Introduction:

For the last couple years, the issue of our school budget has spread across Ridge in the form of rumors, from ransomware claims to busing schedules changes. Most significantly, the 2024-2025 budget led to staffing cuts in nearly every major department at Ridge, reducing the essential staff that aid students every day. Currently, the board is evaluating next year’s budget, yet Ridge families and even faculty remain uninformed of what is at stake. Given the many rumors circulated over the last couple years, it’s imperative to really comprehend how our Ridge community is being affected and what role we can take. Staying informed is the first step towards making a difference. 

To do exactly that, we spoke with MJ Chu, Ridge’s Student Council President. Having attended every Board of Education meeting this  year, she has developed an understanding about  our budget challenges and future plans. After all, the budget concerns all of us, whether through our learning opportunities or the incredible staff, and we have a duty to stay informed and use our voices when it matters most. 

What specific factors are contributing most to the current budget strain?

Currently, we have a budget gap of over $6 million in the next year. The main reason for that is health insurance premiums for teachers and our staff. The costs are rising really exponentially.

Which departments and programs are facing potential cuts?

We have certain programs that are under strain from all the budget cuts, but also the state legislature has cut a lot of their budget for what is called extraordinary aid. Extraordinary aid is assistance towards students who may need a bit more help with their academic performance. Recently, because of state legislature cuts, in the last fiscal year of 2024 to 2025, we had basically $4 million of underfunded extraordinary aid across the state. So we’re having a lot of difficulty supporting these students who need a bit more help.

What tax changes can residents expect in the coming years?

The effective tax increase for the local district will be about 4.98%. However, at the same time, property values are going up for a lot of consumers. Last year, our average property value was somewhere around $870K, while this year, it’s around $930K. So consumers are getting wealthier, but there’s also a tax increase. If we put all those things together, the net tax increase that consumers will actually have to bear is around an additional $490 for an average Basking Ridge family. 

What cost-saving measures are the district planning to take?

We do have some faculty cuts that may be expected in the future. However, we had a lot of people resign and retire this year of their own voluntary will, so that’s just a natural cost-saving event that happened. This is also coming at a time where extraordinary aid has been drastically cut by both our district and the state.

Is this a short-term financial issue, or do you see it persisting?

Unfortunately, the health premiums spike is something that will last in the long run. Premiums have been spiking since 2021. Before that, it used to cost the district about $15 million. It’s been gradually and linearly spiking up to a projected $25 million in the 2026–2027 school year. So it’s a long-term issue.

How can students and families access clear information about where their money is being allocated?

The board publishes all of their future budget plans on the official Bernards Township Board of Education website . In addition, students and their families can attend the board meetings themselves. There are two public comment sessions where they can comment on the board’s budget plans and make suggestions as well.

What role can community members play to help alleviate this financial crisis?

District families as well as students can really use their voices to call their state legislature representatives. Right now, the state has significantly cut the budget for extraordinary aid by around $4 million. To restore this funding, we need the voices of Bernards Township families to call up their state legislators and advocate to have this funding reinstated.

You’ve mentioned cuts to extraordinary aid. Does this mean our special education department will face significant cuts, or has this already occurred?

Recently, our special education department has been doing quite well. We have had many programs there, like the Happy Day Café, which recently also expanded to WAMS, so students actually travel from Ridge to WAMS. So the special education program is still in a pretty good place. However, in the long run, you’re absolutely right. This cutoff of extraordinary aid will start to have an impact on special education programs.

There’s a rumor going around that the hacking that happened a couple of years ago into district websites and data is the reason for this financial crisis, because the district paid a ransom. Is this true?

I would strongly disagree with that rumor. If you actually look at the budget cost drivers that the board published, the biggest driver is teachers and faculty benefits. Specifically health insurance, which has consisted of up to a 14% increase, really is hammering down our budget. We’ve done a good job managing that money and paying back all the debts. Health insurance is really the problem.

There’s also a rumor that later start times were mainly implemented to alleviate the financial burden. Is this true, or was it really done for the students?

It was really done for the students. In fact, having later school start times actually cost the district more, because they had to adjust busing since the start times began to overlap with other schools. So it was truly done for the students, even at the cost of increasing busing expenses for the district.

Are there any other issues you feel are important to discuss when it comes to the district’s budget or current decisions?

I really want to emphasize that the board’s fiscal budget plan takes into consideration maintaining student and faculty quality at Ridge. The board has made a promise not to eliminate large programs, and they are still keeping to class size guidelines to ensure that all students are getting the attention they need. We’re really trying not to cut faculty, because the board knows how significant it is to both hire and let go of teachers. I’d also strongly encourage students and their families to attend the budget meeting on May 4th, where the final budget will be approved and discussed.

Conclusion:

It is clear our budget problems do not stem from ransomware or buses, but what is even clearer is the impact our community can make. With many Ridge families still uninformed of these budget challenges, they may not realize the impact they can have by speaking up. As MJ noted , contacting our state legislators is the most effective way to advocate for reinstating funding needed for a thriving Ridge student population. If you want to make a difference, use the contact below to express your support for extraordinary aid. Furthermore, share this article to ensure everyone stays informed  on such important matters. We thrive together as a community, and it is time we all stand up as a community as well. 

Contact your Representative: https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-roster 

Example Template:

Hi ____, 

As a NJ resident and student within Somerset County, I wanted to reach out to express my strong dissatisfaction in the decrease of extraordinary aid. Furthermore, I wanted to push for an increase in extraordinary aid to help a crucial part of our community. 

Thank you for you time, 

(Your Name)