Schools

Township Proposes $800K Cut To School Budget

The Township Committee School Budget Subcommittee released a report today specifying recommended cuts.

The Township Committee School Budget Subcommittee released a report around 5 p.m. today proposing an additional $800,000 in cuts to the 2010-11 school budget.

Defeated in the April 20 elections, the budget is currently being reviewed by the Township Committee, who will submit a new total budget number to the district for the upcoming school year. The committee will meet on Monday, May 10 at 8 p.m. to hear public comment and make the final decision on cuts.

The recommendation would adjust the tax levy increase for the upcoming year from the originally proposed 5.07 percent to 3.93 percent. The recommended cuts also do not call for any reduction in school programming, but rather aim at a district-wide salary freeze for teachers. The report says, "It is the opinion of the subcommittee that barring legal action at the state level and with the successful resolution of the collective bargaining process, no further program cuts will be necessary for the 2010-2011 school year."

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While township officials do not have the authority to specify what gets cut in the budget, they are required to provide suggestions. Among the recommended cuts are:

  • Bernards Township Education Association (BTEA) salary freeze – $600,000
  • Athletic and Extracurricular Salary Freeze – $50,000
  • Wage reductions to non-union employees – $15,000
  • Textbooks – $25,000
  • Other retirement benefits (reducing PERS pension payment estimate) – $20,000
  • Elimination of one data technician position – $40,000

A salary freeze for district teacher's can only be reached through the negotiations, which are currently at an impasse between the BTEA and the school district. The Township Committee's report says, "Salary and benefit increases beyond the rate of inflation and at or beyond the cap are not sustainable. ... Please note that this must be negotiated between the Board of Education and the BTEA. If they cannot reach an agreement in a timely manner this reduction may result in other program or staffing reductions."

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The committee's report specifically recommends that a variety of schools programs and administrative structures be left untouched. The nine-period day, full-day kindergarten and the "pay-to-play" extracurricular activities model are all defended, as well as curriculum supervisors and assistant principal positions at the elementary school.

The district's concern over future funding deficits was also addressed in the report, which included a variety of technical suggestions to reduce the cost of benefits and transportation to the district. The largest target for future reductions are state mandates that the district must fund, many of which do not help the students in Bernards, according to the report. "The Board of Education is forced to spend large sums to comply with state mandates. The Township supports the BOE in pushing for legislative solutions to abolish mandates that require expenditures without serving to educate our young people.  To this end, the Township has requested from the BOE a listing of such mandates; the Township commits to help the BOE in such a fight," the report states.

The full report can be read on the township's website.


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