Specialists in school design and construction take note: you’re about to get some state help. Probably.

Governor Christie’s office recently announced the recommendation of 20 new capital school construction projects in 18 municipalities in some of the poorest areas of the state as part of the reforms instituted by his office and the Schools Development Authority a year ago.

Nearly $675 million in state funding will go to projects “addressing high educational priority needs” at Gloucester City Middle School, Caruso Elementary School in Keansburg; Elliot Street Elementary School and South Street Elementary School in Newark; Dayton Avenue Elementary School Campus in Passaic; Phillipsburg High School and Memorial High School in West New York.

More discussion is needed for projects at Elizabeth, Grifled, Harrison, Millville, Paterson, Perth Amboy and Union City, while schools with “serious facility deficiencies” – Camden High School, Thomas G. Connors Elementary School in Hoboken, Cleveland Elementary School and Orange High School in Orange and Trenton Central High School also are moving forward. No costs were given on those.

However, the announcement was not without critics who questioned what was taking the often-controversial SDA so long, according to the Newark Star-Ledger. And not surprisingly, reader comments on the story questioned why some areas or schools will receive a benefit, and others will not.

All of that is to be expected, as are a lawsuit or two. Still, I’d get in my proposals and bids in now for when at least some of the projects actually progress.