Funding for Career and Technical Education

Governor Corzine's new funding formula, unveiled to the public in December, eliminates funding for post-secondary programs and switched its method of providing county vocational school aid in lieu of a wealth-based weight for vocational programs.

The Council applauds the components of the formula that provides new funds for at-risk students attending county vocational schools.

However, half of the 21 county vocational-technical schools are slated to lose funding under the new wealth-based formula and will be “held harmless” at a mere 2% increase. Most districts have experienced significant enrollment growth and this formula will doom them to stagnant funding for the foreseeable future. County taxpayers will be asked to absorb their rising costs, and now they are also being asked to shoulder a greater share of the cost of postsecondary programs. We believe that many counties will hold the line on funding increases, forcing county vocational schools to make difficult choices about which programs to preserve.

The New Jersey Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools urges the Governor, his administration and the Legislature to resolve these funding priorities to ensure the continuation of high-quality career and technical education opportunities for secondary and adult students, supporting the development of a well-prepared workforce in the Garden State.

Supporting Documents

• NJCCVTS testifies before Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee (3/25/08)
• By the numbers: Impact of New Funding Formula on Career and Technical Education (3/14/08)
• Adult High School Overview (3/14//08)
• Council adopts resolution in support of postsecondary funding (1/15/08)
• Council testifies before Assembly Budget and Education Committees on proposed school funding formula (12/27/07)
• Council adopts resolution urging Governor Corzine and the Legislature to provide adequate funding of county vocational-technical schools (6/5/07)
• Council's priorities for state funding of career and technical education
• Council's testimony on Cost of Education Report before the state Assembly (1/22/07)
• Council's testimony on Department of Education's Cost of Education Report (12/18/06) Part One
• Council's testimony on Department of Education's Cost of Education Report (12/18/06) Part Two
• Legislature Releases Reports on Property Tax Reform

• Testimony on school funding by NJCCVTS Executive Director Judy Savage (9/5/06)
• NJCCVTS testimony on school funding by Dolores Szymanski, Burlington County Institute of Technology (10/10/06)
• NJCCVTS testimony on school funding by Frank Gargiulo, Hudson County Schools of Technology (10/17/06)
• Legislature's "Recommendation #9" which supports continued funding for career and techncial education
• Adult high school programs provide second chance opportunities at minimal cost