Assemblyman Alex Sauickie is working on several proposals to restore funding to local schools hit hard by cuts in state aid, give districts more tools to mitigate state cuts, and address chronic problems with school busing.
On his first day in the Assembly, Sauickie (R-Ocean) introduced or signed his name to seven legislative proposals to support students, teachers, and property tax payers. Many are the same as, or based on, initiatives advocated by the late Assemblyman Ron Dancer.
“Schools are suffering state aid cuts year after year, making life difficult for students and teachers alike, and forcing property tax payers to shoulder more of the financial burden,” Sauickie said. “I intend to work with school administrators, teachers and fellow legislators to finally deliver relief from these cuts.”
The relief package includes:
- a bipartisan bill (A3893) that restores funding where state aid was cut and ensures that school districts will receive state school aid in amounts at least equal to that provided in the 2020-21 school year;
- a new bill (A4526) that requires full state funding of extraordinary aid for special education costs;
- a bill (A2989) that allows the transfer of school district capital reserves to offset reduced aid;
- legislation (A3005) that raises the interdistrict public school choice cap to make up for any state funding cuts;
- a bill (A3378) that provides school districts with the formula data used to determine their funding level;
- a proposal (A3686) that begins the process of creating a new state funding formula; and
- a new bill (A4461) that creates a three-year pilot program to increase state busing aid for towns, such as Jackson and several Ocean and Monmouth towns, with significant increases in nonpublic school students.
“Education is a vital foundation in the lives of our children, and I will do everything I can to ensure that students, teachers and taxpayers aren’t short-changed by the state,” Sauickie concluded.
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