Board approves budget, talks charter school
The state Department of Education originally requested the Cherry Hill School District financially support 169 students at the proposed Regis Academy Charter School, slated to open this fall in Cherry Hill, and draw students from the township, as well as from nearby Voorhees, Somerdale and Lawnside.
The district would have had to set aside about $1.9 million for some students to attend the charter school.
Since that time, the DOE has provided additional figures for the school district, said the Susan Bastnagel, the district’s public information officer.
The DOE said the district could set aside $2.1 million to accommodate 186 students from Cherry Hill, or $608,825 to send about 50 students to the school.
The board had previously moved forward in budget talks without knowing an exact number to set aside for the charter school.
At a Feb. 28 meeting, the board adopted the preliminary 2012–2013 budget totaling $171,498,435.
The budget’s tax levy of $149,694,439 represents a 2 percent increase over the current levy.
After discussion at another recent meeting, the board unanimously approved the budget, which reflects a $250,000 reduction in the local tax levy.
The levy reduction was one measure the board took, after agreeing to set aside money for just 50 students to attend the Regis Academy Charter School. The levy now reflects a 1.83 percent increase over last year’s and is $250,000 below the state mandated cap.
The board had previously discussed what it would do with the extra funds should it decide to set aside for fewer students at the charter school.
The board agreed to increase funding for the district’s technology infrastructure, improving access to Internet and curriculum resources. The board will also direct additional funding for capital projects and to providing supports to eliminate R-level classes in science.
