Bill to help school districts with state aid cuts passes state Assembly
TRENTON - A bill to appropriate $71.4 million to help school districts close budget gaps caused by reductions in state aid has passed the state Assembly.
The vote on the bill, co-sponsored by District 16 Assembly members Roy Freiman and Mitchelle Drulis, was approved Monday by a 52-20 vote.
A similar bill in the State Senate sponsored by State Sen. Andrew Zwicker (D-District 16) and State Sen. Patrick Diegnan (D-District 18) has been referred to the State Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.
“We know that even in the midst of unprecedented school aid and investment in education, many districts are losing state aid,” Freiman said. “This bill recognizes the need to act swiftly, as some school districts are already working on budgetary decisions. Delays in our response could result in devastating staff cuts being implemented that could otherwise be avoided.”
The bill creates a one-time Stabilized School Budget Aid Grant Program in the state Department of Education to provide money to eligible school districts that apply to the program after verifying a reduction in state aid.
More: Central Jersey Democrats 'outraged' at local school aid funding cuts
The legislation comes as school districts are already submitting tentative budgets to the Department of Education. Finalized budgets must be submitted by May.
Under this bill, eligible school districts that saw a reduction in 2024-2025 school aid could receive up to two-thirds of the reduced amount.
To receive the aid, the school district must not reduce the total number of employees compared to the pre-budget year if student enrollment is expected to remain steady.
The legislation also gives options and flexibility to school districts to determine how they want to further close the financial gap.
“This legislation represents a comprehensive approach to ensuring districts have the funding they need to make smart decisions on the local level,” Drulis said. “We must continue to invest in the future of New Jersey families, particularly in the education of our children, ensuring school districts can plan future budgets without compromising the quality of education they deliver.”
Representatives of both the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) and the New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA) testified in support of the Assembly bill.
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Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Bill to help school districts with state aid cuts passes state Assembly