New Jersey's school funding formula could change again, and these parents welcome it

Some South Jersey school districts warn they could be forced to cut positions, increase class sizes, and close schools unless state leaders change the education funding formula that determines how much state aid a district can receive. The warnings come as Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill and her education commissioner, Lily Laux, launched an initiative to explore improvements to the state's funding formula, including hosting online and in-person listening sessions to solicit opinions from families. "I have heard loud and clear since I started that the real consensus is that this isn't working," Laux said. New Jersey's school funding formula includes a mix of federal money, state aid and local property taxes. Property taxes are a key part of the formula, according to Haddon Township Superintendent Robert Fisicaro. As home values in a township rise, the formula demands the local school district take on a bigger share in funding itself. Based on this formula, Fisicaro said, the state slashed the money it provided to his district, which forced him to cut nearly 20 positions and create larger class sizes. "It's very stressful because the goal of school leadership is to provide students with the best experience possible one year after the next," Fisicaro said. "But when you are provided with less resources year after year after year, that makes that challenge almost impossible to do." Some districts have been forced to take drastic steps such as closing schools. Two of Lia Forman's children are adjusting to new routines this school year after Collingswood Public Schools closed their neighborhood school, Garfield Elementary School. "While the transition has been rough for them, they're both doing as well as they can," Forman said. "But it's a lot of disruption, and now the classrooms are a lot bigger." Forman is a member of the New Jersey Fair Funding Collective , which is made up of educators, school board members and parents who are calling for changes to state funding that would account for rising district expenses, including healthcare and transportation costs. Haddon Township Board of Education president Kellie Hinkle said while New Jersey has one of the best funding formulas in the nation, several improvements can still be made. "It all really, truly happens at the state level. It's with the Department of Education, and it's with the state legislature," Hinkle said. "That's where a change can truly happen that actually affects all of our districts, and so that's why we have to direct our energy there." However, she cautioned that a debate over changes can sometimes be delicate. "What happens accidentally in this process is we end up mad at our neighbors, and we pit kids against kids," Hinkle said. "We can't watch ourselves go at each other again." With the state budget already set for this school year, any changes likely won't happen until fall 2027. The Department of Education's next statewide listening session will be held online Thursday at 6 p.m. A link to the session can be found here on the department's website . In: New Jersey Education Featured Local Savings