For Immediate Release

May 6, 2004

LANDMARK SCHOOL DESEGREGATION BILL ADVANCES IN SENATE

Measure Would Fund Desegregation Efforts in New Jersey Schools

TRENTON - Landmark legislation sponsored by Senators Byron M. Baer and Nia H. Gill to reduce segregation in New Jersey schools was approved today by the Senate Education Committee.

"We cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the racial imbalance and avoidable educational inequalities which still exist within New Jersey schools," said Senator Baer, who testified in support of the bill before the Committee. "We can no longer deny thousands of children each year the quality of education to which they are entitled."

The bill, S-644, would establish an Equity in Education program within the State Department of Education to provide financial assistance to school districts which initiate reforms to eliminate segregation and discrimination within their schools. Under the bill, the Commissioner of Education would select six school districts each year from a pool of eligible districts to receive funding for initiation costs and ongoing support for the districts' desegregation, or "equity," plans. According to the measure, selected districts could receive up to $800,000 for program implementation.

"A thorough and efficient education must be free from segregation and discrimination," said Senator Gill, D-Essex. "Fifty years ago, our nation recognized that separate is not equal when it comes to education. We must dedicate sufficient resources for implementing a more equitable system within our own state."

According to the bill's provisions, districts qualifying for financial assistance would be under a desegregation order issued by the courts or the Commissioner of Education; addressing diversity issues through redistribution of students in the district schools; or developing magnet programs or schools in order to significantly alter racial or ethnic composition of the district's student population. Whenever possible, districts selected to receive financial assistance would be from the northern, central, and southern regions of the State.

" Englewood has worked for years to alleviate segregation in its schools," said Senator Baer. "I have confidence that other districts will meet with similar success if provided with sufficient resources."

Recent studies conducted to determine the state of segregation fifty years after Brown v. Board of Education show that New Jersey has the fourth most segregated school system in the nation, in part because northern states were not required to desegregate their schools after the court decision.

" Montclair Township has made great strides in addressing inequities in its schools, and should serve as a model for other districts in the State as they create their own equity plans" said Senator Gill.

The school districts of Englewood ( Bergen County ) and Montclair ( Essex County ), located in Senators Baer's and Gill's districts respectively, currently receive funding for their desegregation programs in the State Budget. Last year, Englewood received $1.3 million and Montclair received $1 million.

The measure now awaits consideration by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.