District executives grow testy at hearing on state of schools Legislators unsympathetic as leaders cite flat funding, Abbott errors Thursday, July 20, 2006 • BY JOHN MOONEY • Star-Ledger Staff With their budgets in the cross hairs of upcoming talks on property tax reform, leaders of New Jersey's largest urban districts used a Statehouse hearing yesterday to give lawmakers a stern lecture on the state of their schools. At times, it was testy, with New Brunswick's schools chief scolding legislators and the state in general for botching everything from school construction to district funding. At other times, it was an austere story, as officials described dilapidated buildings and shortchanged students a decade after the landmark Abbott vs. Burke rulings that were aimed at improving the schools. But legislators didn't lie down, with Republicans especially critical of the billions of dollars that have already been spent in the districts. The Democrats worried about the slow pace of change on all sides. At one point, Sen. Ronald Rice (D-Essex) summed up the mood when he heard about a Paterson administrative building without the proper occupancy permit, all in a district that the state took over 15 years ago. "With the takeover, the state was supposed to be the heroes, and this just makes us look like bums," Rice said. The setting was a hearing of the Joint Committee on Public Schools, where the Abbott superintendents were invited to discuss the impact of the state's school construction woes of the last two years, and this year's level state aid, on their budgets. Abbott officials have been feel ing a bit on the defensive, as criticism mounts over their escalating budgets that are among the highest in the state and academic re sults that are mixed at best. The Legislature also has planned a month of hearings this summer to start tackling the issue of rising property taxes, especially in the suburbs, and the state's more than $4 billion in aid to Ab bott districts is sure to be a target. The hearing yesterday was the Abbott superintendents' chance to position themselves for the upcom ing debate. New Brunswick Superintendent Richard Kaplan was among the most outspoken and was especially critical of the school construction problems. The state shut down its $8.4 billion construction effort last year after the program under the quasi- state Schools Construction Corp. had run out of money with less than half of the promised projects completed. Subsequent investiga tions found widespread waste and mismanagement. For Kaplan, it has meant moving 1,400 students because of two stalled school projects, costing the state $2 million a year in rent for the new space. One of the schools is finally ready for demolition, but he said the state sat on the final approval to put off an asbestos abatement and construction costs have risen even higher. "The inmates are running the asylum, and somebody in the administration has to be held accountable," he said. "This is one time where you can't look at your urban schools ... and blame us. We are blaming you. You had the chance, and you screwed it up." Others described similar problems in school construction and reduced budgets. At Camden High School, the fire alarm system is still not up to code, and the building's facade is crumbling. A Newark administrator said protective scaffolding around schools is costing more than the awaited repairs it is meant to shield. The flat funding has led East Orange's new superintendent to cut resource officers, delay any new staff and reduce summer programs. Paterson's superintendent said he doesn't have the money for programs that the state has ordered. Not all the legislators were sym pathetic. Assemblyman Kevin O'Toole (R-Essex) sparred with Kaplan, listing several investiga tions and accusations of corruption in the school construction program and the districts themselves. "I can give you chapter and verse of people stealing money," he said. "These questions need to be asked. Where did the money go?" Others stuck up for the districts that are left out of the Abbott funding and have seen flat funding from the state for most of the last five years. Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth) lives in Red Bank and described reduced summer programs and bilingual classes and rising class sizes. "I feel your pain, I share your pain," Beck told one Abbott superintendent. "This is not to be divisive. We need change." John Mooney covers education. He may be reached at jmooney@star ledger.com or (973) 392-1548. © 2006 The Star-Ledger. Used by NJ.com with permission.