This is a press release.
Superintendents and school officials across New Jersey, who face more than $105 million in state aid cuts under Gov. Phil Murphy's budget proposal, are supporting increased state aid to: House Republican Leader John DiMaio's plan to fully fund schools and lower property taxes.
“Funding our schools equitably means that every school district in this state can fulfill its constitutional obligations and provide the high-quality education that New Jersey is proud of. This means students don’t lose services or programs and teachers don’t lose their jobs,” said DiMaio (R-Warren). “government. Murphy’s proposed budget picks winners and losers, while my plan only cuts property taxes, not schools.”
that much Fully Fund Schools and Lower Property Taxes Act (A1125) Funds schools up to their budget, protects schools from loss of state aid, and reduces property taxes. The adequacy budget is the minimum amount needed under the school funding formula to provide a thorough and effective education, calculated by adding the amount a district can afford plus the state equalizer (current state school funding goal).
“The urgent need for school funding cannot be overemphasized. “School leaders must have access to a predictable funding formula in every district that appropriately addresses current and future needs.” Lenape Regional High School Superintendent Carol Birnbohm said. “Assemblyman DiMaio’s proposed legislation provides a promising solution that could potentially allocate more than $9 million in state assistance to our district. This is in stark contrast to the projected $4.7 million loss we are currently facing. I urge all elected officials to engage in real dialogue to solve this pressing problem. “Education funding must be a non-negotiable priority, reflecting our collective effort to nurture our state’s education system.”
In 2018, the state enacted S2, which promised a more equitable distribution of public school aid, but hundreds of so-called overfunded school districts suffered unpredictable cuts worth millions of dollars each year.
“The state funding formula emphasizes budget adequacy, so the formula must start with that goal in mind,” he said. Brick School District Superintendent Thomas Farrell. “The state has failed to provide the necessary funding to ensure our districts have the resources they need to meet the needs of our students. Some areas, like Brick, are running out of time. We must stop these regions from falling off a fiscal cliff. “Now is the time for us to advocate for the efficient, effective school districts left behind in S2.”
While the S2 law increased state aid for Newark schools by hundreds of millions of dollars, to more than $1.25 billion, other districts, such as Toms River, lost about $38 million in state aid during the seven-year rollout of S2 .
“The Toms River Area School District clearly believes that the state school aid formula is fatally flawed for too many districts,” he said. Toms River School District Superintendent Michael Citta and Business Administrator Bill Doering.. “The formula needs to be significantly improved and the loss of state funding needs to be addressed immediately. Before irreparable damage is done to the students educated in this region. “Assembly Bill A1125 will restore critical funding, but it will be a major step forward in working on a public school funding formula for longer than that.”
Under DiMaio's plan, no school would receive less money than proposed in Murphy's budget, while 340 schools would receive more. Additionally, the average first year property tax reduction is $874.
“Despite six years of cost-cutting measures, including staff reductions, school closures, tuition implementation and insurance plan adjustments, Jefferson Township's school budget shortfall for the upcoming school year exceeds $3 million. Even after grant opportunities are exhausted and reserves are depleted, state support losses remain significant, totaling more than $11 million annually and reaching a cumulative $45 million in seven years.” Jefferson Township Public Schools Superintendent Jeanne Howe said. “While a comprehensive review of the funding formula and related legislation will take time, immediate relief for school districts includes funding special education based on a district's actual enrollment rather than the state average, increasing the base per-pupil cost, and increasing the amount provided. may be included. “For special assistance, we provide support that impacts areas affected by the Highlands and Pinelands Act.”
Murphy is touting a $908 million increase in state school aid in this year's budget, but that only applies to 20% of school districts. Funding for the remaining 50% of schools receiving increases will come from districts that saw cuts. Considering the one-time supplemental aid Congress provided to schools last year, 172 schools would lose $197 million in funding.
“Our district is an S2 district that lost 66% of its state aid. This is an unsustainable amount that places an undue burden on the taxpayers of Weymouth Township. “Our district has had to cut staff and programs and make difficult decisions due to the financial constraints imposed through S2,” he said. Weymouth Township School District Superintendent Al Lewis. “A1125, the bill introduced by Assemblyman DiMaio, will allocate significant amounts of support to Weymouth Township to ensure our district is fully staffed, well-maintained, and able to continue to provide the educational programs that are our community’s most valuable resource. no see. Children of Weymouth Township. Constance Anne Reymann, Vice President of our Board of Trustees, has said many times, ‘School funding should be a bipartisan issue.’”
The bill, which has been referred to the Assembly Education Committee, would use income taxes to fund schools, a constitutional purpose upheld by the courts. This changes the state's education priorities from discretionary to mandatory.
“Many states, including New Jersey, have been grappling with school funding and how to distribute resources equitably across districts with different income levels. The concept of matching funding to a district's ability to pay based on income level is an important consideration in creating a fair and sustainable funding model. The bigger problem is filling a $1.2 billion gap when responsibility for school support shifts from local governments to the state of New Jersey. “Maintaining the relevance of every school district is non-negotiable, non-negotiable,” he said. Millville Public Schools Superintendent Tony TrongoneHe also serves as Chairman. New Jersey Association of School Administrators.
Under DiMaio's plan, districts facing funding cuts would return all of the money to rehire teachers and staff, implement programs and address learning loss and student mental health.
“The Lacey Township School District has already achieved $6.5 million in cuts that have had a significant impact on all of our students. A further $6.9 million in reductions would require a further 57 staff cuts across all divisions.” Lacey Township School District Superintendent Vanessa R. Pereira said. “Last school year was especially difficult at Lacey as we tragically lost three students from our senior class. And recently, a fourth-grader tragically lost his life at the middle school, and a third-grader died suddenly from complications of the flu. Losing even one person, let alone five, is unthinkable. This has created an even greater demand for counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists. Unfortunately we have to reduce staff in this area. The students and staff of the Lacey Township School District deserve better!”
DiMaio's plan also protects schools from future recessions by lowering property taxes. This would allow school districts to deposit more of their property tax cap to replace state aid if needed.
“For the Bordentown Area School District, the most notable aspect of funding our programs is the unbudgeted cost of serving special education students. Over the past year, we have encountered many students who require extensive special education support, including individual nursing and out-of-district placements. These unexpected costs hit small school districts hard. “I hope to see bipartisan support to coordinate support for all students, especially those who need special education services.” Bordentown Superintendent Trudy A. Atkins.
The total cost of DiMaio's plan would be about $1.3 billion, which would be equivalent to the Democrats' StayNJ property tax relief program targeting seniors.
“Murphy’s budget severely harms thousands of New Jersey students and property taxpayers. “This is unconscionable,” DiMaio said. “It doesn’t matter that this is a Republican proposal. “If my colleagues put kids before politics, we can pass this bill and all students and taxpayers will get better results.”
[photo credit] Flickr: Phil Murphy