Newark, New Jersey - October 11, 2005

Efforts are growing among school advocates, education organizations and community groups to obtain additional funding for school construction projects statewide.

The focus of the campaign is to secure immediate passage of legislation to authorize the State to issue $3 billion in bonds to complete projects already in the development "pipeline" at the School Construction Corporation (SCC). Senate Bill 2294, sponsored by Senator Ronald Rice, and Assembly Bill 3665, sponsored by Assemblypersons Craig Stanley and Nellie Pou, would allocate $2 billion to Abbott districts and $1 billion for other districts as "bridge" funding to keep projects moving to give the new Legislature and Governor the chance to develop more permanent solutions next year.

Over 200 projects in Abbott districts are now stalled at SCC without funding, including over 90 projects under design by architects. In addition, numerous projects in other districts are at risk because SCC has run out of funds to support them.

At a hearing of the Joint Committee on the Public Schools on October 3rd, concerned parents, superintendents and board members joined Education Law Center and others in calling for the Legislature to take quick action on the funding legislation.

In addition, the legal action filed by Education Law Center for more funds is pending before the NJ Supreme Court. Thirteen (13) Abbott districts have joined the action in support of ELC, along with the Paterson Education Fund. Attorney General Peter Harvey has filed a brief for the State, asking the Court to stay out of the funding dispute, and let the Legislature and Governor address the problem sometime next year.

For more information on S.2294 and A.3665, contact: