Aid Difference: $634,248 Percentage Aid Change: 5% Aid Per Pupil: $5,839 District Spending for Cap Determination 2008-09: $27,819,353 Adequacy Budget for Cap Determination 2009-10: $30,697,959 Budget Difference: $2,878,606
NJ announces which school districts most deserving of extra dollars
By DIANE D'AMICO Education Writer, 609-272-7241 (Published: Wednesday, March 11, 2009)
TRENTON - School districts with growing enrollments and those spending far below what the state believes is adequate will get more state aid for 2009-2010 based on state aid data released today by the Department of Education.
State aid to all other districts will remain at the same level as 2008-2009, but most districts will also get some extra money from the federal stimulus plan. Districts that plan to expand preschool will also be eligible for state grants to help pay for it.
Based on state aid numbers only, the following districts will get additional state aid:
ATLANTIC COUNTY: Absecon, Atlantic County Institute of Technology, Buena Regional, Egg Harbor Township, Folsom, Greater Egg Harbor Regional, Hamilton Township, Hammonton, Northfield and Somers Point.
CAPE MAY COUNTY: No school districts will get additional aid.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY: Bridgeton, Commercial Township, Deerfield Township, and Lawrence Township.
SOUTHERN OCEAN COUNTY: Lacey Township.
Despite this 5% additional aid which equates to $634,248 in additional aid from the state, Hammonton is still $2,878,606 short in what we should be getting from the State. Our district provides a great education for far below what all of the other districts in the State spend. The State has shorted our kids for many years now, let's hope Gov. Corzine continues his pledge to provide funding under this new formula and continues to give us additional funding each year to catch us up to where we belong. We should be very proud of our BOE, Administration, Teachers, and all of our district employees for the job they are doing.
Do we have enough money now to raise our children's math test scores in our school district? I hope this large increase in state aid from Jon Corzine turns into higher tests scores in our local school district. What plan does the NJEA and Corzine have in place to ensure we are getting some bang for the increase in tax dollars?
We must get increased accountability from the increase in tax dollars. Since the children are financing this increase (the debt in New Jersey has never been higher), we must demand results for this increased expenditure.
