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Bound Brook Board adopts $62.73 million 2025-26 school budget
Summary
The Bound Brook Board of Education adopted its 2025-26 final budget that totals $62,731,078, including a $14,244,882 local tax levy; board members voted unanimously after a brief presentation and no public comment.
The Bound Brook Board of Education on its April meeting adopted a $62,731,078 final general fund budget for the 2025–26 school year, with a local tax levy of $14,244,882.
Superintendent Dr. Freeman presented the budget and described it as designed to support the district's goals and accommodate steady enrollment growth. "This budget is designed to support all of those goals and initiatives with financial resources that we were provided by the state and the local taxpayers," Dr. Freeman said during the presentation.
The board said the final budget mirrors the tentative budget adopted earlier in the year and that no substantive changes were proposed by administrators or members of the public. Dr. Freeman noted the district is adding capacity and resources to serve what he described as an increase of roughly 75 students annually and called the budget a multi-year effort to close an "under adequacy" funding gap compared with the state model.
Key line items cited in the presentation include: a general fund allocation reported in the meeting text as $58,000,000 (presentation transcript contains formatting artifacts), a final combined budget total of $62,731,078, special revenue funds of $3,074,533, and debt service budget of $1,633,263 with a debt service tax levy of $762,773. The district said 2,000,000 dollars are allocated toward capital projects and $900,000 for new equipment.
The presentation identified program and staffing changes included in the budget: a modular classroom addition at Lamont School funded in part by a PEA grant (noted as expected to be ready by Jan. 1, 2026); six additional staff positions (one bilingual math teacher, three high school teachers in math, science and social studies, and two special education teachers); and expanded bilingual and special-education resources. Health insurance cost projections were negotiated down from an initial 19.5% estimate to about 12.5% in the board's projection after bargaining and review.
As part of the resolution, the board established a school-district travel maximum of $57,500 for 2025–26 pursuant to board policy and NJ administrative code language recited in the motion. After the public hearing (no public speakers), the board voted on the final adoption: Ms. High made the motion; Mr. Dawson seconded. Roll-call votes recorded in the transcript show the motion passed unanimously.
The board asked the superintendent and business administrator/board secretary to file required documents with the executive county superintendent. Board members praised administrators and cited the process as collaborative and districtwide.
Votes at the meeting were recorded as "yes" by board members present in the roll call that followed the public hearing and prior to the motion's announcement of passage.
