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Watchung Hills board members warn transportation and out-of-district tuition costs are straining district budget
Summary
Board members described transportation and special-education tuition costs as rising and potentially unsustainable, noting possible relief from changes to the state school funding formula but saying transportation costs are largely unreimbursed under current practice.
Board members flagged transportation and out-of-district special-education tuition as major cost drivers for the Watchung Hills Regional High School District during discussion on consent items covering contracts and budget-related approvals.
A board member said transportation is an “incredible amount of money” for the district and urged continued attention to the cost center. Another board member noted the state school funding formula is under review and that possible updates could increase reimbursement for special-education tuition and related services; the board discussed “extraordinary aid” applications and noted that transportation costs are typically not fully reimbursed under existing formula provisions.
During the discussion a figure was mentioned that out-of-district placements can cost “well over $100,000” per student when tuition and transportation are combined; the meeting transcript records the board calling those amounts “brutal” and said the district has reached a pressure point as tuition and transportation costs rise.
Board members said proposed changes to the state funding formula could include earlier release of budget numbers to districts and closer adherence to existing reimbursement formulas for special-education transportation. No binding plan or policy change was adopted during the meeting; the board recorded the concerns during the roll-call votes approving related consent items.
