New Jersey school districts are getting way less than they hoped from the state.
View full sizeCorey Bernstein, from Millburn, speaks about being bullied in school as members of the Garden State Equality group hold a press conference on the steps of the Statehouse after testifying during the State Legislature's hearings on the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights earlier this year.New Jersey school districts are getting way less than they hoped from the state to help pay for anti-bullying programs.
In March, the Christie administration announced $1 million in grants to back up the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights after a state panel found the law to be an unfunded mandate on local governments and therefore unconstitutional.
Officials received applications from 371 districts with requests totaling nearly $5 million.
Instead of choosing winner and losers, the state awarded each district about 20 percent of its request, according to The Record.
As a result, the Haledon district received just $36, while the Paterson Charter School for Science and Technology alone received $9,000.
Haledon Superintendent Richard Ney says his district was penalized for "playing it straight" with its request.
The Allamuchy Township School District initially sued the state calling the law an unfunded mandate. The state later agreed to provide some funding.
Anti-bullying grants:
Hunterdon County
- Alexandria Twp.: $348
- Bethlehem Twp.: $591
- Califon: $512
- Delaware Twp.: $953
- East Amwell Twp.: $747
- Franklin Twp.: $255
- Frenchtown: $482
- Hampton: $100
- High Bridge: $98
- Hunterdon County Vocational: $369
- Hunterdon County Educational Services Commission: $1,069
- Kingwood Twp.: $7,998
- Lebanon: $160
- Milford: $499
- North Hunterdon/Voorhees Regional: $2,658
- Readington Twp.: $440
- South Hunterdon Regional: $4,325
- Tewksbury Twp.: $4,356
Warren County
- Allamuchy Twp: $3,147
- Alpha: $281
- Belvidere: $1,184
- Blairstown Twp.: $282
- Great Meadows Regional: $1,025
- Greenwich Twp.: $580
- Mansfield Twp.: $534
- Phillipsburg: $3,347
- Pohatcong Twp.: $671
- Warren Hills Regional: $1,840
- Washington Twp.: $3,158