CLERMONT – Dennis Township Board of Education (BOE) passed a resolution, April 27, that will result in more crowded classrooms in the new school year, pending the results of the Nov. 7 school election, when the next budget and special questions come up for a vote.
The BOE voted 8-1 to approve the resolution that will eliminate some teaching positions for the 2023-2024 school year, resulting in fewer classrooms with more students per room, unless voters agree to increase funding in the Nov. 7 election.
In a presentation before the public, the district’s Chief School Administrator Susan Spiers and Business Administrator Teri Weeks made the case for passing a special question that would raise another $1 million in school taxes but would preserve the smaller classroom size.
Both the administration and members of the public said there was a benefit to having fewer students in a class. The Dennis Township Education Association (DTEA) gave a slideshow presentation prior to the administration’s talk, illustrating what classrooms would look like with, for example, 33 students as opposed to 22.
The administration’s presentation said research validates the benefits of smaller classrooms, which allow more individual attention resulting in better grades and fewer disciplinary issues.
“Students who are in smaller classrooms are ahead of their peers,” Spiers said.
Special Questions Ask for More School Funding
The district is asking for another $1,084,976 to maintain smaller class sizes in grades K-5, preserve instructional programs and support services and after-school programs, including clubs and sports.
A second special question asks for $266,782 to preserve courtesy bussing for students who live within 2 miles of school at both the primary and elementary/middle schools. The bussing was touted as not only promoting student safety, but also improving attendance rates.
The disagreement between the school administration and the public, which included former and current teachers, is about who is responsible for job losses among teachers in the Dennis Township School District.
Spiers pointed to the School Funding Reform Act passed in 2018, commonly known as S–2. The act was part of Gov. Phil Murphy’s desire to make school funding more equitable and eliminate adjustment aid and state aid growth limit. What it means is some districts would receive less state aid while other districts would receive more.
State Aid ‘Hurricane’
For the past five years, New Jersey school districts have been faced with the loss of state aid based on the S–2 formula. In fiscal year 2020, Dennis Township faced a reduction of $588,987, followed by a loss of $906,587 in 2021. For the next two years, state aid was reduced by more than $1 million, including $1,122,9986 in fiscal year 2022 and $1,051,661 in fiscal year 2023.
The district has an estimated reduction in state aid for fiscal year 2024 of $653,942 and a reduction of $206,508 for fiscal year 2025. A recap of revenues for the 2023-2024 fiscal year showed a 48% reduction in state aid from 2022-2023.
“How did we get to the point where our budget is so short?” Spiers asked.
She likened the reductions to a hurricane coming, in which preparations were made but the storm still came.
She said they knew S-2 was making cuts in state aid and the district responded in kind by making cuts and reducing staff levels through attrition.
At the same time, she said, contractual costs have increased, the minimum wage has increased, the cost of health benefits for employers has increased, as well as other cost-of-living increases, such as the cost of fuel.
The district also pays more for out-of-district placements, meaning tuition and transportation costs to send students to Middle Township High School or the Cape May County Technical School.
“This year, we are losing $555,000,” Spiers said. “It’s a huge loss for the district.”
Spiers said the district “put down sandbags” to prepare for the “hurricane,” and they have done a lot to keep costs down. She said Dennis Township is number 17 out of 63 similar school districts, spending $16,724 per student in the 2021-2022 fiscal year, which was below the state average of $19,060 per student.
Dennis Township’s per-student cost was well below Stone Harbor ($24,781 per student) and North Wildwood ($44,441 per student) in the same year and below neighboring Woodbine ($18,380). Still, the situation has become more dire for the district.
“We are dipping into our savings,” Spiers said.
Referring to Dennis Township running buses for other districts, including Woodbine and the Special Services School District, the Dennis Township School District has been able to bring in some revenue, but not nearly enough.
“We are able to do things to bring in revenue and make it a little better, but it’s not enough,” Spiers said. “We’re trying hard not to cut staff.”
Jobs on the Chopping Block
That argument did not fly with some members of the public, or even with Board of Education member Joseph Berg. While saying the BOE and administration did the best they could, he voted against the resolution that called for reduced staff and larger classrooms.
Members of the public feel the school district is looking at cutting costs at the expense of teachers and students.
“At this time, we do not anticipate any more reductions,” Spiers said, adding, “We hope to be able to bring some staff members back. If the separate question passes, we likely will be able to bring most, if not all, of the positions back.”
Members of the public expressed dissatisfaction with the loss of teachers.
“I can’t understand why teachers’ jobs were the first thing on the chopping block,” said Kimberly Holman, who retired after 33 years in the district.
Holman said it was disconcerting that the district planned to reduce the number of teachers.
According to Spiers, the district eliminated three part-time and five full-time teaching positions and three instructional aide positions.
“Why do staff members have to carry the burden of the budget?” Holman said.
Holman said she has been hearing about the reductions to state aid for five years and heard the administration saying it would get worse.
“I said you need to cut costs. I have not seen any urgency on your part,” she said.
Holman addressed the board members directly, saying, “Your goal as board members is to put the children first. How does cutting teachers accomplish that goal?”
Kathy Pittaluga, a recently retired school social worker, echoed Holman’s comments.
“You did not heed the warning to cut spending,” she said. “The administration and board failed to plan.”
“The answer is not for you to go to taxpayers. You need to take responsibility and make the hard decisions,” Pittaluga added.
Pittaluga characterized the district as showing irresponsible spending and irresponsible leadership.
Another resident said the district was trying to impose a zero wage increase to help cut costs.
“Is the administration going to take a 0% increase?” he asked.
He said the idea of sharing the district’s buses to raise revenue was counterproductive due to the extra wear and tear on the buses.
With the resolution passed, some teachers will see their job eliminated for the 2023-2024 school year.
BOE Vice President Mary Kate Garry said informing them now would give the teachers the opportunity to look for other employment rather than losing their jobs in November when other districts had full staffs.
Teachers could be hired to fill the vacant positions if the special question passes. The question would also include funding for boys and girls basketball, soccer, Primary Yearbook Club, Future Educators Club, Stage Band, and assistant Hawkette advisor. An outside source has agreed to contribute funding for field hockey, which is about $5,000 for the season.
Contact the author, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com.
