West Deptford Schools Get Another State Aid Bump

West Deptford school officials had cause to worry at the beginning of the year; after major state aid cuts the previous two years, there was uncertainty about where funding would go this year—whether it would stay flat, go up or potentially get cut even more.

They got good news in February, when state aid figures came out, and the township’s schools got a bump of more than $400,000 over last year.

They got even better news Tuesday, as Gov. Chris Christie and the Department of Education released revised school funding numbers that double the increase in state aid locally.

Now, instead of an increase of just over $400,000, West Deptford will get a total of $827,588 more than last year.

“It’s a pretty nice number,” Superintendent Kevin Kitchenman said.

What that money will go to–and what it can go to–is the big question, however.

Kitchenman said the state will provide some guidance on where the money can be spent at some point soon–it could end up going anywhere from increased classroom spending to tax relief.

“More money’s always good,” he said. “Whatever way we can use it is good.”

There’ll be discussions between administrators and school board members on where, potentially, the money might be spent, if it isn’t all given back in tax relief, Kitchenman said.

Though a release from the governor’s office touted the increase, which takes state aid in West Deptford up to a total of $11,272,254, as completely restoring cuts made last year, the school district is still over $1 million short of what it was allocated to start 2009-10.

“We’re closer to there,” Kitchenman said. “I don’t know if we’ll ever get back.”