Wayne board hears $729,562 state aid boost as officials outline 2025–26 budget timetable

Bill Moffett, the district’s business official, told the Wayne Township Board of Education on March 16 that the district received $729,562 in preliminary state aid for the 2025–26 school year, a figure he described as “good news” but one that remains subject to change during state budget negotiations.

Moffett said the district’s tentative budget incorporates planning assumptions including roughly 3% year‑to‑year increases in employment contracts, projected appropriation pressures on the order of about $9,000,000, an expected tax‑levy increase of roughly 2% (about $3,400,000), and a preliminary estimate of $5,600,000 for health‑care cost adjustments. He said the district is monitoring rising special‑education and transportation costs associated with out‑of‑district placements.

The superintendent’s business official described the procedural timeline: the tentative budget will be finalized at the board’s regular meeting on March 20 and then submitted to the Passaic County office of the New Jersey Department of Education for review. Moffett said the county’s review will take several weeks, with a budget hearing scheduled for May 1 and advertising and public information to follow prior to final adoption.

On public engagement, board members encouraged residents to attend the March 20 public input session. The board noted that any changes to the tentative budget may occur after state guidance or final appropriations are confirmed.

Next steps: the board will consider the tentative budget at its March 20 meeting, submit it for county review, and hold the public hearing May 1 before a final vote.