After a three-year drought, New Jersey is again providing state funding for school construction, and there's a lot of catching up to do. 

 

The 53 projects -- 26 new, 27 suspended -- have gotten the green light from the Schools Development Authority and the Department of Education. It's a $2.9 billion package underwriting three schools in Camden, two in Pemberton and one each in Salem City and Vineland. Spokesman Larry Hanover of the SDA says this money now comes with controls not present in 2005:

 

"Because of problems with budgets and forecasting and planning at our predecessor, the Schools Construction Corporation, hundreds of projects were suspended and reforms had to take place."

 

Now that they have, the Legislature passed a nearly $4 billion funding plan. The remaining billion dollars has yet to be allotted.