A state study commission on nonpublic schools has found that private and parochial schools save New Jersey taxpayers $4 billion overall annually and that a system of tax credits for scholarship programs would expand educational opportunities available to children in poor and working families.

The Governor’s Study Commission on Nonpublic Schools released July 20 finds that there are strong economic, legal and philosophical reasons the state should preserve and enhance support to New Jersey’s estimated 160,000 public school students.

The study noted that the distinction between public and nonpublic schools is artificial and that all children are part of the public. That being the case, “New Jersey has a responsibility to provide for the quality education of all its children.”

It acknowledged the financial stresses in the five years between 2004 and 2009 which affected New Jersey families and caused an enrollment drop of nearly 30,000 students in privately managed schools. According to the report, the majority of these students entered the public education system at an increased cost to taxpayers of $430 million a year.

The report concludes it would be far cheaper for taxpayers to provide scholarship assistance to working families so that they could once again consider private school options for their children.

The 24-member Governor’s Study Commission on New Jersey’s Nonpublic Schools was created by former Gov. Jon Corzine. Among other recommendations were: increased funding for transportation assistance; support for nursing services and technology and special education.

The commission was continued by Gov. Chris Christie, who also backed the Opportunity Scholarship Act that would create a five-year pilot program in which poor students in chronically failing public schools would be eligible for scholarship assistance in nonpublic schools or better performing public ones.

After the report was released, Christie called the section supporting tax credits for scholarship programs “especially important.”

“Many states provide such tax credits and we support providing them in New Jersey as well,” he said in a press release.

George Corwell, director of education for the New Jersey Catholic Conference, said the NJCC was pleased with the comments from Gov. Christie and the support shown by New Jersey’s education commissioner, Bret Schundler.

“We believe that this (report) serves not only as a practical guide but as the basis for the value of nonpublic education,” said Corwell. “We are grateful to Gov. Corzine for authorizing the study in 2009 and to Gov. Christie for maintaining it at a difficult time.”

To view the complete report go to:
http://njgov/gov/governor/news/reports/pdf/20100720_np_schools.pdf