The Evesham Township board of education presented their revised 2024-’25 budget at their late June meeting which noted a 3.9% tax levy increase for residents to partially accommodate funding lost from state-aid reductions.
The Evesham Township School District (ETSD) initially shared their tentative budget with the public in March and adopted its final budget in May. This is the final year of the S-2 funding formula’s seven-year phase state-aid reductions.
The state assembly approved a bill in April that will help school districts who’ve seen cuts in state aid by extending one-time grants and allowing them to hike local taxes above the state-mandated 2% cap without voter approval. The bill was approved in a 51-20 vote almost entirely along party lines. The legislation would also allow districts that have seen cuts since the 2020-’21 school year to raise levies by up to 9.9%, with hikes capped to the amount of state aid lost over that period.
The district has seen a $505,300 cut in state aid for the 2024-’25 school year. If 2025-’26 aid is flat – and the cost of operations increases again next school year – the district would have to cut $1.1 million to balance its budget.
“I’m having déjà vu,” ETSD Superintendent Dr. Justin Smith remarked, noting it will be his fourth time this year publicly talking about the budget. “… But this was a unique year because (of the legislation), So this presentation reflects an increase to that cap in order to restore some positions.”
As a result of stabilized fundraising efforts by district parents and school nonprofits, the district state funding reduction went from $505,300 in losses to $496,969 (an $8,331 difference) or from 7% to 6.8% reductions.
From the onset of S2, the revenue trends for the district show the state has shifted cost burdens onto local taxpayers as school funding is reduced annually. According to the school district, if their state-aid remains flat (no increase or decrease) for the next school year, they will have cumulatively lost $31,244,745 in state-funding since the 2018-’19 school year.
The tax levy impact will be 3.9%, making an average increase of $140.64 per home (based on an average property value of $272,563). The increase in tax levy for the previously approved 2024-’25 budget presented in March was 2.5%, with the average tax increase per home being $92.81, the tax rate is 1.340 on the revised budget compared to 1.322 on the earlier version. A sliding scale chart is provided on the budget document if a resident is interested in identifying their specific tax increase amount.
The district used recent local fundraising efforts, and added the increase to its tax levy in order to reduce budget cuts to positions and programs. Positions and programs being restored include: the district’s Tier-3 program structure; an instrumental music position; a Spanish teaching position; four related arts positions; two special education in-class support positions; four teaching assistant positions; and a confidential secretary position. The total amount for the restored 14 positions and the Tier 3 program structure is $940,000, according to the district.
The district is also adding a bus route at the Briarwood crosswalk for students going to Marlton Middle School or Marlton Elementary School. Smith said this comes after an updated safety study from the Evesham Township Police Department.
“Evesham Police did additional safety studies of the Briarwood crosswalk and we’re thankful for that effort and investment of energy,” the superintendent noted. “As a result of that updated safety guidance, we are going to provide for Briarwood (students who attend) MMS (Marlton Middle School) or MES (Marlton Elementary School).”
He added that the cost to add the bus route came from a School Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) Dividend.
“(The previous budget cuts to these bus routes) was going to represent a savings of $60,000,” Smith explained. “To make that up we are going to move $60,000 from the SHIF Dividend instead.”
The full 2024-’25 final revised budget presentation is available to view at www.evesham.k12.nj.us/board_of_education in the June 27 board meeting agenda.
