School officials across New Jersey said on Wednesday that they would most likely have to lay off hundreds of teachers, increase class sizes, eliminate sports teams and Advanced Placement classes, cutkindergarten hours and take other radical steps to reduce spending after 58 percent of districts’ budgets were rejected by voters on Tuesday, the most in at least 35 years.
Residents went to the polls in record numbers for the normally low-profile school-budget elections, and rejected 316 of the 541 budgets on the ballot. They were angered by higher property taxes that were sought to make up for unusually large state aid reductions proposed by Gov.Christopher J. Christie, along with resentment toward teachers’ unions for not agreeing to wage freezes or concessions.
The message of “enough is enough” resounded across the state, from urban to rural districts, and even in well-to-do suburban communities like Ridgewood, where residents are particularly proud of their schools. It was a drastic change from a year ago, when voters approved nearly three-quarters of the school budgets during the height of the economic downturn.
The election results sent school officials hurrying to prepare contingency plans to present to their town councils, or local municipal boards, which now must review the budgets and

Museums Take Their Lessons to the Schools

by By TAMAR LEWIN
To make up for a decline in visits, many museums are going to the classroom, through traveling programs, videoconferencing or computer-based lessons.

Ten Ways to 'Go Green' and Mark Earth Day

by By CATHERINE HUTCHINGS and HOLLY EPSTEIN OJALVO
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Lesson Plan | Ideas and resources for commemorating the 40th annual Earth Day.