Board attorney says South River currently in favorable position on funding formula; flags proposed bill to change Donaldson hearings

Summary

The board attorney told the South River Board on Nov. 17 that the district is currently ‘on the right side of the funding formula’ but urged monitoring of legislative activity; he described a proposal (referred to in the meeting as 'Senate Bill 4 4 8 8') that would lengthen Donaldson hearings and said the bill had little immediate momentum.

The board's attorney provided a legal update at the Nov. 17 meeting, telling trustees the district is "on the right side of the funding formula" for the current cycle but that lawmakers may revisit distribution rules in the future.

"Right now, we're on the right side of the funding formula, and I'd like you to stay that way," the attorney said, noting uncertainty about whether substantive change would occur. He described a legislative proposal referenced in the meeting as "Senate Bill 4 4 8 8" that would alter Donaldson hearings — the administrative process now used when a non‑tenured employee is not recommended for tenure. The attorney said the bill would make the Donaldson process more elaborate but, at the time of the meeting, "it is nowhere," characterizing its status as having been returned to committee after limited action.

The attorney advised the board to monitor developments but did not recommend specific changes to board practice during the meeting. Trustees asked no follow-up questions on the topic during the session.

The update framed two takeaways for trustees: the district faces no immediate change to funding allocations, and proposed changes to teacher‑tenure hearing procedures may surface in future legislative cycles.