INFORMATION SESSION- SCHOOL FUNDING REFORM ACT – Jan.27, 2025 7PM Pitman HS Media Center
Gloucester County Education Leaders to Address Urgent School Funding Challenges
Pitman, NJ – In anticipation of the Governor’s FY26 budget address, education leaders in
Gloucester County are raising awareness of significant funding challenges impacting the
county’s schools. These challenges, driven by the School Funding Reform Act (SFRA) and
recent dramatic increases in property valuations, are set to disproportionately affect Gloucester
County’s school districts, staff, students, and taxpayers. The SFRA sought to ensure all
students in the state received a thorough and efficient education, by eliminating the previous
funding which left schools in competition for limited state resources. The 2008 SFRA called for
a “predictable, transparent school funding formula” that may “help to reduce property taxes”.
A critical information session and round table discussion will be held on January 27, 2025, at
7:00 PM in the Pitman High School Media Center, where members of the Gloucester County
Boards of Education, Superintendents, Legislators and other stakeholders are invited to
strategize and advocate for urgent legislative action.
School Funding Crisis in Gloucester County
The SFRA funding formula uses property values and district income to calculate each town’s
portion of their school’s costs, called the Local Fair Share. Since the start of the SFRA, the
state has increased Gloucester County’s residents’ expected school property tax burden (LFS)
by MORE THAN 80%. Gloucester County regular operating districts collected about $335
million dollars in property taxes to support their schools at the start of the SFRA and are now
collecting nearly $500 million dollars, which still falls short of what the state estimates the county
taxpayers should be contributing.
Part of the increased calculation in the District’s LFS was due to the formula’s reliance on the
state’s calculation of property values, called equalization valuation. Gloucester County saw the
3rd largest increase since FY22. The state formula has also increased the weight of the
property values in their calculation by more than 35%. What does this mean for local schools?
All of these increases mean residents pay more in local property taxes and the state’s portion,
called equalization aid, decreases. As a result, the State has reduced its portion of Equalization
Aid to the county’s school districts. Gloucester County saw only the fifth-smallest increase in
Equalization Aid between FY24 and FY25, despite escalating costs in transportation,
employee benefits, and utilities. Notably, out-of-district private placements have seen tuition
hikes of up to 250% since SFRA’s inception, further straining district budgets.
Advocating for Legislative Action
Preliminary numbers for FY26 indicate that Gloucester County is poised to experience the 3rd
largest increase in property values, which will increase local property tax burdensexacerbating
the current funding crisis. Despite rising costs and growing student needs, state aid allocations
for areas like Extraordinary Special Education Aid and debt service relief have been insufficient.
“Gloucester County students, staff, and residents deserve better,” says April Miller, President of
the Pitman Public School District’s Board of Education. “The funding formula challenges we face
are disproportionate and unsustainable. As state legislators begin considering a number of bills
to amend the SFRA, It is imperative that we come together as a county to address these
inequities and advocate for Gloucester County schools.
About the Host
The Pitman Public School District’s Board of Education has been a leading advocate for
equitable school funding. Board President Miller has testified at numerous Senate and
Assembly budget hearings and served as an invited panelist for legislative discussions on the
funding formula. Additionally, they hold leadership roles within the Gloucester County and New
Jersey School Boards Associations, further amplifying their commitment to addressing these
pressing issues.
For more information, please contact:
Jessica Romer, Communications Coordinator, Pitman Public Schools
Central Office: 320 Grant Avenue
Pitman, NJ 08071
Main: 856-589-2145
Website: pitman.k12.nj.us