JERSEY SHORE – The New Jersey Department of Education is asking the public to comment on the way state aid is distributed.
There is a link to submit comments at the bottom of this page: nj.gov/education/sfra.shtml.
All comments must be received by January 17.
School Aid Impact
Many local districts have been severely impacted by cuts in school aid. The funding formula changed with a bill called S-2 in 2018.
Toms River has lost millions of dollars and dozens of staff positions during the course of this process. In the last round of funding, aid dropped by $2,798,243 after years of cuts.
Jackson lost millions every year as well. The most recent cut was $4,459,769. That district had to sell a school this year.
Lacey is another district facing a crunch. Their most recent cut was $3,205,902. Officials put forward a $92 million referendum this spring for capital projects like roofing and HVAC.
Barnegat, Little Egg Harbor, and Pinelands Regional all saw cuts in excess of $1 million for this year.
Long Branch lost $10,401,402 this year, while Neptune Township lost $4,448,559.
Part of the problem is that these cuts are cumulative. This year’s cuts reduce state aid from last year, which was reduced from the previous year, and so on going back until 2018.
Another law states that districts can’t raise taxes more than 2 percent each year. Therefore, the amount a district can tax to make up the shortfall shrinks every year as well. Using round numbers, if a budget is $100 one year, it could be $102 next year, because they taxed 2% of 100. However, if the budget is cut to $90, then the district can only tax 2% of $90, which becomes $91.8.
Seeing the dire circumstances some districts are in, the state has allowed schools that were severely impacted to increase taxes by 9.9% for one year.
This is not to say that all districts saw cuts. Howell, for example, saw an increase by $1,517,548 this year.
Public Hearings
Four meetings were scheduled where the public can speak out. There is one in Somerville on January 8 from 6-8 p.m. at the Somerset County Government Office, 27 Warren Street, first floor conference room.
There is one in Trenton on January 14, from 10 a.m. to noon. It will be held at the NJ DOE, 100 Riverview Plaza, first floor conference room. There had also been a meeting in Trenton on December 17.
The final meeting will be on January 16, from 6-8 p.m. at the Camden County Regional Emergency Training Center, 420 Woodbury-Turnersville Road, in Blackwood.
If you wish to comment at a meeting, you must register in advance.
You don’t have to attend a meeting in order to comment.
For a link to make comments or register, visit nj.gov/education/sfra.shtml.
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