Jackson school district falls off 'financial cliff', superintendent says

Jackson school district falls off ‘financial cliff’, superintendent says

by
May 9, 2023
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JACKSON, NJ – The Jackson School District is over $12 million short on its 2023-24 budget and is blaming Governor Phil Murphy and his new S2 funding formula for a reduction in state aid.

The district has seen millions of dollars in cuts since 2018-19 as enrollment declines are being penalized heavily by the state’s school funding formula as costs in the district are rising.

Over the past seven years, Superintendent Nicole Pormilli said the district had lost $19 million.

Each year, the district has made operational and staff costs, saying the district is now operating in a ‘cut model’ which is hurting the school district.

“We have reached the fiscal cliff,” She said. “We have lost so much and will lose much more.”

Pormilli said 64 staff members would be cut, bringing the total to 215 since 2018. She announced an increase in class sizes.

She also announced the district would cut the gymnastics and ice hockey. The district will also cut extra-curricular activities and eliminate travel to off-site sports practices.

The district will be taking a $10.2 million interest-free loan from the state of New Jersey. The district is also requesting an additional $4,000,000 via a ballot referendum which voters will decide.

Pormilli also cited an increase in drug use and mental health issues among students. The district is also in need of ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers as more migrant families are settling in Jackson, where the children do not speak English.

She wants to hire six additional guidance counselors to accommodate the growing need for mental health issues in the district.

School board member Tina Kaas blamed Governor Phil Murphy’s claim of ‘giving’ Jackson $4 million earlier this year. Instead she made it clear, the governor was simply giving back small portion of the funding he had taken away from the district under S2.

“This is the best possible outcome of a very bad situation,” board member Giuseppe Palmieri said, adding that the Governor needs to fix the flawed school funding process that is damaging education in Jackson.

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