Public pre-K-12 education represents a cornerstone of community health. A thriving community needs a thriving education system. The quality of the education system available to residents is directly related to the attractiveness of an area to young families with children.
It is time to confront the fact that the education being offered to our students in Cape May County does not measure up to what is offered elsewhere in the state. It is time to realize that this circumstance is not doing well by our students, who graduate on average with fewer skills and fewer opportunities than their counterparts elsewhere in New Jersey.
Cape May County has 16 operating school districts, 3 non-operating districts, 13 school superintendents, 31 separate schools within those districts and roughly 12,000 total student enrollment. County residents pay close to $200 million in school tax levies, and the state provides $42.5 million in aid to the county’s districts.
We annually hear that education quality in this county is affected by the reductions in state aid that have been occurring in yearly increments since the passage of Senate Bill 2 in 2018. Overall, the county lost $23 million in state aid over seven years.
The state had hoped to drive more school districts to seriously consider consolidation. There are more than 600 local education boards in the state. In Cape May County fewer than a handful of feasibility studies were undertaken, and their results dismissed. Nothing changed in terms of the structure of districts.
One thing that did change was the state’s way of coping with its cuts to education in the municipalities. A new program was established that allows the state to override the will of a district’s voters and impose a tax levy increase that is over the limits that otherwise are set by the state’s own levy cap.
Let’s unpack that sentence with one example from the county.
The Dennis Township School District made cuts in response to declining state aid but maintained that those cuts in programs and services had done harm to the quality of the education the district provided to its students. Twice the school board went directly to the voters with ballot questions asking for an above-the-cap increase in the tax levy. Twice the voters said no.
The new state program is allowing the school board to add $1.8 million to the school tax levy without voter approval – but not only without voter approval, it’s being done in the face of strong voter opposition.
Dennis did participate in a feasibility study of potential consolidation of its school district with Woodbine and Middle Township, but the study went nowhere and never received much public exposure.
This is just one case. Voters in Middle Township also rejected a plan by the township school district for a $26 million bond issue that would have significantly increased the school tax levy.
The problem goes beyond the cost of supporting the structure of education in our small county. Quality is at issue as well.
Many county school districts have consistently scored below state standards in performance testing, according to 2023 scores for English language arts and mathematics. Of the 15 operating school districts (not counting the Special Services district), 10 districts scored below standards in both English and math.
A scoring system was developed by the state to report on an array of issues, including performance, graduation rates, student growth, absenteeism and other factors. In terms of those scores the majority of county school systems do not rate well.
We can certainly debate the measuring sticks being used, but at some point we need to accept that the relative standing on various measures tells us something about the performance of our schools.
Using rating scores for the 2023-2024 school year in the county’s five high schools, we get a sense of the reality. Some 358 state high schools received rating scores. In Cape May County Ocean City High School ranked 134 out 358. The county technical high school was 176. Middle Township was 302, Lower Cape May Regional 317 and Wildwood High School 327.
There is a reality here that must be faced both in terms of cost and performance.
It is time for a thorough review of the structure, financing, educational programming and quality of elementary and secondary education in this county. It is a review that needs substantial public input. It must examine workforce needs and student skills for after graduation. It must look at helping to stem the flight of young families from the county.
We need to unite behind a common understanding that the status quo is not acceptable.
Quotes From the Bible
“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” — Proverbs 4:7
Relevance: Underscores the value of wisdom and understanding – worth any price – justifying strong investment in education.
