INLET Great Bay |
Low Mon 6:16a |
High Mon 12:19p |
Low Mon 5:48p |
High Tue 12:35a |
|
ATLANTIC CITY Atlantic Ocean |
Low Mon 5:04a |
High Mon 10:59a |
Low Mon 4:43p |
High Mon 11:15p |
|
OCEAN DRIVE BRIDGE Townsends Inlet |
Low Mon 5:35a |
High Mon 11:34a |
Low Mon 5:11p |
High Mon 11:58p |
|
WILDWOOD CREST Atlantic Ocean |
Low Mon 5:09a |
High Mon 11:03a |
Low Mon 4:52p |
High Mon 11:24p |
|
CAPE MAY Delaware Bay |
Low Mon 6:02a |
High Mon 12:10p |
Low Mon 5:54p |
High Tue 12:30a |
Marine Forecast
From the National Weather Service, Mt. Holly
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY: SE winds 10 to 15 kt with gusts up to 25 kt, becoming S 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt late. Seas 2 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: SE 4 ft at 5 seconds and SE 2 ft at 9 seconds. Areas of dense fog this morning. Patchy fog this afternoon. A slight chance of showers and tstms this morning, then a chance of showers and tstms early this afternoon. Showers and tstms likely late. Vsby 1 NM or less, increasing to 1 to 3 NM this afternoon.
TONIGHT: S winds 15 to 20 kt, becoming SW 10 to 15 kt after midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: S 5 ft at 5 seconds and SE 1 foot at 8 seconds. Showers and tstms in the evening, then showers likely with a chance of tstms after midnight. Patchy fog. Vsby 1 to 3 NM.
TUE: SW winds around 10 kt. Seas 2 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: S 4 ft at 6 seconds.
TUE NIGHT: W winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 2 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: SE 3 ft at 7 seconds.
WED: W winds 5 to 10 kt, becoming SW in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave Detail: S 2 ft at 7 seconds and E 2 ft at 8 seconds. A chance of showers and tstms in the afternoon.
WED NIGHT: W winds around 10 kt, becoming NW after midnight. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave Detail: NW 2 ft at 3 seconds and S 2 ft at 7 seconds. A chance of showers and tstms in the evening.
THU: NW winds 10 to 15 kt, diminishing to 5 to 10 kt in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 ft.
THU NIGHT: SW winds 10 to 15 kt, becoming NW after midnight. Seas 2 to 3 ft.
FRI: NW winds 10 to 15 kt, becoming W 5 to 10 kt in the afternoon. Seas around 2 ft.
FRI NIGHT: W winds around 10 kt, becoming NW after midnight. Seas around 2 ft. Winds and seas higher in and near tstms.
Plan Your Trip
Data on this page amalgamated from several sources, including the National Weather Service (weather), National Ocean Service (tides), U.S. Naval Observatory (sun), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (UV index).
Dan Zarrow is Chief Meteorologist for Townsquare Media New Jersey. The Shore Report is generated semi-automatically daily at 5 a.m. from mid-May to late September. Follow Dan’s weather blog, Facebook page, and Twitter feed for your latest forecast and realtime weather updates.
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New Jersey
The State We’re In: Hit the ‘trail’ and learn about NJ’s Black history (News Jersey Conservation Foundation Column)
James Still always wanted to become a doctor, but as a Black child in the 1800s, never had the opportunity to go to medical school. Undeterred, he learned to make botanical extracts from native plants, and studied books on anatomy, physiology, botany and medicine. Still became a skilled healer with an office in Medford, and earned fame as “the Black doctor of the Pines.”
Friday Truehart, an enslaved teen, was taken from South Carolina to the Sourland Mountains of New Jersey in the late 1700s. After laboring for many years, he gained his freedom and became one of the first African American landowners in the region. Today, land once owned by one of Friday’s descendants is the site of the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum (SSAAM), dedicated to preserving stories of early Black settlement in the area.
T. Thomas Fortune was born into slavery, but after being freed by the Emancipation Proclamation rose to become a leading journalist and civil rights activist. As the editor and owner of the New York Globe – which spoke out against racial inequality – he was one of the nation’s most influential Blacks by the time he moved to Red Bank in 1901. He also founded the African American League, which later became the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
What do Dr. Still’s medical office, Fortune’s home and SSAAM – located in the former Mount Zion AME Church in Skillman – have in common?
All three are now part of the New Jersey Black Heritage Trail, a route highlighting important Black history sites, and illuminating the struggle for freedom, justice and equality. The new trail will lead visitors on a winding journey throughout this state we’re in, using historical markers to describe the contributions of notable Black residents and institutions.
The stage was set in 2022, when Governor Murphy signed a law calling for the creation of a Black Heritage Trail. Earlier this year, the New Jersey Historical Commission invited towns and organizations to nominate sites. Over 60 entries were received!
