Saturday, January 29, 2011

Proposal would shift N.J. money to suburban school districts by cutting preschool hours | NJ.com

Proposal would shift N.J. money to suburban school districts by cutting preschool hours | NJ.com

Proposal would shift N.J. money to suburban school districts by cutting preschool hours

Published: Saturday, January 29, 2011, 8:05 AM Updated: Saturday, January 29, 2011, 8:06 AM

A proposal being pushed by Senate Republicans would shift state money to cash-strapped suburban districts by cutting back preschool for the state’s neediest students, according to a document obtained by The Star-Ledger.

The senators suggest slicing preschool funding in half — reducing programs from a full-day to a half-day — then using the $300 million saved to boost funding for suburban and rural schools, some of which saw their state aid wiped out in last year’s budget cuts.

Under the proposal, districts would also qualify for more state funding if they bus students greater distances or have large populations of senior citizens. There would also be a $30 million grant program to promote accountability in urban