By Trish G. Graber
GLOUCESTER COUNTY TIMES
 
The state education commissioner on Thursday faced tough questioning from senators about the department's response to findings that New Jersey's 31 poorest school districts spent lavishly, from purchasing a $6,000 trip to Atlantic City for school board members to buying a wall-mounted flat-screen television to hang on the wall in an administrator's office.

The information about the districts' spending was released earlier this month in audits of 27 Abbott school districts, those which are required by court order to receive extra state funding. Education Commissioner Lucille Davy said state officials used the findings, from the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 school years, to come up with new regulations for all school districts on expenditures such as travel and meal allowances, many which will soon take effect.

READ MORE: http://www.nj.com/news/gloucester/index.ssf?/base/news-3/121091910678420.xml&coll=8

---