In April, the Commission announced the inaugural selection of 32 sites. Each will get a historical marker telling its story, along with a QR code that visitors can scan for more information. More sites are expected to be added in the future.
“Our goal is to showcase the many contributions of Black Americans to more than 300 years of New Jersey history,” said Sara Cureton, Executive Director of the NJHC. “The creation and maintenance of this trail will be an ongoing process, but I am thrilled to have the first sites selected and proud of the work of the New Jersey Black Heritage Trail team.”
Here, by county, are the initial 32 sites:
Atlantic County – Chicken Bone Beach in Atlantic City, where Black families gathered before segregation was ended;
Bergen County – Cleveland School in Englewood, the site of 1960s sit-ins to protest school segregation;
Burlington County – The Timbuctoo African American settlement in Westhampton; Dr. James Still’s office in Medford; Bethlehem AME Church and its pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Pierce;
Camden County – Kaighn Avenue Baptist Church in Camden; abolitionist and activist Rev. Alexander Heritage Newton’s home in Camden; Lawnside, the first incorporated and self-governed Black municipality north of the Mason-Dixon Line; The Point, an historically Black neighborhood in Haddonfield;
Cape May County – The Harriet Tubman Museum of New Jersey, honoring the Underground Railroad icon; the Macedonia Baptist Church; and the Franklin Street School, all in Cape May;
Cumberland County – The communities of Bivalve and Shellpile, and the Maurice River, where many African Americans worked during the heyday of the oyster industry;
Essex County – Site of East Orange Freedom Schools (1905-1906); and the Montclair Young Women’s Christian Association;
Mercer County – The earliest known burial place of African Americans in Trenton; Black soldiers at Washington’s Crossing; Enslavement at the Falls of the Delaware in the 1720s in Trenton; 626 Perry Street in Trenton; Black soldiers at Princeton Battlefield;
Middlesex County – The Metuchen birthplace of Thomas Mundy Peterson, the first African American to vote in a U.S. election;
Monmouth County – Jazz pianist, bandleader and composer William J. “Count” Basie and the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank; T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center in Red Bank; the Turf Club in Asbury Park; the historic Cedar View Cemetery in Lincroft; U.S. Army “Black Brain Center” at Fort Monmouth in Wall Township, where Black scientists and engineers advanced their careers;
Morris County – The site of a 1964 protest against a barbershop in Madison that refused Black customers;
Passaic County – Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, home of the first professional Black baseball leagues; the home of James H. Penn, Passaic’s first Black mailman and first Black attorney;
Ocean County – Manitou Park School in Berkeley Township, a one-room schoolhouse built in 1929 to serve the township’s African-American children;
Somerset County – Mount Zion AME Church in Skillman, now the site of the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum;
Union County – Shady Rest Country Club in Scotch Plains, the first Black-owned golf and country club in the U.S.; the Drake House in Plainfield, honoring Caesar (1702-1806), a freed slave who served as a teamster with the Continental Army during the American Revolution.
For four centuries, the Black community in New Jersey has helped shape the state’s history, culture, government, educational and religious institutions, businesses and industries. But for too long, many remarkable stories of Black contributions have gone untold.
The New Jersey Black Heritage Trail is an important step in illuminating the Black experience, while building pride and boosting tourism. This inaugural listing of sites should stimulate communities around New Jersey to search their local history and historic sites as potential future additions to this unique and long overdue experience.
For information on the New Jersey Black History Trail and how it was established, go to https://nj.gov/state/historical/his-black-heritage-trail.shtml. Details about the 32 inaugural sites are not yet available on the state website, but https://visitnj.org/Black-Heritage includes information about many sites.
And to learn more about preserving New Jersey’s land and natural resources, visit the New Jersey Conservation Foundation website at www.njconservation.org or contact me at info@njconservation.org.
New Jersey
Teen stabbed on NJ shore boardwalk, sparking panic on Memorial Day weekend
A 15-year-old boy was stabbed on New Jersey’s Ocean City boardwalk Saturday night, spending panicked crowds of beachgoers fleeing the area during the Memorial Day weekend.
The idyllic summer vacation spot was turned into a scene right out of a horror movie when an unknown male suspect stabbed the teenager after 9 p.m. on the boardwalk between Ninth and 10th streets, police said.
Video of the aftermath shows throngs of people running away from the site of the stabbing while first responders rush to the scene, NBC 10 reports.
The victim, who was not named, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital.
Police said the stabbing occurred after a fight broke out on the boardwalk, but did not release further information about the incident, which remains under investigation.
Officials called on anyone with more information about the stabbing to contact the Ocean City Police Department’s Detective Bureau at (609) 525-9129.
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