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Press of Atlantic City/TRENTON - This year, extraordinary school aid really is extraordinary. The state Department of Education has awarded almost $140 million in so-called extraordinary state aid for 2009-2010 to school districts with disabled children whose education costs exceed $40,000 per year. The awards were a huge increase over last year, when the state budget included just $52 million for extraordinary aid. "We've worked hard on this for years," said Lynne Strickland, executive director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools. "Extra-ordinary expenses for just one or two children can push a district off the budget cliff."
State gives extra aid for schools an extraordinary boost
Education Writer, 609-272-7241 | Posted: Wednesday, July 22, 2009
By DIANE D'AMICO
TRENTON - This year, extraordinary school aid really is extraordinary.
The state Department of Education has awarded almost $140 million in so-called extraordinary state aid for 2009-2010 to school districts with disabled children whose education costs exceed $40,000 per year. The awards were a huge increase over last year, when the state budget included just $52 million for extraordinary aid.
"We've worked hard on this for years," said Lynne Strickland, executive director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools. "Extra-ordinary expenses for just one or two children can push a district off the budget cliff."
More than $3.3 billion is spent statewide on services for disabled children, with 57 percent paid by local school districts, according to a New Jersey School Boards Association 2007 report. Almost 40 percent of the costs are spent on tuition and transportation for the 10 percent of disabled students who are sent to programs outside of their home school district. A state school funding formula provision to help districts pay those extra costs has been chronically underfunded.
Districts must apply for the aid and show their costs.
Galloway Township in Atlantic County received $396,150. Superintendent Douglas Groff said the district has one person who tracks the costs both for students in outside placements and students in the district who get extra services.
"We do have a couple of high-cost, out-of-district placements," he said. "We try to keep most students in the district, but even then if they get extra services such as PT (physical therapy) or OT (occupational therapy), the costs add up."
Greater Egg Harbor Regional will get $555,530 in extraordinary aid, the largest allotment in Atlantic County. Superintendent Adam Pfeffer said his costs are primarily tuition and transportation for students in out-of-district placements.
"We don't have that many, but the costs add up, especially if the student also needs an aide," he said. "It's a costly population."
Strickland said the aid demonstrates an effort by the governor and state Legislature to help control property taxes and recognize the effect of special education costs on districts.
"This absolutely helps keep property taxes down," she said, adding that the aid is still child-centered since it is allocated based on the actual costs of serving individual children, not the size of the district.
Sea Isle City, in Cape May County, for example, will get $206,152 in extraordinary aid. The district's total enrollment for 2008 was just 66 students, including two with autism.
The state Department of Education has encouraged districts to develop more programs in their hometown schools, which can be less costly.
Greater Egg Harbor Regional plans to bring back about a dozen students who had been sent to the Atlantic County Special Services School. That represents two classes, since those students are required to have a smaller teacher-student ratio.
"We have the space, and it will save us about $1 million," Pfeffer said. "We started them here this summer."
E-mail Diane D'Amico:
Posted in Press on Wednesday, July 22, 2009 3:10 am Updated: 4:02 am.
ATLANTIC COUNTY
Absecon: $8,869
Atlantic City: $445,898
Buena Regional $157,679
Egg Harbor City: $16,450
Egg Harbor Twp.: $377,436
Estell Manor: $5,012
Galloway Twp.: $396,150
Greater Egg Harbor $555,530
Hamilton Twp.: $109,396
Hammonton: $119,739
Linwood: $37,459
Mainland Reg.: $147,978
Margate: $11,152
Northfield: $29,300
Pleasantville: $2,098
Somers Point: $32,902
Ventnor: $6,495
Weymouth Twp.: $16,068
CAPE MAY COUNTY
Dennis Twp.: $64,905
Lower Cape May: $27,884
Middle Twp.: $52,063
Ocean City: $20,446
Sea Isle City: $206,152
Wildwood Crest: $1,723
Woodbine: $345
CUMBERLAND COUNTY
Bridgeton: $64,525
Cumberland Reg.: $80,418
Downe Twp.: $6,590
Fairfield Twp.: $20,084
Lawrence Twp.: $27,620
Maurice River Twp.: $10,560
Millville: $159,531
Vineland: $571,564
SOUTHERN
OCEAN COUNTY
Barnegat Twp.: $261,967
Eagleswood Twp.: $11,889
Lacey Twp.: $173,519
Little Egg Harbor: $296,286
Long Beach Island: $19,491
Ocean Twp: $10,977
Pinelands Reg.: $44,035
Southern Reg.: $109,612
Stafford Twp.: $285,645
Tuckerton: $9,413
SALEM COUNTY
Pittsgrove Twp.: $18,846