NJ To Get More Equal School Funding?

The New Jersey Senate voted to advance legislation sponsored by Senator Declan O’Scanlon that would exempt certain school districts from state aid cuts.

Sen. Declan O’Scanlon’s bill that would exempt certain school districts from state aid cuts was passed by the New Jersey Senate. (©iStock)

“The Senate voted today to help a local school district that I represent maintain necessary transportation services for their students. Moreover, the Senate showed a bipartisan commitment to stop aid cuts for a struggling school, which is a small, but much-needed step towards reforming New Jersey’s school funding formula,” said O’Scanlon. (R-13). “Republicans have argued for years that the state’s school funding formula needed to be rolled back and reformed to avoid unfair aid cuts and to protect taxpayers. Many schools throughout the state are suffering from the S2 formula and bridging the gap with supplementary funding is not a long-term solution. This legislation would provide assistance to the Freehold Regional School District to ensure that their students do not lose courtesy busing in the coming school year.”

Since 2020, New Jersey has used a controversial school funding formula known as S2, which was created in 2018 to provide an equitable distribution of aid among school districts throughout the state. Republicans have argued that this formula is deeply flawed and believe that it should be fixed to avoid unfair school aid cuts.

“In response to proposed school funding cuts, the Freehold Regional School District voted to eliminate necessary student transportation services to make ends meet,” O’Scanlon noted. “This is a direct reflection on the flawed nature of the S2 school funding formula and should leave no doubt as to why it needs to be reformed.”

In March 2023, it was revealed that nearly 200 school districts were losing funds under the proposed 2024 fiscal budget. To save money in lieu of funding cuts, the Freehold Regional School Board eliminated bus routes for students who live within 2.5 miles of the school.

Senator O’Scanlon’s bill, S-3950, aims to freeze school aid cuts for regional schools that meet certain requirements. To receive an exemption under the bill, the district must be regional and compromised of five or more constituent school districts. Additionally, they must spend 15% less in administrative costs per pupil than the statewide average for regional school districts and have mitigated the costs of regionalization.

The final condition that eligible school districts must meet is to have raised their district taxes up to the maximum limit permitted by law during each of the last five years.

School districts that receive an exemption under the bill would be prohibited from eliminating courtesy busing for students who reside in their district.

“Children should not have to put their lives at risk walking to and from school as they would in the Freehold School District if they were to lose their courtesy busing. This bill restores funding for the district so that they can provide necessary transportation for their students,” O’Scanlon added. “While this bill doesn’t address other school districts that are struggling throughout the state, we have to start somewhere so that we can reach a long-term solution for the state. When you let the little issues pile up, it makes addressing the bigger picture more difficult.”