New jersey school districts can't afford toilet paper under murphy's s2 funding, but state doesn't want to hear sob stories

JACKSON, NJ – According to Jackson School Board President Megan Gardella, at a recent state-hosted hearing with school board leaders from across the state, New Jersey Department of Education officials did not want to hear any sob stories.

“The Department of Education held this hearing to say they didn’t want to hear your sob stories, but if you had suggestions on how S2 funding could be changed to benefit each district.”

Gardella said that many speakers offered suggestions, but it was just an information-gathering session, and those districts will have to wait for the Department of Education to move on those suggestions. That process could take years, if not decades, if the Department of Education’s history is considered.

Among those districts, some said they could not even afford toilet paper.

“Most districts there have a revenue problem,” she said. “Some towns couldn’t afford toilet paper this month. It was story after story about what would happen in the coming school year if the state did not provide relief.”

Jackson is one of many school districts suffering under New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s S2 funding which sends excess funds to underperforming school districts and equitably disburses state tax revenue, according to the governor.

Jackson School Board Business Administrator Dan Baginski said, “Our pleas are falling on deaf ears.”

That equitable funding formula has led to accounting and revenue shortages in Jackson Township, which closed and sold one elementary school, Rosenauer Elementary School. Bais Yaakov of Jackson purchased that school after 62 years of operations. Bais Yaakov was previously denied by the township to build an all-girls high school on Cross Street.

This year, the district is considering selling another school, merging schools, and redistricting its two high schools into one. No plan has been announced yet.

As of this report, the board is still hosting a public meeting to discuss the matter.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.