MONTCLAIR, NJ — A hearing and vote are getting closer for the Montclair Public School District’s latest budget proposal.
The average Montclair homeowner would see an $851 tax hike under the school district’s 2026-2027 draft budget, which also includes a wave of staffing cuts.
Administrators recently outlined nearly $6 million in proposed cuts, including 23 middle school teachers, four high school teachers and five elementary school teachers. Other staff positions under consideration for reduction include two central office positions, two custodians, two secretaries, a nurse and a school resource officer. Freshman sports would be eliminated, and a $1.5 million cut to transportation costs is also on the table.
Superintendent Ruth Turner gave an update about the proposed spending plan last week.
According to Turner, the Montclair Board of Education approved the preliminary budget on March 11, and it was submitted to the Essex County executive superintendent of schools prior to the March 27 deadline. The Executive County superintendent had until April 20 to review and approve the budget.
Following county review, the district will move into the public phase of the process.
The public hearing on the budget will take place on Wednesday, April 29 – providing an opportunity for community members to learn more and share feedback, Turner said.
The board of education is scheduled to take final action on the budget at their May 6 meeting, ahead of the state-required May 14 deadline, she added.
“This budget has been developed during a particularly challenging time for our district,” Turner wrote.
“The decisions required to reach this point have not been easy, and we recognize the impact they may have on our students, staff and families,” Turner continued. “Throughout this process, we have remained focused on stabilizing the district while protecting classroom instruction, student supports, and the core experiences that matter most for our children.”
“We remain committed to transparency and to working in partnership with our community as we move forward,” she said. “Together, we will continue to build a stable foundation and a stronger future for all students in Montclair.”
CUTS IN MONTCLAIR SCHOOLS
The Montclair Public School District is facing a looming budget gap that had swelled to $20 million at one point.
The financial woes – which predate the current superintendent and business administrator – have been blamed on the district “spending beyond its means,” with the hiring of unbudgeted staff, unpaid bills and other unbudgeted expenses contributing to the deficit.
In an effort to balance the books, the district put a referendum before voters, who were asked to approve or reject two different questions. The first question would have approved a one-time $12.6 million tax hike. The second question would have greenlighted a permanent $5 million per year increase.
Voters narrowly approved the one-time tax increase – but rejected a permanent hike to the tax levy.
>> READ MORE: All Votes Finally Counted In Montclair School Election: Here Are The Results
Prior to the referendum, Montclair school administrators warned that cuts are unavoidable – regardless of how the election turned out.
Administrators have already looked to staff cuts as one way of balancing the books. More than 100 staff members in the Montclair Public School District were laid off or impacted by a “reduction in force” notice last fall, although some of them were eventually hired back.
In March, the board of education unanimously voted in favor of a resolution to close Renaissance Middle School and turn it into a pre-K facility. The move is expected to save the district nearly $2.3 million per year.
>> READ MORE: Decision Made On Plan To Close Montclair School
Administrators gave a preliminary presentation about the 2026-2027 school budget at the Montclair Board of Education meeting on March 18. Watch video footage here.
Property taxes in New Jersey are mainly made up of three parts: school, municipal and county. Here’s how that played out in Montclair for 2025, according to state data (percentages rounded up):
In 2025, the average Montclair resident paid $22,487 in property taxes on a home valued at $639,628 (not including credits and deductions).
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