State Aid to South Brunswick Schools Increased by $1
District still awaiting federal aid figures pending potential sequestration spending cuts.
In his budget address on Tuesday, Gov. Chris Christie said 378 school districts in New Jersey would get a funding increase, and no K-12 school's aid would decrease for the 2014 fiscal year.
This message held true for South Brunswick as a district where aid was increased. Barely.
State aid to to the South Brunswick School District went up by $1, according to figures released by the governor's office on Thursday. Middlesex County schools in total saw a boost in aid of about $7.5 million for next year.
South Brunswick will see a total of $23,220,341 in aid for 2013-14. District officials could not immediately be reached for comment after the figures were released Thursday afternoon.
South Brunswick received a more substantial increase last year of about $1.7 million (8.3 percent). In 2011-12, aid to district schools went up by about $1.26 million, but that total was still short of the $6.3 million in aid that was cut in 2010-11.
Gov. Christie's proposed state budget this year includes an increase of $97.3 million in state aid to schools over fiscal year 2013 for a total of about $9 billion.
“Throughout my time in office I have continuously argued that in order to grow New Jersey’s economy we must invest in education, and my proposed budget is a reflection of my commitment to our educational system and communities in Middlesex County and across the state," Gov. Christie said. "The $7,466,917 increase to Middlesex County districts is part of a bold budget that continues to prioritize education and funds schools at the highest levels in New Jersey’s history.
"However, even as we continue to fund education at the highest levels in state history, we must remain willing to reflect on how we are spending our money and work towards solutions that make every dollar we invest count.”
In the county, Cranbury Township and Middlesex County Vocational schools also had a $1 increase, while aid stayed flat for seven other districts. Perth Amboy and New Brunswick had the largest increases of about $2.4 million and $2.3 million, respectively.
South Brunswick had the sixth highest aid total out of 24 districts in Middlesex County. Perth Amboy had the largest allocation at about $159.8 million.
Still of issue for South Brunswick is the final total of aid to the district from the federal government.
South Brunswick may be facing a larger cut in federal aid from sequestration spending cuts set to go into place today (March 1), unless Congress halts the measure.
"My guess is that we have to be prepared for about $160,000 in cuts," said South Brunswick Superintendent Gary McCartney on Monday. "Our rule of thumb is that it will probably be about $80,000 (cut) for every $1 million of federal funds, and we're sitting at around $2 million (in federal funds)."
morrigan
10:21 am on Friday, March 1, 2013
Davey -- is that $1 per student or $1 total?
Davy James
10:21 am on Friday, March 1, 2013
Total
Tugwalla
10:40 am on Friday, March 1, 2013
Gee...Princeton received $24K.....So that means the sequester short fall is ONLY.............$159,999!
I am RIGHT
7:50 pm on Friday, March 1, 2013
Since Christie has the teachers paying more for their health benefits, we should see a LARGE decrease in the budget which should lower property taxes. Where's this money going?
Tugwalla
12:20 pm on Saturday, March 2, 2013
Too many NON teaching positions...do we really need of 60 secretaries, a dozen psychologist and the dozens of "assistant to the assistant to the assistant" type jobs.
LMR
1:33 pm on Sunday, March 3, 2013
All those that think we are getting what lots of money should consider the fact that the LAW says we should be getting $36 million based on the NJ State School Funding Formula, which has been in effect for several years now. Yup, the Governor says oohh South Brunswick, I'm giving you $23.2 Million ... but based on the LAW I'm really suppose to be giving you $36 million...sorry South Brunswick, I'm a little short by $13 MILLION but you'll figure something out....
LMR
1:33 pm on Sunday, March 3, 2013
Also -- Just an fyi....NJ does not have Abbott districts anymore. Those went away in 2008, with the adoption of the State's school funding formula, which provides state aid to school districts all over New Jersey on the basis of the individual needs of the children they educate.
Governor Christie has ignored the school funding formula, even though it is the law. Instead, the Governor has allocated state school funding based on whatever district he wants to fund and has underfunded all of our schools by almost $5 billion since he came into office. This includes the $1.2 billion school underfunding in the FY 2014 budget the Governor just proposed.
The Governor has been clear that he wants to change the Supreme Court so that he can officially change the school funding formula, to allocate less state aid to low-income children and children who are still learning English. Were this not an election year, districts with a concentration of those children would have been even more dramatically underfunded.
Beyond underfunding NJ schools by almost $5 billion, the Christie administration has imposed many unfunded mandates on our schools, increasing what local taxpayers have to spend on everything from high stakes testing to teacher evaluations. Low income, middle income and wealthy districts have all experienced both the onslaught of unfunded mandates and the state funding cuts.
Tugwalla
3:44 pm on Sunday, March 3, 2013
LMR...your comments are excuses and do not address the real issues....in my opinion the SB School District is not looking out for the hard working tax payers instead they are only interested in pleasing the NJEA, maintaining the bloated payrolls and inefficiencies.
LMR
4:55 pm on Sunday, March 3, 2013
Tugwalla.. please --- My comments have nothing to do with your points.. I'm talking apples your talking bananas...I'm not even going to respond to your points
Tugwalla
6:29 pm on Sunday, March 3, 2013
Oh yea....its easier to blame Christie than to address real management issues...
Tugwalla
10:11 pm on Sunday, March 3, 2013
Wake up people.....the Obama administration forces cut to school and healthcare programs while giving a radical anti-American government $250 million!
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_KERRY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-03-03-14-30-49
Barry Nathanson
9:04 am on Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Will only a $1, we are still keeping the budget to a zero tax increase !
Tugwalla
1:32 pm on Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Barry...you should work on reducing our taxes rather than celebrating the current bloated and inefficient status quo!
LMR
9:24 am on Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Yes very happy that there is no tax increase, however, the $1 increase doesn't match the cost of living increase. Christie and Cerf make it sound like they are all for funding education, when in fact they have held back more than $13 million this year alone. It is really amazing how they twist the information to benefit themselves, as do most politicians.