Freehold Schools Will Receive More State Aid, Beck Says

FREEHOLD, NJ -- The Freehold Borough School District will be receiving an increase in state aid under the budget proposed by Gov. Chris Christie, according to state Sen. Jennifer Beck of Monmouth County.

“This is a solid first step to address the needs of students in school districts that have been flat-funded as their enrollments have exploded,” Beck said in a news release. “Of the 143 school districts that are more than 10 percent below the state’s ‘adequacy’ funding standard, 115 have seen enrollment growth, including Freehold and Red Bank.”

In the 2015-16 school year, the Freehold Borough district received $9,643,250. The district also has twice asked borough voters to approve a referendum to expand its school facilities -- and twice been rejected. A proposal to overturn the voters’ decision has been before state Education Commissioner David Hespe since late 2015.

The Freehold Borough school district is the third most underfunded district in the state, the News Transcript reported in December.

“This shortfall, as much as overcrowding, is hindering our ability to carry out a thorough and efficient education. It is our intention to keep this issue in clear focus,” Freehold Borough Superintendent Rocco Tomazic told the News Transcript.

Tomazic said that in kindergarten through third grade, schools were 79 percent above the size limit; in fourth and fifth grade, schools were 77 percent above the size limit; and in sixth through eighth grade, schools were 14 percent above the size limit.

“The proposed additional funds will aid these districts in starting to close the gap,” Beck said in the news release. “It is a good start to what I hope will be a future where children and families in Freehold and Red Bank will no longer be shortchanged.”

The details on how much funding the districts are are to receive are expected to be released Thursday.

(State Sen. Jennifer Beck was joined by Freehold Borough Schools Superintendent Rocco Tomazic and Red Bank Borough Schools Superintendent Jared Rumage at Gov. Chris Christie’s budget address on Tuesday. Photo via Jennifer Beck’s Facebook page)