Healthy State Aid Increases Announced for Mendham, Chester Schools

For a second consecutive year state aid for school districts in New Jersey has hit a historic level. The Christie administration announced a record $12.9 billion would go to schools in New Jersey for the 2014-15 school year, and that each district across the board would receive an increase of some kind over last year.

The overall aid makes up 37.5-percent of the state’s $34.4 billion budget, which was presented by Governor Chris Christie on Tuesday. The $12.9 billion amount is an increase of $36.8 million over last year.

Locally, all K-8 districts fared well in the Mendhams and Chesters, seeing between 2-and 5-percent increases.

Mendham Borough will see a 5-percent increase over last year’s aid, a change of $11,960 for a total package of $249,335. Percentage-wise, the increase is good enough for second highest in Morris County behind Madison. 

Mendham Township will see a 3.4-percent increase over last year’s aid, a change of $13,940 for a total package of $430,042.

The Chester School District will receive a 2.2-percent increase over last year’s aid, a change of $22,860 for a total amount of $1,040,382.

The West Morris Regional High School district received a slim increase with a 1.3-percent jump, or $56,060. That brings the regional district’s total aid to $4,425,501.

Two funds received special attention in the school budgeting, according to the administration, including Per-Pupil Growth Aid and PARCC Readiness. The Per-Pupil Growth Aid money “can be used for virtually any general fund budget item. The decision on where to spend these funds will be made at the local level,” according to the governor’s office.

The PARCC Readiness aid was infused to help districts realign core standards for the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers. PARCC testing will replace NJ ASK and HSPA testing by the spring of 2015.

Mendham Borough had $5,980 allocated to each of those funds; Mendham Township had $6,970 allocated to each; and Chester had $11,430 set aside for each category.

West Morris Regional received $28,030 for each category.

All school districts are now required to keep year-over-year costs below a two-percent tax levy increase. If any dollars (not used for health or pension costs) go beyond that threshold, a special vote is needed for the public to approve.