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Board hears 2026–27 budget preview and 2024–25 graduation data; officials cite enrollment, state aid and portfolio graduation pathways
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Summary
District staff presented the proposed 2026–27 budget—about $535 million with a reported 6% state aid increase—and submitted graduation data showing 881 total graduates (802 district daytime graduates) and high reliance on portfolio and alternate pathways rather than the state proficiency assessment.
The Trenton Board of Education received a detailed budget briefing and a graduation data report at its April 27 meeting.
Budget: Assistant business administrator Shawn Mitchell told trustees the district projects a roughly 6% increase in state aid (cited as about $23.9 million) for 2026–27. The presenters showed a proposed overall budget of about $535 million for the coming year, with state aid representing the single largest revenue source (reported at roughly 79% of revenue). The presentation noted a projected reduction in grant carryover funding (budgeted at 75% of current-year levels when carryover cannot be guaranteed) and described planned increases to school-based budgets and facility projects.
Facilities: Facilities administrator Dwayne Mosley reviewed routine maintenance and capital priorities—roofing, window replacement, playgrounds, HVAC rooftop replacements at PJ Hill—and said planned routine/required maintenance totaled about $9 million.
Graduation data: District data staff presented the 2024–25 submitted graduation statistics. The district reported 881 graduates in total (including twilight/adult programs) and 802 daytime district graduates. The report showed that many students used alternate pathways—portfolio appeals or substitute competency tests (ACCUPLACER/PSAT/SAT/ACT)—to meet graduation requirements; the New Jersey proficiency assessment cut score was listed as 725 for ELA and math. The presenters said 156 cohort members were counted as not graduating in the district report; however, the district reported zero students denied graduation solely because of failure to meet assessment requirements, noting many of the 156 were marked due to absenteeism, transfers, or other administrative coding issues. Staff said they are working to improve data and transfer coding to reduce miscoding that can count students against the cohort.
Board members asked a range of technical questions about the city tax levy share, equalization aid, grant budgeting assumptions, the composition of school-based budgets, and steps to increase the number of students who meet the proficiency assessment on the first try. Trustees asked staff to return with trend data and further analysis of pathway usage and cohort coding.
Ending: The budget briefing served as the public hearing step in the budget process; the county superintendent had already approved the proposed budget package pending board adoption. The district will continue budget refinement before the adoption vote.
