Hillsborough Schools Expected To See Decrease In State Aid

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — Hillsborough Township Public Schools can expect to see a decrease in their state aid for the 2019-20 school year. It was also the only Somerset County school district to get a decrease.

Gov. Phil Murphy's administration this week released the proposed state aid numbers for every school district in the 2019-20 school year.

Hillsborough is expected to see a 2.11 percent decrease in state aid. This means the district would receive a total of $24,399,824 or $526,434 less in state aid.

"According to the state aid calculations, during the 2012-2013 school year, Hillsborough was underfunded by $13 million. This year, the state aid formula has us over funded by $5.6 million," Dr. Jorden Schiff, superintendent of school said. "As a result, our calculated state aid has decreased by 49 percent in six years. A funding formula with this much volatility is not good for school districts. It is not good for tax payers, and it absolutely not good for the students of New Jersey."

Bound Brook received the highest increase in aid in the county with 12.41 percent.

Overall, state aid would increase 2.43 over the 2018-19 school year under a plan that requires approval from the state Legislature. That number would be smaller than the 3.5 percent increase Murphy originally proposed last year, but that original plan had no state aid cuts for any district.

Here is a list of nearby Somerset County districts to compare. They are listed from the highest amount of aid to least. (The first number is the percentage decrease or increase in aid; the second is the amount of aid; the third is the loss or gain in aid dollars):

1. Bound Brook Boro, Somerset 12.41% $15,507,546 $1,711,628
2. Somerset Hills Regional, Somerset 12.04% $1,455,450 $156,385
3. Bernards Twp, Somerset 11.23% $4,666,622 $470,965
4. Manville Boro, Somerset 10.29% $10,295,422 $960,390
5. Warren Twp, Somerset 10.20% $1,658,159 $153,445
6. Watchung Hills Regional, Somerset 9.62% $1,589,377 $139,510
7. Montgomery Twp, Somerset 9.35% $4,908,612 $419,656
8. Green Brook Twp, Somerset 8.27% $1,222,581 $93,368
9. Watchung Boro, Somerset 8.20% $592,997 $44,961
10. Bedminster Twp, Somerset 6.75% $822,289 $51,960
11. Bridgewater-Raritan Reg, Somerset 3.94% $10,431,111 $395,158
12. South Bound Brook, Somerset 1.47% $3,681,063 $53,383
13. Franklin Twp, Somerset 0.47% $14,031,573 $65,234
14. Hillsborough Twp, Somerset -2.11% $24,399,824 -$526,434

Click here to view the full state-wide list.

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