O’SCANLON PRAISES BLACK MINISTERS COUNCIL

FOR TAKING ACTION TO ADDRESS EDUCATION ISSUE

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon today praised the Black Ministers Council of New Jersey for offering a number of ideas for improving public education in New Jersey and said he is willing to engage in a dialogue with the Council regarding the proposed reforms.

“In recent years it has been evident that we are not getting results that match the amount of money that has been spent in our urban school districts,” said O’Scanlon, R-Monmouth and Mercer. “I think most New Jersey residents agree that we should at least be open to new approaches to delivering a quality education for students living in our urban centers.”

The Black Ministers Council of New Jersey today announced a campaign to reform public schools in New Jersey. Among the proposed changes were approval of an Urban Enterprise Zone tuition scholarship program, tenure reform for teachers, equalizing teacher pay, and the elimination of the Special Review Assessment program.

O’Scanlon is the co-prime sponsor of A-2897, which establishes pilot program in Department of the Treasury to provide tax credits for contributions to entities which provide tuition scholarships to children in certain urban enterprise zone municipalities. This bill was endorsed today by the Black Ministers Council.

He also sponsored legislation, A-1003, that would establish a pilot program to provide tax credits for contributions to entities which provide tuition scholarships to children residing in Camden, Elizabeth, Lakewood, Newark, Orange, Paterson and Trenton.

“I am pleased that the Council is supporting my legislation and look forward to sitting down with them to discuss these other initiatives,” O’Scanlon said. “When our school system is failing so many children there is no excuse for not at least examining new ways of delivering educational services.”