Sussex, Morris schools would see $4.5M in cuts restored under state proposal
Eighteen Sussex and Morris county school districts would see $4.5 million in state funding cuts restored under legislation approved by the state Senate this week.
The bill would provide an additional $102 million to districts around the state, many of them in suburban and rural areas. That would cover about two-thirds of the $157 million in losses proposed in Gov. Phil Murphy's initial 2024 school funding plan.
"We're very happy to see that the Legislature has fully realized the damages" that the state's school funding formula has imposed, Kittatinny Regional High School Superintendent Craig Hutcheson said on Tuesday. Still, he added, "this is only one step in a staircase of fixes that need to happen."
What's next for funding bill
After swiftly winning approval in the Senate on Monday, the legislation is expected to go before the state Assembly later this month. Facing pressure from state lawmakers, including Democrats from his own party up for election this year, Murphy has said he would sign the measure into law.
Why local districts are struggling
Even as Murphy boosted total school funding in recent years, many districts in more affluent or rural areas have seen a decline − partly due to falling enrollments but also to fix what Democrats have called a long-time imbalance in how money was divided.
Faced with rising costs combined with a phase-out of federal COVID relief, many local districts said the state funding cuts had put them in a tight financial position. Last week, Randolph's school board tentatively approved a budget with a 2.5% tax increase. Business Administrator Stephen Frost noted state aid has fallen for the district every year since 2017.
"Our cumulative loss is almost $6 million [per year]," Frost said last week, before the new legislation was announced. "If you combine all of those losses in each year, it will be a little more than $24 million we have lost in funding. That's over $24 million where we had to cut programs, cut things, or the taxpayers had to pick up the tab."
Even local districts that weren't facing a funding cut have struggled to keep up with rising costs. Sparta's board of education approved a preliminary budget last week that included a $258 tax hike for the average homeowner.
Biggest winners in new legislation
The legislation lists 161 school districts statewide as eligible for the additional funding, including 13 in Sussex County and five in Morris. To qualify for the help, schools must send the state education commissioner a written plan detailing how they would use the funds in future school years.
Jefferson would be eligible for just over $1 million in aid, leading local districts, followed by Hopatcong at $712,000, Roxbury at $488,000 and Kittatinny at $441,000. Each was in line for significant decreases in aid under Murphy's original proposal.
Hutcheson, an outspoken critic of the school funding adjustments made by Murphy, said he is excited about the bill's passage but said the state still needs to do more to properly serve students in his district. Kittatinny, which has about 800 students in grades 7-12, has lost more than $4.1 million, or about 20% of the school's budget, in the past six years, he said.
The continued cuts meant the school must take more from local taxpayers who are "really at a breaking point," he said.
"It's just a fiscal cliff that we can't afford for our students and our community," Hutcheson said.
Here's a look at how much local districts could receive under the bill:
Morris
Jefferson, $1,007,260
Roxbury, $488,799
Randolph, $410,721
Washington, $308,550
West Morris Regional, $47,606
Sussex
Hopatcong, $712,854
Kittatinny Regional, $441,514
Green, $427,010
Vernon, $211,766
Stillwater, $97,148
Frankford, $84,213
Wallkill Valley Regional, $69,619
Hardyston, $50,044
Andover, $48,494
High Point Regional, $33,680
Hampton, $31,660
Fredon, $18,984
Byram, $16,292
Correction: A prior version of this story included an incorrect amount for the total aid that could be restored to Morris and Sussex schools.
Kyle Morel is a local reporter covering Morris and Sussex counties.
Email: kmorel@njherald.com; Twitter: @KMorelNJH
This article originally appeared on New Jersey Herald: Morris, Sussex NJ schools would see $2.5M restored by legislation
