COLD SPRING – At its April 26 meeting, the Lower Township Elementary School Board of Education amended and adopted the 2022-2023 school budget.
John Hansen, school business administrator and board secretary, along with Patricia Ryan, fiscal manager, gave a presentation explaining the details of the $31.3 million budget, which is a slight decrease from the $31.4 million 2021-2022 budget.
Hansen commented that state aid has decreased in the municipality because of lower student enrollment and other factors. However, the preschool expansion grant money will continue to fully fund 21 full-day preschool classrooms.
Hansen stated that currently, Lower Township is one of the only districts in Cape May County offering full-day preschool for all three- and four-year-old children.
One issue of concern, noted Hansen, was that the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds would be ending in June 2023. That federal money is currently being used to fund nine teaching positions.
Also, there are cost-of-living increases, pressures on maintaining part-time workers, and expenses that arise after the budget gets adopted.
School budgets are no longer voted on by New Jersey residents, as long as the budget is at or below the 2% cap.
