By HEATHER APPEL
HERALD NEWS

TRENTON -- The state Legislature's Joint Committee on the Public Schools is turning its attention to Paterson's troubled schools, the committee's chairman said Monday.

During the committee's meeting, which drew about 45 Paterson parents and community members to the State House, legislators vowed to hold a hearing in Paterson to look into the ongoing problems in the state-run district.

"Paterson and Jersey City had a good opportunity to meet the indicators in two or three years," said state Sen. Ronald Rice, D-Newark, who chairs the committee. "Then we found out (Paterson) is going in the opposite direction. That struck us as odd, and the question became, 'Why?'"

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