Dear Collingswood and Oaklyn School Community,
Earlier today, our team joined with leaders in surrounding districts who have been similarly affected by unexpected cuts in state aid. We were fortunate to speak directly for an extended time on a Zoom call with State Senator James Beach, Assemblyman Louis Greenwald, and Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt. We are also meeting with State Senator Nilsa Cruz-Perez early next week.
We were pleased with how much our local legislators already understood about this issue and their commitment to listening and advocating on our behalf. Each of the legislators spoke about support for school funding in an informed way as they were equally surprised and disappointed by these unexpected financial cuts.
Here are our key takeaways from today's call:
· The formula flaw that caused the cuts concerns some percent of change (or increase) in residents' total income in our community, which is unfortunate because those on the call understand and agree that there is no mechanism for this to assist our budget or local tax levy next school year.
· The funding awarded or reduced in NJ School Districts was determined by a mathematical algorithm, with little human review or influence before the figures were released publically.
· There may be an opportunity to recapture some or all of the funds before opening our school doors in September. Public testimony begins in Trenton on Monday, and various strategies will be considered to assist us.
In summary, We are pleased with the time, commitment, and priority our local legislators are dedicating to this. We will keep you informed on this important topic when there is more news to share. Please stay tuned.
Respectfully,
Fred McDowell, Ed.D
Superintendent of Schools