Politics & Government

Tri-Boro Schools See Increase in State Aid

Each district to receive more funding in 2011-12.

Kinnelon, Butler and Bloomingdale schools will all see an increase in state aid for the 2011-12 academic year, according to figures released Wednesday by the governor's office.

schools will receive $1,659,977—an increase of $193,793 from this year's allotment of $1,466,184. schools will receive $880,010 in 2011-12, compared to this year's $557,186—an increase of $322,824. schools will receive $1,639,526—an increase of $164,175 from this year's amount of $1,47,351.

Gov. Chris 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 Morris County alone, schools would see an overall increase of more than $13 million.

Find out what's happening in Tri-Borowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Last year, the governor sharply reduced aid to schools, including several in Morris County. Some saw their state aid eliminated entirely. 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."

Find out what's happening in Tri-Borowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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, and is planning to increase the amount of charter schools throughout the state.

"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 governor's reform proposals have been met with opposition by groups including the NJEA, the state's largest teacher's union, which maintains Christie is unfairly burdening teachers and making them out to be the villians in a complex budget crisis. 

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

DISTRICT 2010-2011 TOTAL AID 2011-2012 TOTAL AID CHANGE BOONTON TOWN 462,132 687,399 225,267 BOONTON TWP 131,514 248,756 117,242 BUTLER BORO 1,466,184 1,659,977 193,793 SCH DIST OF THE CHATHAMS 408,719 925,725 517,006 CHESTER TWP 452,272 663,846 211,574 DENVILLE TWP 442,117 705,380 263,263 DOVER TOWN 21,813,913 22,244,483 430,570 EAST HANOVER TWP 165,140 342,753 177,613 FLORHAM PARK BORO 46,581 201,809 155,228 HANOVER PARK REGIONAL 0 292,549 292,549 HANOVER TWP 221,147 446,848 225,701 HARDING TOWNSHIP 0 90,596 90,596 JEFFERSON TWP 14,042,803 14,574,220 531,417 KINNELON BORO 557,186 880,010 322,824 LINCOLN PARK BORO 1,085,964 1,276,800 190,836 MADISON BORO 0 349,346 349,346 MENDHAM BORO 0 92,426 92,426 MENDHAM TWP 2,113 155,501 153,388 MINE HILL TWP 1,920,669 2,106,565 185,896 MONTVILLE TWP 31,267 669,983 638,716 MORRIS COUNTY VOCATIONAL 768,862 931,911 163,049 MORRIS HILLS REGIONAL 4,236,222 4,783,742 547,520 MORRIS PLAINS BORO 177,371 321,544 144,173 MORRIS SCHOOL DISTRICT 3,551,423 4,530,368 978,945 MOUNT ARLINGTON BORO 284,166 385,172 101,006 MOUNT OLIVE TWP 12,846,483 13,583,625 737,142 MOUNTAIN LAKES BORO 0 337,749 337,749 NETCONG BORO 910,622 950,685 40,063 PARSIPPANY-TROY HILLS TWP 1,068,183 2,324,336 1,256,153 LONG HILL TWP 244,088 385,523 141,435 PEQUANNOCK TWP 1,153,148 1,510,366 357,218 RANDOLPH TWP 10,469,646 11,209,526 739,880 RIVERDALE BORO 64,843 129,120 64,277 ROCKAWAY BORO 262,023 334,657 72,634 ROCKAWAY TWP 1,387,892 1,850,409 462,517 ROXBURY TWP 11,467,801 12,131,416 663,615 WASHINGTON TWP 6,757,133 7,166,698 409,565 WEST MORRIS REGIONAL 3,139,647 3,598,240 458,593 WHARTON BORO 2,932,717 3,042,422 109,705


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here