Wallkill Valley Regional High School (File photo by Vera Olinsky)
Hardyston. Despite an overall increase in school funding throughout New Jersey, Superintendent David Carr said Sussex County, and Wallkill Valley in particular, did not fare well.
At the March 17 meeting of Wallkill Valley school board, Carr discussed the district’s losses in state aid over the last three years.
”Every year the state funding continues to be decreased, and therefore we have to cut things out of the budget,” Carr said. “This will be a very difficult budget to get through.”
Joseph Hurley, business administrator and board secretary, provided the numbers:
● The reduction in state aid started with the fiscal year 2019-20 budget cut in the amount of $204,787.
● In 2020-21, the school lost $394,013 in state aid.
● For the 2021-22 school year the state aid budget cut is for $431,000.
Hurley said he and Carr are working very feverishly, especially this year, to reduce spending in a way that has minimal impact on the staff and the programs. “It’s become very, very hard,” he said.
Carr said they are trying to figure out ways to offset the losses in funding, whether through federally funded programs or other state programs.
He said will be speaking to ascending districts about a bill, NJ Bill S3488, that establishes the criteria for studies of funded regional laws and offers incentives for districts losing state aid.