$300M School Budget For Cherry Hill Amid State Aid Cuts

CHERRY HILL, NJ — Cherry Hill's school budget proposal will be introduced Tuesday, providing a glimpse into how the district plans to navigate cuts in state aid.

Assistant Superintendent Lynn E. Shugars will present the district budget for the next fiscal year during Tuesday's Board of Education meeting, which begins at 5:30 p.m.

The drafted budget for the 2024-25 school year totals $300 million, including a $251.6 million general fund. Local taxes will support $196.2 million in general funding and $211.4 million total.

The meeting agenda provides a breakdown:

The budget is merely preliminary.

Cherry Hill is slated for one of New Jersey's largest year-over-year decreases in state-equalization aid for the 2024-25 school year, sparking outcries from the public and local officials. Gov. Phil Murphy's proposed state budget allocates $29.5 million for the district — a 19 percent decrease from this school year's of $36.4 million and the district's lowest total since 2021-22.

The reduction in state aid will likely force Cherry Hill to cut jobs, increase class sizes and diminish student services, the district's acting superintendent told state lawmakers last week.

"Even with taxes raised to the maximum, a $2 million gap remains, forcing us to reduce positions," Dr. Kwame Morton told the State Senate's Education Committee. "The potential loss of personnel is not merely a matter of balancing our budget; it directly affects the quality of education and support we can offer our students."

The preliminary budget will be presented during the Board of Education's Special Meeting, which begins at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Arthur Lewis Administration Building (45 Ranoldo Terrace). The meeting will be held in-person and will also be accessible online. See instructions for remote access.