Hardyston board sends tentative 2026–27 budget to county after superintendent cites $239,000 shortfall

The Hardyston Township Board of Education approved sending the district's tentative 2026–27 budget to the county for review after a public presentation by Superintendent Dr. Michael Ryder.

Dr. Ryder told the board that even after applying available one-time tools — reserves, an insurance waiver, reserve interest and grant funding — the district faces a roughly $239,000 shortfall that must be closed. "After all of that, you know, using the healthcare waiver, reserve interest, grants, and cap — after all that, we're still $239,000 that need to be cut," he said, explaining why the administration recommended using the bank cap and the insurance waiver as the least-pain option.

The presentation explained how New Jersey's 2% levy cap, banked cap (carryover of unused levy authority) and health-cost waivers interact: a larger levy proposal (the agenda-listed 6.65% figure) largely replaces lost or unstable revenue rather than expanding total district spending, Dr. Ryder said. He added the district's total revenue would increase by about 1.42% despite a higher levy because other revenue streams declined or were unavailable.

Board members repeatedly asked which programs or staff would be cut under the different scenarios. Administration replied that some negotiating and state-aid numbers were not final and that the tentative budget must be submitted to the county, with a final public hearing scheduled for April where line-item changes can be made. "This is the tentative budget that we're sending over," one board official said, noting the board has a month to refine and adopt a final budget.

The board approved the motion to forward the tentative budget and related old-business items in a roll-call vote. The vote moves the process forward while leaving specific reductions to be identified and discussed before the final vote.