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Council liaison says lower school seeks four classrooms as enrollment rises; cites high special-needs costs
Summary
A council liaison reported a preliminary plan to add four classrooms and two group rooms to the lower school after a 69-student enrollment increase since 2023, noting that roughly 49% of the increase require special-needs services and stating an estimated per-student cost of about $300,000 per year.
At the Borough of Old Tappan Mayor & Council Sine Die meeting, the council liaison reported that a preliminary study proposes increasing the lower school’s footprint by "4 additional classrooms and 2 group rooms," and that the board of education approved architectural plans on Nov. 10.
The liaison said the district still needs state Department of Education approvals before the school will appear before the planning board; if approvals proceed, officials are targeting a planning-board presentation in January or February and hope to break ground by June or July. "They're thinking January, February, because they really would like to break ground by June or July," the council liaison said.
The liaison told council members the district has seen an enrollment increase of 69 students from 2023 through Oct. 31, and said "close to 49 percent" of that increase involve students who require special-needs services. In response to follow-up questions, the liaison said some of those students have to be placed out of district and provided an estimated cost: "Per student, per year is about $300,000." The liaison did not provide supporting documentation in the meeting record for that figure.
Council members asked about total student counts and whether the town shares any costs. The liaison said total enrollment across the district’s lower and other schools is nearing about 800 students and stated that taxpayers ultimately bear related costs. A council member asked whether the borough would split additional costs; the liaison answered that taxpayers pay.
