Jackson schools ask voters to approve $4M ballot question for more teachers
JACKSON — Township voters will get to decide whether Jackson Public School District will raise taxes by more than $4 million in order to hire additional teachers, student counselors and specialized staff.
School officials say they need more money to hire 10 elementary teachers, 12 middle and high school teachers, four teachers for English language learners, six guidance counselors for mental health assistance, two student assistance counselors for substance abuse and additional district support staff.
"Losing $18 million in state aid and 214 positions over the past six years has brought us to a point where we cannot sustain the educational experience we want for our students without asking for additional staff," Superintendent Nicole Pormilli said in a statement. "We are asking the Jackson community to help us solve a problem we did not create, but that needs to be solved."
Jackson voters will see a special ballot question when they head to the polls on Nov. 7 asking them to approve the additional spending. If approved, the initiative would raise taxes about $96 annually on a house assessed at the municipal average of $330,688, according to school leaders.
Inflation and increasing needs among Jackson students have led to a financial "perfect storm," Pormilli said.
"Our class sizes have grown to undesirable levels, which is in direct contrast to every bit of research about what is best for student achievement and development," she said. "Additionally, students’ counseling and special education needs are increasing, substance abuse issues are increasing, the volume of ESL (English as a second language) needs has skyrocketed — all while our ability to handle increased student needs has decreased due to our funding losses and increased costs."
In 2016, 94% of Jackson School District students spoke English at home, according to state records. But just five years later, the percentage had dropped to 82% for the 2021-22 school year, according to New Jersey Department of Education records. Of the remainder, 13.7% of students spoke Spanish at home and another 4.6% spoke other languages, according to the state department.
At the same time, Jackson's public schools faced substantial cuts in support from Trenton legislators, equivalent to 42% in state aid losses over the past six years, the superintendent said.
The district cannot make up the loss without special voter approval; a state-mandated cap on tax levy increases prohibits district leadership from raising school taxes more than 2% per year. Few exceptions are made for inflation and other prices that outpace that 2% limit, except where voters approve the spending measure.
On the November ballot, Jackson voters will be asked to increase school taxes for the 2023-24 school year by $4,035,000. Approval of the special ballot question would permanently increase school taxes by that amount. The money would be used exclusively for the jobs described in the ballot question, according to district officials.
School leaders will hold an informational session at the next school board meeting, to be held at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 18 at Jackson Memorial High School, 101 Don Connor Blvd.
An additional online question-and-answer session will be held at 6 p.m. Nov. 1.
Additional ballot question information and a tax impact calculator are available on the Jackson School District website. Residents with questions may also call the district Special Question Hotline at 732-833-4618 or email jsd@jacksonsd.org.
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Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers education and the environment. She has worked for the Press for more than 15 years. Reach her at @OglesbyAPP, aoglesby@gannettnj.com or 732-557-5701.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: NJ Election:Jackson schools ask voters for $4M for more teachers
