Schools Gain In Christie's New Budget

Both Warren Township and Watchung Hills Regional school districts will receive some state aid in the 2011-2012 school year to cover some special education costs, according to details from Gov. Chris Christie's proposed budget released today.

The budget includes $345,607 in special education aid for WHRHS. Last year, the district did not receive any funding from the state. Warren Towsnhip schools will receive $526,719, up from $139,398 in the 2010-2011 budget year.

Speaking at Tuesday night's board meeting before the figures were released, WHRHS Superintendent Francis Stromsland would not comment on the impact any aid would have on budgeting until all final numbers had been released, but she said the preliminary budget is about $1 milion above the limit a new state cap sets.

The high school board will begin wrestling with the budget in earnest at a March 1 meeting, with just three days to prepare a budget to submit to the county by March 4.

Warren Township will begin finalizing its proposed budget Monday night, and the district's current working budget is at the 2 percent increase set by the cap. 

Christie promised in his budget address Tuesday every district in the state would see an aid increase—part of a $250 million boost to education aid overall. In Somerset County alone, schools would see an overall increase of nearly $9 million.

Last year, the governor sharply reduced aid to schools, including eliminating aid to both Warren districts. At the time, many districts had been making plans for their budgets based on suggestions of more modest cuts by the state Department of Education.

"I agonized over making cuts to education aid last year," the governor said in his budget address. "They were the very last cuts I approved. It was not a decision I took lightly. It was not something I wanted to do. However, in a year where shared sacrifice was required from everyone, it was a necessary choice."

But he said hard decisions made over the last year allowed for some increase this year. Many districts will still receive less than they did prior to 2010-11, however.

In proposals tied to his budget, the governor is also pushing for reform to tenure, and for public employees to take on much of the cost associated with their benefits. He's also pushing for associated pension reforms. 

"The need for reform, of course, is more urgent than ever. ... We need to reward excellent teachers, put an end to automatic tenure, and give parents trapped in failing schools a choice for a better future for their children. Once and for all, we must reward excellence and there must be consequences for failure. This is the way it is all across America—we must finally bring it to all of New Jersey’s classrooms," Christie said.

The proposed state aid for Somerset County schools is as follows:

2011-12 TOTAL AID