COURT HOUSE – Not long after announcing the latest cuts to adjustment aid in the projected fiscal year 2024 state aid to school districts, the state is moving rapidly to restore some of that funding.
In Cape May County, the cuts in fiscal year 2024 funding amounted to $5.6 million across nine local school districts. Nine other districts in the county would see funding remain unchanged or increased by a total of $2.1 million.
Immediately following the state Department of Education announcement of district state aid for fiscal year 2024, an uproar was heard from approximately 160 districts that stood to lose funding in comparison to fiscal year 2023 levels.
Faced with challenges augmented by the pandemic and learning disruptions, some school districts were scheduled for double-digit declines in the percentage of state funding year to year.
The bill in the Legislature is moving rapidly. Introduced March 16, the bill made it through committees and was passed by the full Senate unanimously by March 20. The bill was then referred to the Assembly where quick passage is also expected.
According to the draft of the bill now in the Assembly, the following state districts would be able to apply for specific amounts. One district, Cape May, is listed in the bill for a funding restoration, even though the district did see a slight increase rather than a loss in the fiscal year 2024 budget.
The amounts do not restore all of the potential funding lost under the formula driven budget but they do ease the burden for fiscal year 2024:
Cape May – $1,874
Cape May Point – $2,730
Dennis Township – $365,234
Lower Cape May Regional – $49,982
Lower Township – $658,502
North Wildwood – $37,322
Sea Isle City – $10,826
Upper Township – $937,275
Wildwood – $1,412,376
Wildwood Crest – $20,351
The bill provides that those districts subject to reduction in state school aid “shall receive an additional one-time only amount of Supplementary Stabilization Aid in the 2023-2024 school year.” A total of 161 districts are eligible for this one-time stabilization aid.
Additionally, each district that receives the funding will be required to submit “a written plan explaining how the district will allocate these funds and how the district will fund operations in future school years in which the district does not receive Stabilization Aid or similar Supplemental Stabilization Aid.”
Contact the author, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.
