Sen. Rice Calls for Investigation into Local Public Schools

“The Newark Public Schools are in crisis, and families, students and members of the community deserve answers regarding the serious issues that are plaguing the district. Unfortunately, the state-appointed superintendent and the administration have failed to provide the public with answers – even as the district has plunged into chaos,” said Rice in a statement. “We have attempted to get to the bottom of some of these issues, but district leadership has refused to cooperate and to respond to requests to appear before the committee. Similarly, top state officials have yet to address the various concerns being raised. We cannot stand by as these problems continue to affect the quality of education for our students and the community at large. We must take action to investigate and to address these matters at the legislative level.”

This school year, students and parents in the Newark Public Schools have experienced “countless issues” resulting from the implementation of the district’s controversial ‘One Newark’ reorganization plan. In many cases, parents have been unable to find schools for their children to attend together, with siblings sent to multiple schools, many of them across the city from one another.

At Barringer High School, children have been served bread and cheese instead of hot meals and many children remained without class schedules for weeks into the year. Other students have been placed in severely overcrowded classrooms. These recent issues have occurred against the backdrop of major concerns raised by Rice about the handling of administrative and fiscal affairs within the Newark Public Schools.

In May, Rice sent a letter to Acting Education Commissioner David Hespe requesting that he coordinate with Acting Attorney General John Hoffman and Acting Comptroller Marc Larkins to investigate a host of issues, including the implementation of the ‘One Newark’ plan in the district and the circumstances surrounding the sale of the 18th Avenue School building in Newark, among others. He sent follow-up letters to Hespe, Hoffman and Larkins in August. As co-chair of the Joint Committee on the Public Schools, the senator has repeatedly invited Newark Public Schools Superintendent Cami Anderson to appear at committee hearings to discuss these issues. She has failed to attend.

Rice’s bill, SCR-149, would constitute the Joint Committee as a special committee to investigate the operation of the Newark School District and all issues concerning its ability to ensure students a thorough and efficient education, including the “One Newark” plan. By statute, the Joint Committee on the Public Schools is charged with conducting a continuous study of New Jersey’s system of free public schools, its financing, administration and operations, and making recommendations for legislative action to ensure a thorough and efficient system.

“The Joint Committee on the Public Schools is responsible for the oversight of school districts. A failure to meet this responsibility could very well be challenged as malfeasance and misfeasance in the respective offices we hold. We take this directive very seriously, and we have attempted to carry out this charge through the regular channels. Unfortunately, because of the superintendent’s refusal to engage in a public discussion and state officials’ failure to respond to requests for intervention, we have been left with no recourse but to seek subpoena power. This will allow the joint committee to examine the fiscal and administrative issues that for too long have gone unchecked.”

Information and Photo courtesy of Senator Rice’s District Office.