Auditor gives West Orange Public Schools a clean audit while residents and trustees warn of a likely $10 million-plus budget gap

Robert Hague, the district’s external financial auditor, told the West Orange Board of Education that the district received unmodified (clean) audit opinions for the 2024–25 fiscal year and reported a year-end surplus of $7.8 million.

Hague said the district drew down about $3.5 million from capital reserve during the year to complete projects and replenished roughly $1.5 million through unexpended funds and additional revenue. He described three separate audit opinions — for financial statements, government auditing standards (internal controls) and the single-audit for federal grants — and said none required lowering the level of assurance. "You receive that what we call a clean opinion or unmodified opinion," he said, noting the district had eight recommendations in the auditor’s management report, including two significant deficiencies and one repeat finding from the previous year.

Superintendent Moore said administration will provide a corrective-action plan to address the auditor’s recommendations. Moore also presented a short harassment, intimidation and bullying (HIB) report, saying four incidents were investigated during the year and one was founded.

During public comment, resident Adam Kramer questioned the timeliness of the district’s financial reports and noted figures from the audit: total revenues of $239,130,340 and enrollment of about 6,054, which Kramer calculated as roughly $34,000 per pupil and asked why West Orange’s per-pupil spending appears high relative to peers. Kramer asked whether data released with a two-month lag could hide recent developments that would change the district’s outlook.

Emily Pease, speaking for West Orange Parents for Education, said the group expects a $10 million-plus deficit in the coming budget cycle unless state funding changes, and urged the district to provide greater transparency on transportation costs and routing so families can help identify savings. "We are worried that with all the great diversity of course offering and programming, it won't be around by the time our children in elementary school make it to the high school," she said, urging collaboration with state legislators and clearer communication to caregivers.

Board members and President Rock emphasized that a structural budget gap is not synonymous with mismanagement and pointed to rising health-care and transportation costs and the state tax-cap as drivers of the deficit. Rock said the final size of any shortfall will depend on the governor’s budget address expected in early March and pledged continued projections work and community engagement. He said state rules limit the amount of unassigned surplus the district may retain and that excess will be treated as revenue in the 2026–27 budget cycle.

Next steps: the board will continue budget projections as state funding becomes clearer and will present options during the budget process; administration will supply the board with a corrective-action plan addressing the auditor’s recommendations.