Princeton University

PRIOR released “The “E” in Thorough and Efficient: How Can We Insure Efficiency in Spending School Tax Dollars,” an Executive Summary of a conference cosponsored by PRIOR and the New Jersey School Boards Association that brought experts together with a capacity audience at the Woodrow Wilson School to discuss how to achieve the balance between fiscal responsibility and providing excellent education in the schools. 

In the first morning session, experts discussed the wisdom and feasibility of the consolidation of school districts and addressed issues such as economy of scale, organizational efficiency, sharing of services, provision of special services, and transportation.

The second panel of experts discussed relationships between efficiency measures and school formulae, considered whether or not a school formula can guarantee efficiency, analyzed the methods of measuring a school district’s efficiency, and debated the cost efficiency of school programs.

Paul L. Tractenberg, Esquire, Board of Governors Distinguished Professor and Alfred C. Clapp Distinguished Public Service Professor of Law, Rutgers School of Law – Newark delivered the morning keynote address and Hugh B. Price, the Weinberg/Sachs Visiting Professor at the Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University and former President, The National Urban League, delivered the luncheon address.

The forum concluded with a panel discussion that focused on performance accountability and service delivery. Experts explored the current thinking related to accountability and performance to include how to best measure performance of the student, the teaching team, and the school.