Hopatcong Schools State Aid Bump Still 'Not Enough'
District sees 2.2-percent increase, still reeling from previous year's large loss.
The Hopatcong School District received an increase in state aid this year, but not nearly enough to make up for the devastating blow it was dealt in funding for the 2012-13 school year.
New Jersey distributed its largest funding of state aid to public schools in history Thursday, giving Hopatcong $11,349,365, a 2.2-percent increase ($247,304) over the previous year.
But that won’t simply make up for the 6.4-percent loss the year prior.
“We are still experiencing the effects of decreased overall funding and were planning for a shortfall in excess of $700,000 overall,” Superintendent Charles Maranzano said in an email to Patch. “The increase of state aid will not allow us to add any additional programs as we are still attempting to make up a loss of $500,000 due to increased spending overall.”
Despite the major shortfall in last year’s budget, no staff was cut in the spending plan.
The 2013-14 aid package is the largest amount ever released by the state, according to the New Jersey Department of Education, with nearly $9 billion going to public schools, an increase of $97.3 million from the previous year.
“Throughout my time in office I have continuously argued that in order to grow New Jersey’s economy we must invest in education, and my proposed budget is a reflection of my commitment to our educational system and communities across the state,” said Governor Chris Christie in a statement. “However, even as we continue to fund education at the highest levels in state history, we must remain willing to reflect on how we are spending our money and work towards solutions that make every dollar we invest count.”
It is also the third consecutive year overall aid has increased, the DOE said.
Tentative budgets are due to county superintendent offices by March 8 for districts that moved their elections to November.
Surenuff
9:26 am on Friday, March 1, 2013
"Sparta Township Schools made off as winners in this year’s funding.
The district received a 4.2-percent increase, or $238,338 more in state aid between the 2012-13 and 2013-14 school years. The total amount for the coming year is $5,877,090."
Can someone explain this to me?? We get more money yet our schools rank lower? Is Sparta actually funding their kids with a lower budget and giving a better education? I'm sorry maybe these are stupid questions, but I'm confused.
Surenuff
9:30 am on Friday, March 1, 2013
Per Pupil Cost Comparisons:
High Point Regional HS $19,212
Vernon Twp $16,592
Lenape Valley Regional HS $15,645
Wallkill Valley Regional HS $15,599
Hopatcong $15,284
Kittatinny Regional HS $15,207
Newton $14,701
Sparta Twp $13,707
Pupils: Sparta 3745 Hopatcong 2,027
Lurky Loo
11:17 am on Friday, March 1, 2013
Dont forget that Hopatcong teachers have the highest salaries too for the most underwhelming schools in the county. 78k average salary. Not to mention all the pensions we have to support. Like our former Sup. at the tune of 180k a year. Best of all, nobody cares. Priceless.
Observer
12:13 pm on Friday, March 1, 2013
People should care and care a lot. For most people, their home is their most significant asset. Look what's happened to the value of that asset in this town. Sure, the economy has had an impact and some other factors also, but if you talk to any realtor, the reputation of the school system ranks high in making the decision to purchase or not. More cuts will just encourage people to leave or seek school choice options. The result will most certainly be ever decreasing true real estate values.
Jim D
9:32 am on Saturday, March 2, 2013
The town doesn't fund pensions of retirees.
S. Coventry
10:41 am on Saturday, March 2, 2013
@Jim D when it comes down to it (one way or another) don't the taxpayers end up paying for everything?
Kris
12:08 pm on Saturday, March 2, 2013
How did Hopatcong High School go from being ranked 174 in 2008 to 289 in 2012. How does it get that bad that fast. What is the game plan for the town schools. When is someone going to be held accountable. We are currently ranked lower than Camden. A city that was the poorest city in America not to long ago. We are now ranked 289 out of 320 something schools. I honestly dont know what the answer is, but isn't that someone's job? Isn't someone supposed to be accountable for fixing this?
Observer
6:20 pm on Sunday, March 3, 2013
@Kris---Your frustration over Hopatcong’s abysmal showing in NJ Monthly’s recent high school rankings is certainly justified. It’s fair to say that most parents with children in the system are just as frustrated. In fact, all residents should be more than frustrated; they should be demanding to know why it took the BOE so long (years) to make needed personnel transfer. After all, the situation shouldn’t have been a surprise since they could see State assessment scores, SAT scores, etc. declining year after year.
Jim D
12:23 pm on Saturday, March 2, 2013
Yes you are correct but most of the operating budget of schools comes from local tax. Pensions do not. So the local budget (mostly property tax revenues) does not support pensions etc
S. Coventry
2:05 pm on Saturday, March 2, 2013
@Jim D Aren't the pensions based on salaries? Were we not the "poster" town for the Attorney General investigating Superintendent's contracts? Isn't that why the governor "capped" their contracts? Like I said the taxpayer pays one way or the other. Like the commercial said "You can pay me now or you can pay me later" it all comes out of the taxpayer's pocket. In my opinion people should also be demanding accountability from the town also. At least the school does their budget in public all we get from the town is a "pie chart" not a line item discussion. Where is the money coming from to hire the two people and for a path in the park? Times are tough let the people decide where they would like their money to be spent. They are supposed to be working for US not us working for their pet projects. If you have a problem with the school write or call the Governor's office and tell him he gave them an automatic 2% raise without asking the taxpayer so we (taxpayer) want a say in the way the school spends it's money. We are entitled to accountability on all fronts, after all we pay the bills.
Jim D
2:22 pm on Saturday, March 2, 2013
Good point. But like one of the previous posts said our school ranking hurts us all in terms of home value etc. the answer certainly isn't to blindly throw money at school districts but there is only so much attrition a district can take. The fact that we as a town shoot down our school budget aost every year is appalling. I really don't know if people even know what they are voting for or against. I actually wonder where our school ranks compared to other schools the same size, demographic etc.
S. Coventry
3:30 pm on Saturday, March 2, 2013
@Jim D BWe no longer have a vote on the school budget. By moving the election to November they also took that away from us. It seems the only thing we have a RIGHT to anymore is to pay pay pay. I agree instead of voting the budget down it might have been more prudent to elect new people to the town government. If they made better choices people would have to pay less municipal taxes to the town and would have more to give to the school. From previous post I believe Sparta spends less per pupil and gets better results. Their school is also looking to combine services with the town to save money. Although enrollment is down in Hopatcong we are not allowed to decrease the amount we give to the school. Enrollment is down, the school's rating is abysmal the school budget keeps increasing and the taxpayers have no input and no money. Add insult to injury we now send students out of district and we have to pay for that too, seems our only recourse is to contact Christie after all it is an election year.
Jim D
6:09 pm on Saturday, March 2, 2013
I think maybe part of the success that Sparta has is eduction may be valued more in that town. Again using our failed budgets as an example it is clear the majority of this town does not value a good education.... In my opinion
S. Coventry
9:46 pm on Saturday, March 2, 2013
Jim D I think you are sadly mistaken. The budget may have been voted "down" but the school got money anyway it only reduced the amount they received. Why would you think that they didn't know the budget would be voted down so they actually asked for more than they needed? In the long run they probably got the funding they were expecting even if it wasn't what they asked for. Parents are sending their children out of district for a better education. Even if as you say people don't care about education they apparently do care about property values.