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Good morning, Carly here with Chalkbeat.

Newark Public Schools’ leadership has been spraying a firehose of positive press releases this week in the wake of a controversial state audit.

Officials claimed that the district passed the audit with “flying colors” and assured the public that the auditors found “nothing” to report. In reality, state auditors identified millions of dollars in excess state aid, questionable spending, and gaps in employee background checks. The audit also referred “certain matters” to New Jersey’s Division of Criminal Justice. Read more in our top story.

In other news, Chalkbeat is checking in with Democratic governors who said they were waiting for the Trump administration to explain exactly how a new education tax credit would work before deciding whether to opt in.

This week, Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s office told us they had not yet reached a decision.

“As we carefully review this federal guidance, we are examining who the program would serve, which opportunities are available, and how it could best benefit public school students,” a Sherrill spokesperson said in an email.

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Should preschoolers have any screen time at all in school? N.J. weighs a new 15-minute limit, New Jersey Advance Media (Paywall)

New Jersey seeks local guidance as it prepares to take state school funding formula 'down to the studs', 70and73

Singleton Bill Adding Bullying Prevention Instruction to NJ Student Learning Standards Advances in Legislature, TAPInto