N.J. Voters Back 25 School Measures

TRENTON, N.J.-On Dec. 14, New Jersey voters approved 25 of 33 school construction proposals, according to the New Jersey School Boards Association. The approvals total $514 million in construction funds. More than $160 million of the approved construction ballots will be funded through the Educational Facilities Construction and Financing Act.

The New Jersey School Boards Association is the only statewide organization that tracks the success of bond referendums.

The second Tuesday in December is one of five days throughout the year when local school boards can schedule construction referendums. The next election was scheduled for Jan. 25. Other elections will be in March, April and September.

In 2004, voters in 71 school districts decided bond questions, approving 48 of them for a total of $1.039 billion in new schools, additions and renovations.

The Educational Facilities Construction and Financing Act of 2000 provided $8.6 billion of state funds for school construction – $6 billion for the 30 “Abbott” districts, with the remaining $2.6 billion funding at least 40% of state-determined eligible costs in all other districts. However, the amount of state construction funds remaining for non-Abbott districts has dwindled to approximately $600 million, according to recent reports from the New Jersey Schools Construction Corporation (NJSCC), a subsidiary of the state Economic Development Authority, which administers the funding program.

To date, the NJSCC had performed $660 million worth of health and safety repairs; 1,700 schools are receiving renovations, additions, new construction; 50 new schools are expected to be open by the close of 2004; and 940 early childhood classrooms are being created.

Spencer told legislators that by January of 2006, the NJSCC will no longer be able to commit funds toward any new school projects and that continued funding for the program would be necessary to keep it on track.