Here’s how Murphy’s $9.3B NJ schools budget will affect aid in your district – NorthJersey.com

Two-thirds ofNew Jerseydistricts would see their state aid rise in the coming academic year under Gov. Phil Murphy’s $9.26 billion spending plan for K-12 schools, according to state figures released Thursday.

Murphy said aid would rise 7% from last year, when the Democrat chose to forego $336 million in new funding after the coronavirus walloped state revenue. With state finances now looking better than feared, Murphy said New Jersey could afford more money for districts to help with property tax burdens, historically underfunded schools and mental health and academic support related to the pandemic.

“As we rapidly approach one year – it’s hard to believe – since COVID-19 first disrupted our students’ learning, this investment is about ensuring they are not left out or left alone,” Murphy said at a news conference at the Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Fair Lawn. “We know the learning loss is real.”

“There are students, whether they be here in Fair Lawn and other districts in Bergen County, or anywhere in the state, who have fallen behind in studies during this time of remote and hybrid learning.”

For North Jersey, the overall aid picture is promising. Every district in Bergen and Essex counties will get a boost, except for two where it will remain the same. But a dozen in Passaic and Morris will see their aid cut.

Look up your district’s proposed school aid here 

In some local districts, the year-to-year increase is significant. Fair Lawn, for instance, would get $11.7 million from the state, a 53-percent, $4.02 million increase.

Nick Norcia, Fair Lawn’s superintendent, said extra funding would help schools to address academic and mental health needs brought on by the pandemic. The K-12 district, which is operating on a hybrid school schedule, has had a steady rise in enrollment over the past decade, he said.

“Our first priority is to get our kids back in school five days a week, full time,” Norcia said. “That’s everybody’s priority. We know this is going to be an uphill battle with all the back and forth in schools. We’re going to look at how can we put that money to good use with our students to get everybody caught up to where they should be.”

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Murphy’s budget plan for fiscal year 2022, which starts July 1, brings him closer to his campaign pledge of reaching full funding for schools under the law. Funding remained nearly flat during the eight years of the prior administration of Gov. Chris Christie. If the proposal is approved by the state Legislature, school funding will have increased by more than 14% since Murphy took office in 2018.

Extra aid to districts could help municipalities offset local property taxes, which are the biggest source of revenue for school funding, said Murphy, who’s facing re-election this year.

Still, the budget would continue the administration’s move the last two years of cuts to smaller and rural districts that have seen their enrollments decline. 

In Passaic County, districts that could lose funding are Bloomingdale, Ringwood, Wanaque, Lakeland Regional and West Milford.

In Morris, they are Mine Hill, West Morris, Rockaway borough, Roxbury, Randolph, Washington and Jefferson.

These districts have largely lost out in previous years of the Murphy administration, as the state has updated its funding levels to address enrollment changes and historic inequities that officials say led to overpayments to some districts and underfunding in others.

Hugh Beattie, Lakeland Regional High School superintendent, said the budget will be carefully examined following a proposed cut of nearly 17% for the 2021-22 years. The school serves students from Wanaque and Ringwood in Passaic County. 

“It seems that the powers that be have continued to decimate northern Passaic County and much of Sussex County, yet again,” Beattie said. “There has to be a better way to fund education in New Jersey.”

The aid for K-12 schools is part of a larger $44.8 billion spending plan that was unveiled earlier this week. The plan also includes $924 million in funding, an increase of nearly $50 million, to expand access to preschool in school districts.

The budget also continues the Supplemental Wraparound Program, $4.5 million to assist lower-income families with before- and after-school child care. 

Murphy’s plan also aims to fully fund the pension system for the first time in 25 years, by putting $6.4 billion into the pension system to cover next year and years of delinquent payments.

Staff writers Stacey Barchenger and David Zimmer contributed to this report.