In 2008, the School Funding Reform Act was enacted to address disparities in school funding across New Jersey. However, in 2018, the implementation of legislation known as S2 significantly reduced state aid to districts deemed "overfunded" by the state formula. As a result, Ocean Township School District has experienced a cumulative loss of $5.4 million in state funding over the past several years.

Under this revised funding model, it was anticipated that local property taxes would gradually increase—up to 2% annually, or more if approved by voters—to offset the reduction in state aid and ensure districts meet their “adequacy budgets.” This budget represents the minimum funding necessary to provide a thorough and efficient education, as required by the New Jersey Constitution.

Currently, the state has determined that Ocean Township is $4.4 million short of meeting its "Local Fair Share"—the amount the community is expected to contribute through local taxation. This funding gap severely limits our district's ability to meet the state's adequacy standards and directly affects the quality of education we can provide.

As a result, each budget cycle forces difficult decisions: staffing reductions, the elimination of programs and educational opportunities, increased class sizes, and a growing tax burden on local residents. These impacts strain not only our educators and students, but our entire community.

We are at a critical crossroads. Without a sustainable funding solution, the ability of our schools to deliver a high-quality education—as guaranteed by the state constitution—remains at risk.

Our goal is to collaborate with educators, administrators, local leaders, parents and community members to work towards funding our schools fairly—without overburdening taxpayers.