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Weequahic High School is one of 16 school funding projects already approved by the state Schools Development Authority.

(File Photo)

Days after a massive school reorganization plan was met with biting criticism from the community, Newark Superintendent Cami Anderson announced the state had committed $100 million to repair the district’s dilapidated buildings.

It was a piece of good news for the superintendent, who is facing strong opposition to her school reorganization plan, and represented the state’s continued investment in New Jersey’s largest school district. Anderson described the money as a "key first step" to helping the district to bring its buildings up to 21st century standards.

The release failed to mention, however, that $30 million of the $100 million cited had been authorized last year. The remaining nearly $70 million represented a wish list of projects the state has not yet approved, according to the Schools Development Authority.

After the announcement, Sen. Ronald Rice (D-Essex) sent a letter to the New Jersey SDA, the state agency responsible for school facilities repairs and construction for the state’s 31 special needs districts, seeking a list of projects and budgets that had been approved.

SDA Chief Executive Charles McKenna responded last month with a letter saying the SDA had approved $30.6 million for Newark projects, most of which were authorized last year. "The school district has indicated that they have at least $69.4 million in additional projects that they will submit for review and approval," McKenna wrote. "At this time the final list of projects has not been completed and the DOE and SDA have not formally approved any additional projects."

Newark’s announcement, McKenna wrote, is "a representation" of the state’s commitment "to assisting all 31 SDA school districts."

Anderson’s spokesman did not comment.

"The SDA cannot commit a lump sum of money to any district," said David Sciarra, Education Law Center executive director. "Newark has to do what every other SDA district must do in order to get the state, through SDA, to finance and do construction," he added.

Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf fervently refuted that claim.

"It is true that the (SDA) funding is done on a project basis," Cerf said. "But we looked at projects, looked at the funds, and we can assure you we have at least $100 million available for Newark. That seems to be the main point."

Sciarra also questioned the timing of the announcement.

"You have to conclude this announcement was largely political, designed not to advance the ball for the kids of Newark but to provide support for the One Newark plan," he said.

Rice, who is co-chairman of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Education, agreed.

"I really believe the numbers were there to justify her plan, to show the governor would support her," Rice said.

Again Cerf disagreed, saying the state has backed the One Newark plan since it was unveiled more than a year ago.

"That is a claim made by propagandists who are using every avenue to undermine progress for the children of Newark," Cerf said.

The SDA was created by a 2008 law that authorized $3.9 billion in new funding for school repairs and construction, including $2.9 billion for the state’s 31 special-needs districts. Newark is designated a special-needs district. Currently, the SDA is managing more than 40 projects with cost estimates over $1 billion.

Included in that work are 13 Newark projects approved by the SDA last March and three more that were given the go-ahead in August. Two of those three have been completed.

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