Vernon schools could lose 40 employees as officials grapple with reduced state aid

Vernon schools could see more than 40 layoffs because of a drop in state aid and the need to keep a budget increase to less than 2% for the coming year.

The Board of Education was given the preliminary budget at its meeting last week which showed projected revenue to the district nearly $5 million less than the $71,568,906 in the budget for the current year. The proposed 2023-24 budget is $66,647,958 which includes a 1.76% property tax increase.

According to figures presented by Business Administrator Patricia Radcliff-Lee, the tax increase amounts to $3,841, or $78.81 increase on the average home assessed at $262,640.

Superintendent Russell Rogers told the board there would need to be a "reduction in force" of 44 full and part-time employees.

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In addition to state aid reductions− $8.5 million a year from six years ago − the district is also down about $6 million in grants and stabilization aid over the same period.

In a letter sent to parents, the reductions, which also include administrative staff, will go into effect next school year.

At the board's meeting, Radcliff-Lee said that the district was able to cut nearly $5 million, which includes personnel costs, to $66.6 million for the coming year. Last year's revenues were $71.56 million.

Since 2018, the district's student population has dropped 4% to 2,950. In that same period, Rogers said state aid has dropped by 41%, to $14,434,015.

The budget will be discussed at the Board's workshop meeting on April 20 at Lounsberry Hollow School with a final approval at the 7 p.m. meeting on April 27, also at Lounsberry.

This article originally appeared on New Jersey Herald: Vernon NJ school district could lay off 40 employees