Ocean County Sen. Amato Plans Bill For Full School Aid

TRENTON, NJ — Ocean County Sen. Carmen Amato Jr. announced plans to introduce legislation that would require New Jersey to provide school districts the full amount of state aid they qualify for under the state’s funding formula.

Amato said the bill would prevent the state from capping annual aid increases that districts are calculated to receive.

Subscribe

The announcement came after Tuesday’s Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee hearing, where the Office of Legislative Services announced that state revenues are up by $500 million. According to the announcement from Amato’s office, that increase, combined with savings and spending reforms Republicans have proposed, would provide enough funding to fully support every school district in the state.

“School districts across New Jersey are being told they qualify for additional State aid under the funding formula, only to have Trenton turn around and cap that aid for budgetary convenience,” said Amato. “Not only is that unfair to students and educators, it is a direct tax increase for property taxpayers who are forced to make up the difference. This is simple, if the State’s own formula determines a district is entitled to a certain level of funding, then the State should fully deliver it.”

According to the announcement, the legislation is Amato’s latest effort tied to New Jersey’s school funding system. The measure is intended to restore what Amato described as fairness in the way aid is distributed and to ensure students, teachers and school districts receive resources through the formula.

The announcement also points to earlier action this spring. In April, Amato and Sen. Declan O’Scanlon sent a letter to Gov. Sherrill requesting immediate action to fully restore school aid that was capped in the governor’s proposed budget. The letter, according to the announcement, cited revised revenue projections and Republican budget proposals that they said make the increases achievable.