Eatontown, Monmouth Regional High School Both See Increase In State Aid

EATONTOWN, NJ — The tiny Eatontown borough school district will see a six percent increase in state aid from Trenton for the upcoming 2026-'27 school year.

School funding amounts were revealed in Gov. Mikie Sherrill's proposed budget for next year; Sherrill announced her budget this week.

The Eatontown school district will get $1.9 million in state aid for next year, a six-percent $112,941 increase from the $1.8 million in got this year. You can see the '26-'27 funding here: datawrapper.de/_/ZaesE/

The Eatontown public school district ends at 8th grade; after that, students go Monmouth Regional High School. Monmouth Regional also got a six percent funding increase in Sherrill's budget, getting $2.1 million for next year compared to the $1.9 million it got this year.

State aid funding for school districts always fluctuates. One way the state determines school funding is based on the size of the district, current enrollment and whether enrollment is predicted to grow or shrink.

It's important that school districts know how much money they are getting from the state as they prepare their budgets for next year.

Continual, year-over-year reductions in state aid can mean school districts have to lay off teachers, eliminate sports and clubs and — in extreme cases — even close schools, which the neighboring Middletown school district is currently experiencing (it plans to close two elementary schools and a middle school starting in June). Large, suburban school districts in New Jersey have experienced reductions in state aid in recent years. Sherrill said this week she wants to see more consolidation of New Jersey public school districts: Sherrill Proposes Record Education Funding In NJ, Along With Consolidation