Red Bank Wants it Fair Share of Increased School Funding

As part of his proposed $32.1 billion budget for the next fiscal year, Gov. Chris Christie included a more than $200 million increase in school aid. Now, districts are waiting and wondering what that will mean in terms of increased funding at the local level.

In Red Bank, school board officials are hoping the budget increase results in the borough’s school district getting its fair share. What, exactly, the borough’s fair share is remains to be seen. For years Red Bank has operated with a budget well under state adequacy rates, an issue that has drawn the attention of local and state legislators. That, compounded with the borough’s growing population, has board members hoping for the best.

“We have a lot more demand on our system now,” Board Vice President Ben Forest said at Tuesday’s board meeting. “The state has got to do something to help this district. We can’t go to the taxpayers for help anymore, because it’s illegal."

Illegal is in reference to Christie’s mandated 2 percent budget increase cap imposed on local municipalities and school districts. Red Bank School District has been able to operate within the cap thanks to cut backs and, more recently, burning through its entire available surplus, leaving it without a reserve fund in case of emergency.

Red Bank’s school budget for 2011-12 is just over $19 million, with a local tax levy of approximately $12.26 million.

In addition to census reports which indicate that Red Bank’s population has grown about 18 percent over the last decade, the school population has also grown. For the first time in the district’s history a single class exceeded the 100-student mark when the fourth grade class entered Red Bank Middle School with 101 students. A recent report has also found that attrition among the school population is way down over the past 10 years, indicating that more families are living in Red Bank and choosing to have their students educated here.

“As a parent, I must say I’m very happy with this district,” Forest said. “I think we’ve made a lot of progress in the past 10 years.”

Local school districts will likely find out home much their state aid will increase within the next couple of days. Until then, Red Bank is hoping it’s on par with the district’s growth.