What’s Important to Know About NJ This Week –07/27/2024

Jul 27, 2024

Educational Services Commission Of NJ Surplus Exposed, NJ Students Get Help on FASFA, NJ Temporary Workers Rights Upheld, RFK and the NJ Ballot, NJ School Funding Primer

Kevin Walsh, NJ OSC, Exposes Continued Exploitation of NJ Education Bodies
NJ Vindicator

The Educational Services Commission of New Jersey, a cooperative that serves more than 700 school districts and local governments, has an official mission to save tax dollars by providing educational and business services cost-efficiently. However, an audit by the Office of the State Comptroller found that the Commission regularly collected revenues that substantially exceeded actual costs. The Commission accumulated a surplus that more than doubled between 2020 and 2023, increasing from $32.8 million to $69.6 million. Read More

NJ Students to Receive Help On FAFSA
NJ Spotlight News

Students hampered by the fumbled rollout of the FAFSA form this year may find relief. New Jersey is offering free online consultations for students who need to complete the forms necessary to receive state financial aid for the upcoming school year.

Through the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, students can meet privately with financial aid professionals and receive help navigating the form ahead of the Sept. 15 deadline for state aid. Read More

Appeals Court Ruling Upholds Rights of NJ Temporary Workers
NJ Monitor

In a blow to New Jersey staffing agencies, a federal appeals court declined to halt enforcement of a new state law that requires businesses to pay temporary workers the same wages and benefits as full-time employees who do similar work. Read More

Will RFK Jr. be on the NJ Ballot?
NJ Globe

“There’s no question that New Jersey’s Sore Loser law is broad. It may be, as far as I can tell, the broadest in the country. Plenty of other states explicitly limit their Sore Loser laws to people who appear just on the primary ballot. They are not allowed to then run again,” said Salmon.

“There are others that are more specific in that they talk that they refer to being defeated at the primary election, which I think implies that there was also more of an active campaign within the primary ballot itself, where the language of New Jersey’s Sore Loser statute just refers to whether or not you unsuccessfully seek the nomination.” Read More

Primer on How Schools Are Funded in NJ
NJ Education Report

Here’s how it works: If you live in a low-income district, especially an urban one, most of your school district costs are covered by the state. If you live in a high-income district, then local property taxes pay for much of your school costs. Most people agree that this is progressive and fair: the amount of money spent on a child’s education shouldn’t depend on his or her parents’ income or a family’s ability to move into a high-quality school district. Read More