Princeton council approves shared-services agreement with Board of Education amid school funding pressures

The Mayor and Council of Princeton voted on May 12 to authorize a shared-services agreement with the Princeton Board of Education, advancing the municipal and school district collaboration ahead of a public hearing and implementation steps. Council member Brian McDonald moved the resolution and Council member Mia Sachs seconded; the motion passed by voice vote.

Daphne Kendall, president of the Princeton Board of Education, addressed the council before the vote and described the district’s fiscal pressures: “In April, we were notified that our state aid will be reduced by 3%,” Kendall said, and she warned the district faced the risk of losing “more than a million dollars in federal funding.” She said the majority of the district budget is funded through the local tax levy, which is subject to an annual 2% cap, and that waivers are sometimes available for enrollment growth or increased health care costs but increase taxpayer burden.

Kendall characterized the proposed shared-services agreement as a “meaningful moment” that will provide “critical resources” to the schools and said the agreement reflects “years of thoughtful dialogue and collaboration.” Members of the Board of Education and district interim leadership joined her at the meeting to express gratitude for municipal support.

The council did not provide a detailed budget breakdown during the meeting; the resolution directs the municipal clerk to advertise and schedule any required hearings as part of the agreement’s implementation. The public hearing and formal adoption steps will follow the municipality’s ordinance and budget-adoption processes. No override of the local tax levy cap or alteration to state or federal funding levels occurred at the meeting; the board and council indicated the agreement aims to help the district within the constraints described by Kendall.