Senate President Sweeney, Senator Greenstein Tour Sharon Elementary School in Robbinsville

ROBBINSVILLE – Meeting with school district officials and teachers today at the Sharon Elementary School, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senator Linda Greenstein praised the work of local educators and reinforced the importance of providing the state aid promised by the School Funding Reform Act of 2008 with the passage and enactment of the school funding legislation S-2 in July.

“I believe that providing a quality education for all of our school children in each and every community in New Jersey is one of our most cherished responsibilities,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “The foundation of educational opportunity is full and fair funding that provides the resources and the support our schools and educators need. That is why I fought so hard to fund the formula so that districts with increased enrollment receive the money they deserve and so that state aid goes where it is needed – to districts like Robbinsville.”

Robbinsville received an extra $3,656,140 in school aid this year, an increase of 117 percent.

“As public official, there is nothing more gratifying than being able to say I was part of a process that accomplished something that improved the lives of New Jerseyans,” said Senator Greenstein (D-Mercer/Middlesex). “Here in Sharon Elementary, it’s clear why we all fought so hard to bring additional state dollars to the district. This year, Robbinsville will receive more than $3.6 million in additional state aid. It all begins in elementary school for students. How they start is so often how they finish so I am pleased to be here at the start line of new school year.”

“I want to thank Senate President Sweeney and Senator Greenstein for coming here today to tour Sharon Elementary School,” said Robbinsville Superintendent Kathie Foster. “Senate President Sweeney led the way to finally fix the school funding formula. He and senators like Linda Greenstein were not afraid to do the hard thing because it was the right thing.”

The current state budget increases school aid by $347 million, continuing the ramp-up to full funding led by Senator Sweeney last year. School districts in 17 of New Jersey’s 21 counties will receive a net increase in funding in the upcoming school year, delivering increases for school districts that educate 72 percent of the state’s schoolchildren.