NJ’s poor urban schools hit hard by cuts 2/17/10

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Some of New Jersey’s poorest urban school districts stand to lose the most money under Gov. Chris Christie’s plan to cut $475 million in school aid. But suburban districts will lose the greatest percent of their state aid overall.

An Associated Press analysis of the cuts found, on average, schools will lose 13 percent of their total yearly state aid. Christie ordered the cuts to help close a $2.2 billion budget shortfall.

About $126 million, or 25 percent of the total cuts, come from the state’s poorest districts. Of the 10 districts losing the most money, eight are classified as poor.

Christie is making the cuts as part of his plan to keep the state budget balanced. Only K-12 schools that have current budget surpluses are losing money.

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