SCHOOL BOARD GIVES FIRST APPROVAL TO $119.7 MILLION BUDGET

The Board of Education Monday night voted unanimously, 9-0, to give preliminary approval to the 2014-2015 school district budget.

The $119.7 million budget includes a 2.03% tax increase and the elimination of 15.5 full-time jobs -- including six special education positions. The budget now goes to the county superintendent for review and will be considered again at the April 28 school board meeting for final approval.

A district summary is below:

The 2014-2015 budget proposes a total expenditure of $119,765,545 and was developed to support the district goals set by the Board of Education. These goals are set annually and are designed to help the district continue to build momentum in enhancing student learning, strengthening teaching, engaging parents as partners, operating more efficiently, and doing more with less.

The guiding principle of the budget development is the alignment of the budget to district goals and strategy, and reining in spending on major cost drivers, as specified in District Goal Four. More information is available in the PowerPoint Presentations from the March 11 Community Forum and March 4 Board meeting.

 

Expenditure Reductions

The budget calls for reductions in both personnel and non-personnel areas. Superintendent Osborne characterized these reductions as painful but necessary given that cost drivers beyond the district’s immediate control continue to rise at a rate well in excess of the state-permitted increase in the annual tax levy. He also emphasized the level of tax stress felt by local residents as an ongoing constraint on spending and one reason why he was recommending a 2% tax increase, despite an additional $1,886,183 in taxing authority granted by the State of New Jersey due to enrollment and health care adjustments for the current year, and banked cap from the prior three years.

District administrators worked collaboratively to prune the budget, always focused on the need to continue building momentum in student learning by resourcing schools and instruction.

Non-personnel reductions totaling $855,000 include efficiencies in summer programs, professional development, electronic reporting, maintenance spending, professional services, and energy usage.

The budget will result in the net elimination of 15.5 employees for a total budget reduction of $1,275,000.

Positions slated for elimination include:

• 1 Child Study Team member
• 1 Secretary
• 0.5 Transportation Personnel
• 2 Elementary Enrichment Teachers (1 Gifted & Talented Teacher added)
• 4 CHS Teaching Staff
• 2 Elementary Specials Teachers
• 6 Special Education Teaching Staff

Local Tax Impact
The budget proposes a total expenditure of $119,765,545, with a total school tax levy for the operating budget of $106,563,115 and $3,999,551for the debt service budget. This represents an increase over last year in the school tax levy of $2,201,202, or 2.03% in percentage terms. Of that, 2% is attributable to increases in the operating budget, with the remaining .03% slated to cover the increase in annual debt service.