A group of 31 organizations representing advocates, parents, and community members from across the state, led by the Healthy Schools Now Coalition (HSN), has issued a letter demanding that the Legislature appropriate at least $500 million annually to fund New Jersey’s school construction program, beginning with the FY25 State Budget now under consideration by lawmakers.

Although the State has made progress renovating and rebuilding public school buildings in recent years, the letter points out that tremendous needs remain unmet. According to the Schools Development Authority’s (SDA) recently updated Statewide Strategic Prioritization Plan for the 31 low-income SDA districts, there is an immediate need for an additional 8,000 seats to address overcrowding, and more than 50 buildings need to be renovated or replaced due to age and condition. The SDA has estimated it will cost, at minimum, an additional $7 billion to address these capital needs, and that does not include funding for urgently needed projects in regular-operating (non-SDA classified) districts.

“To guarantee educational equity, we must provide every child with what they need to develop their full academic and social potential, and a healthy school community is the foundation,” said Petal Robertson, Secretary-Treasurer, NJEA. “The work of Healthy Schools Now is so important to pushing and upholding laws that make certain school districts modernize their school buildings. This is necessary to ensure safety and provide students with an optimal learning environment.”

“Years of inadequate support for construction and building maintenance have left schools in our most racially segregated communities in dire need of repair and replacement,” said Nikki Baker, HSN Organizer. “It is simply unacceptable that children in a wealthy state like New Jersey attend schools with leaking roofs, crumbling walls, nonfunctional bathroom facilities, and no air conditioning.”

“Many of the public schools in Paterson are in deplorable condition,” said Charles A. Ferrer, Sr., 1st Vice President, Paterson Education Association. “We call on the Governor and Legislature to make additional funding available so the SDA can fulfill its obligation to Paterson and other districts in great need.”

According to Debra Coyle, NJ Work Environment Council Executive Director, “Although we are making a significant budget request, it represents just a fraction of the current need, and the longer we wait, the more expensive the price tag will get, and our kids can’t wait.”

“The Governor and legislative leaders have a legal obligation to students stuck in obsolete, crumbling and unsafe school buildings,” said Robert Kim, Education Law Center Executive Director and lead counsel in the Abbott v. Burke case, the litigation which led to the creation of the school construction program. “Continued inaction will inevitably lead to additional Court intervention.”

“The Governor and the Legislature must not shirk their constitutional duty to the tens of thousands of students, many of whom are students of color in racially segregated communities,” said Rosie Grant, Executive Director of the Paterson Education Fund. “We expect the Governor and our legislative leaders to approve additional construction funding in the upcoming budget. Anything less is unacceptable.”

Healthy Schools Now is a coalition of 136 organizations representing public school advocates dedicated to ensuring that all New Jersey children and school employees learn and work in safe, modern school buildings.

Healthy Schools Now Coalition

New Jersey Education Association

NJ Work Environment Council

Education Law Center, Robert Kim

Save Our Schools NJ Community Organizing

NJ Community Schools Coalition

New Jersey PTA

Latino Institute, Inc.

New Jersey State School Nurses Association

Our Children Our Schools, Kaleena Berryman

Middlesex County Education Association

Monmouth County Education Association

Passaic County Education Associations

Union County Education Association

Bayonne Education Association

Black Lives Matter Paterson

Clifton Education Association

Hillsborough Education Association

Moore Health & Safety

Oasis- A Haven for Women and Children

Paterson Alliance

Paterson Custodial Maintenance Association

Paterson Education Association

Paterson Education Fund

Parent Education Organizing Council

Paterson Music Project

St. Luke Baptist Church

St. Paul’s Community Development Corporation

Swedesboro Woolwich Education Association

Trenton Education Association