West Orange board urges state to make school funding more transparent and predictable

The West Orange Board of Education on Dec. 15 unanimously adopted a resolution urging the New Jersey Legislature to increase transparency and predictability in the state school funding formula, including earlier release of preliminary aid figures and stronger support for special-education costs.

President Rock told the board the resolution references two bills “A5966 and S4855,” which he said would, among other changes, cap how quickly a district’s local fair share can increase year to year and require the state Department of Education to publish a December preliminary aid figure that the commissioner could only increase (not reduce) later. “That would benefit us and give us more stability in terms of how much aid West Orange could expect,” Rock said.

The resolution also endorses continuing a shift to allocate special-education funding based on a district’s actual enrollment and calls for a phased increase to fully fund extraordinary aid — the program that reimburses districts when the cost for a single special-education placement exceeds statutory thresholds. Rock described the current thresholds in place and said the board wants the state to increase the extraordinary-aid appropriation year over year with the goal of full funding.

Board member Stevenson, who led the policy committee discussion earlier in the meeting, praised the resolution and the district’s outreach to legislators. “We can only control what’s in our control,” Stevenson said, urging public engagement with senators and assembly members on the bills.

The board moved and the roll-call vote recorded ‘yes’ from all members present (Doctor Bryant; Mister Stevenson; Miss Vera; Vice President Ipker; President Rock). The resolution accompanies a request the district encouraged community members to support the bills and contact their state representatives.

The board also approved earlier-considered consent items at the same meeting, including personnel actions, curriculum and finance items, and an updated school calendar. Among funding notes President Rock cited earlier in the meeting, the district reported receiving $300,000 in supplemental state appropriations this year; $123,850 of that allocation has been applied to a boiler replacement project at the high school.

Next steps: The resolution is a formal request; it does not change district policy. Any statutory change would require action by the state legislature and the commissioner of education.