District Officials Say New Charter School Expense Means Less State Aid

The state doled out more aid to the township’s school district than last year, but district officials say expenses from the new Shalom Academy Charter School will cut into that aid amount.

Although the district was given about $900,000 more in state funding for 2011-2012, the new charter school is estimated to cost $1.4 million, effectively cutting aid by $503,787 because of the new expense, said Teaneck Public Schools Business Administrator Robert Finger.  The district must include the estimated charter school expense in the 2011-2012 budget.

The exact impact of the added expense on the ongoing budget process was unclear and an updated budget will be presented at a special meeting Wednesday, Finger said.

Shalom Academy, which will serve Englewood and Teaneck, has until March 15 to provide a list of students from each municipality who will attend.  That number could also impact the district’s budget.  Some critics of the new charter school have said it could attract students largely from private schools, adding to per-pupil costs paid by the district to Shalom Academy.

New charter schools submit a preliminary budget detailing anticipated expenses, including student enrollment goals, state Department of Education spokeswoman Allison Kobus said in an e-mail.  The $1.4 million estimated impact on Teaneck’s school budget could change based on Shalom Academy’s student enrollment and the amount of students with special needs.  Nearly all of the school’s 160 spots have been filled, according to the school’s website.

Englewood resident Raphael Bachrach, the founder of Shalom Academy, has not responded to repeated messages seeking comment.

The township's preliminary school budget for 2011-12 is $85,877,868 up from $84,399,246 in 2010-11.  That includes $3.1 million in state aid the district factored in ahead of the state's official announcement.

State aid to township schools has declined significantly since 2009-2010, when it went from $7.6 million to $5.6 million, according to the district.  Aid was further slashed the following year, going from $5.6 million to $3.1 million.

By the numbers:

• Total state aid for 2010-2011: $3,104,326
• Total state aid for 2011-2012: $4,008,259
• Estimated cost of new charter school: $1,407,720

Source: State Department of Education and Teaneck Schools Business Administrator Robert Finger.