Please click the link below for the full letter:
Dear North Warren Community,
Last week we learned of the final state aid numbers for the 2020-2021 School Year. The State changed the wealth multiplier used in the formula resulting in North Warren losing $150,000 more than anticipated for a total loss of $746,081 for the upcoming year. In short, this means that the State’s calculation shows we are wealthier than they have given us credit for in the past.
That said, there are numerous articles coming out about errors made in the calculation. As far as we can tell, these errors do not affect us.
So now what? We need to keep pressuring legislators to take action by extending the timeline for cuts and convening a committee to reevaluate the state aid formula. Our calls and emails last week did not go unnoticed. The Governor, in his address, included an additional $50 million for schools. We want to make noise so that North Warren receives a share of those funds.
Our focus needs to continue to be on student impact. In North Warren, we are losing 25% of our overall budget, this has had an immediate impact on class sizes and reduced course offerings.
Another avenue where we need your help is in offering testimony during the State Assembly and Senate Budget Hearings. Any member of the public can sign up to speak for up to 2 minutes on any budget issue. I am asking you to please consider signing up and taking your child with you to testify. If you wish to speak, you must sign up right away as they limit the number of speakers. If you have questions about this please reach out to me.
You can bring a friend for support even if they did not sign up and many of our teachers, administrators, and Board of Education members will be there as well. I am testifying on March 18th and Dr. Summers, our Board President, is testifying on March 10th.
Link to sign up to testify:
https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/BudgetReg_DB/HearingForm.asp?Committee=SBAB
If you are not able to testify, please consider sending an email to the Senate and Assembly Finance Committees (linked below) urging them to reconsider state funding for North Warren Regional. Some talking points:
That said, there are numerous articles coming out about errors made in the calculation. As far as we can tell, these errors do not affect us.
So now what? We need to keep pressuring legislators to take action by extending the timeline for cuts and convening a committee to reevaluate the state aid formula. Our calls and emails last week did not go unnoticed. The Governor, in his address, included an additional $50 million for schools. We want to make noise so that North Warren receives a share of those funds.
Our focus needs to continue to be on student impact. In North Warren, we are losing 25% of our overall budget, this has had an immediate impact on class sizes and reduced course offerings.
Another avenue where we need your help is in offering testimony during the State Assembly and Senate Budget Hearings. Any member of the public can sign up to speak for up to 2 minutes on any budget issue. I am asking you to please consider signing up and taking your child with you to testify. If you wish to speak, you must sign up right away as they limit the number of speakers. If you have questions about this please reach out to me.
You can bring a friend for support even if they did not sign up and many of our teachers, administrators, and Board of Education members will be there as well. I am testifying on March 18th and Dr. Summers, our Board President, is testifying on March 10th.
Link to sign up to testify:
https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/BudgetReg_DB/HearingForm.asp?Committee=SBAB
If you are not able to testify, please consider sending an email to the Senate and Assembly Finance Committees (linked below) urging them to reconsider state funding for North Warren Regional. Some talking points:
- ● Please allocate the $50 million in school funding to schools who lost aid under S-2
- ● Please extend the reductions of S2 to 10 years
- ● Please reconsider these devastating state aid cuts to efficient districts like ours
Thank you, Sarah Bilotti