SJ School District Dealt A Blow In Efforts To Get More State Funding
WOOLWICH TOWNSHIP, NJ (CBS) -- A South Jersey school district looking to reopen the battle over state funding of school districts before the state's highest court has been rejected on procedural grounds. But the district is not ready to give up the fight.
A letter from a court clerk to the Kingsway Regional School District arrived shortly after attorneys sought to intervene in the long standing Abbott case in an attempt to force proper funding.
"We don't have standing with respect to the Abbott ruling and there are no advocates before the Supreme Court," district Superintendent James Lavender told KYW Newsradio. "Therefore it's pretty much the Supreme Court is not the proper venue."
But a trial court is, and that is more than likely Kingsway's next step.
The problem, the district has received less state funding than it's supposed to because the funding formula in the Abbott case is not being followed. Districts that were supposed to see funding cuts years ago haven't because politicians blocked those cuts, leading to a growing disparity.
The district had filed papers with the high court just a few days ago. "We were surprised by the speed which tells me that the Supreme Court is paying attention to the conversation," Lavender added.
There are at least 3 different funding options being debated by legislators and the Governor, but they're not getting very far.