State Aid Cut to Most County Schools; 4 Districts Get Fund Increases

CREST HAVEN – Gov. Phil Murphy recently stated: “After years of neglect, we are turning the page to bring a balanced approach to school aid by removing the growth cap on funding increases and finally beginning the process of fully implementing the state’s school funding formula established in 2008.”
According to the state Department of Education, the state is “Taking significant steps to begin the process of fully and fairly funding New Jersey school districts, the Murphy Administration…released new school funding distribution totals based on increased appropriations and modernizations made to the school funding formula. In total, almost $8.5 billion will be disbursed to the state’s 577 school districts, including an additional $68 million to bring aid in balance for underfunded districts.”
As reported by the Herald July 3, the new formula Murphy spoke of had been dependent on funding provided in the final draft of the state budget that was recently approved.
The state aid formula identifies school districts which are either ”underfunded” or “overfunded” based on recent enrollment data collected by the state.
The new governor introduced the program prior to the 2018-19 state budget negotiations; Senate and Assembly bills were subsequently passed in Trenton.
The Herald examined the data released by the state to learn more about how school districts in Cape May County fared, especially when compared to neighboring counties of Atlantic, Gloucester and Cumberland.
Sampling of County Winners, Losers
In Year 1 of the 7-year Roll Out
Based on the revised school aid formula developed during the state budget negotiations, only five Cape May County School Districts will retain or increase 2018-2019 school aid funding as compared to last year. It should be noted that the new formula will be phased in over a total of seven years; district totals gains or losses over that seven-year period may differ after the completion of the roll out.
Winners in Cape May County
Cape May Technical funding stays the same, while Ocean City gains $144,957 (3.81 percent), West Cape May gains $17,257 (2.74 percent), West Wildwood gains $2,385 (5.88 percent), and Wildwood Crest gains $6,005 (.87percent).
Some Losers in County
Cape May City loses $9,444 (1.69 percent), Cape May Regional loses $311,929 (3.17 percent), Middle Township loses $155,537 (1.17 percent), Dennis Township loses $238,457 (3.95 percent), and Wildwood City loses $113,195 (2.22 percent).
Neighboring Counties
In comparison to Cape May County, other South Jersey counties seemed to fare better than in year one of the seven-year aid plan. Cumberland County’s 15 districts saw 11 districts break even or gain aid, while four districts lost aid.
Gloucester County’s 28 districts saw 19 districts break even or gain, while 10 districts lost funding, and Atlantic County’s 25 districts saw 16 gain aid, while nine districts lost aid.
For complete data for each county, visit the NJ DOE site here.
To contact Jim McCarty, email jmccarty@cmcherald.com.