NJ to Receive 425M in Grants

Joined by U.S. Senator Jon Corzine and Congressman Bill Pascrell, Governor James E. McGreevey announced yesterday that New Jersey will receive over $425 million this year in federal “No Child Left Behind” funds.

“As Governor, I express New Jersey’s gratitude to Senator Corzine, as well as Congressmen Pascrell and Rothman, for supporting this appropriation and providing New Jersey’s schools with an additional $425 million in education dollars,” said McGreevey. “I also want to recognize the leadership of Education Commissioner Librera and the New Jersey Department of Education for their diligence and for taking proactive steps in securing this grant. We were one of the first states to apply for this money, and as a result of the State’s quick action, New Jersey’s children will greatly benefit.”

The federal “No Child Left Behind Act,” which was signed into law on January 8, 2002, seeks to improve student achievement by increasing accountability and by closing the achievement gap in Title I schools. Specifically, the No Child Left Behind Act focuses on increasing accountability for results and increasing flexibility by allowing the State to use federal funds to enhance State education initiatives.

"The $425 million in federal No Child Left Behind education money New Jersey is receiving represents a 28 percent increase over what the state received in federal education dollars for Title I through Title VI programs the previous fiscal year," Librera said. "I am very proud of the DOE for aggressively pursuing the additional federal money to benefit New Jersey's school children."

"I was pleased to support the No Child Left Behind Act, which will dramatically expand and improve the federal government's support for education," said Senator Corzine. "A strong education system is vital to our economy, and that is why I supported efforts to establish high standards and strong accountability measures. I also recognize that without adequate resources, reforms are doomed to fail, and I am pleased that today we are seeing a significant influx of new federal money to support these reform efforts."

“As a former teacher I understand first-hand about the importance of a good education for our nation's children. I believe this wide-sweeping education reform bill drastically improves America's public education system. For too long in America, the quality of the education a child received depended on where they lived. This legislation will increase funding for all public schools, especially those that have continuously underachieved,” said Congressman Pascrell.

"This historic education reform bill, which I voted for and which Congress passed last year, dramatically enhances the federal government's commitment to New Jersey's schools. It increases the level of funding and flexibility given to states in exchange for greater accountability and improved student performance," said Rothman. "This partnership between federal and state government will allow for students to receive the first class education they deserve that will improve their reading, math, writing, and other fundamental learning skills. New Jersey now has the benefit of increased federal funds for Title I programs and the flexibility to use its owns dollars on education initiatives that benefit all students throughout the state."

The NJDOE applied for the federal dollars on June 11, 2002. Within one month, the State received its award notice on July 3, 2002. This fast response can be attributed to the coordination within the DOE, which allowed it to effectively submit a single application that covered 14 formula grant programs under six major titled programs. States were given the option of submitting separate applications for each program area or one consolidated application. Funding amounts are determined on a formula basis.

In addition to the successful application for the $425 million, the State is submitting separate applications for several “competitive” grants. Overall, these grant applications would provide New Jersey with upwards of an additional $43.1 million in federal funds for programs such as Character Education and Teacher Quality Enhancements. New Jersey anticipates receiving approval for $18.4 million in Reading First grants.

“The additional $18.4 million in Reading First Grants, combined with the $10 million I designated for reading coaches in the FY 2003 budget, will be instrumental in meeting this Administration’s goal of ensuring that every child can read at or above reading level by the end of third grade,” said McGreevey. “As a result of this partnership between the federal and state government, New Jersey will have nearly $30 million to invest in literacy programs alone.”

As part of his goal to ensure that New Jersey students develop the lifelong habit of reading, McGreevey launched the Governor’s Book Club earlier this month. The Governor’s Book Club, is supported by an interactive website, www.nj.gov/bookclub.

In addition to the Governor’s Book Club, the Governor formed an Early Literacy Task Force of national experts who identified the best practices to be incorporated into a statewide plan to improve early literacy and developed ways to improve teacher preparation and professional development in the teaching of reading.

Article continues below

---

advertisement

---

Author: Paul Aronsohn