Consolidation Of Camden County K-8 Schools Still Possible

Gov. Phil Murphy now seems to be on board with a plan that could lead to the elimination of nearly 300 New Jersey school districts, including 20 in Camden County.

Murphy gave $10 million to New Jersey communities this past week to help promote shared services and study school consolidation. Of that, the governor agreed to set aside $2 million specifically for K-12 regionalization and countywide school district pilots. Read more here: Big Move On Plan To Eliminate Nearly 300 NJ School Districts

The money would back up an effort started by Senate President Steve Sweeney who has been pitching a 32-recommendation "Path to Progress" plan that he, 26 analysts and so-called experts helped draw up last year.

“The goal is to eliminate the administration, put a principal in the school, get rid of the school district, leave a principal, let the regional high school become a K-12 district,” Sweeney said. “You go from 600 districts to 320.”

Sweeney acknowledged that his school consolidation plan would be unpopular, but he also believes that it could provide the state an additional $1 billion.

The plan proposes merging all K-4, K-5, K-6, K-8, and K-9 school districts into K-12 regional districts to improve the quality of education and promote efficiency. It also calls for the establishment of two countywide school district pilot programs.

The following Camden County school districts have been named to the list:

• Barrington Boro, Camden
• Bellmawr Boro, Camden
• Berlin Boro, Camden
• Berlin Twp, Camden
• Brooklawn Boro, Camden
• Clementon Boro, Camden
• Gibbsboro Boro, Camden
• Gloucester Twp, Camden
• Laurel Springs Boro, Camden
• Lawnside Boro, Camden
• Magnolia Boro, Camden
• Merchantville Boro, Camden
• Mount Ephraim Boro, Camden
• Runnemede Boro, Camden
• Somerdale Boro, Camden
• Stratford Boro, Camden
• Oaklyn, Camden
• Voorhees Twp, Camden
• Waterford Twp, Camden
• Woodlynne Boro, Camden

See related:

Murphy Deals Blow To Plan That Could Nix Camden County Schools

Proposed Legislation Could Eliminate 19 Camden County School Districts
Consolidation Still Possible For 19 Camden County School Districts
19 Camden County School Districts May Disappear Under State Plan