Budget Hearing Planned by Bedminster School Board

The Bedminster Township School Board of Education is planning to hold a budget meeting at 7:30 p.m. March 6, just before a preliminary budget is required to be sent to the county superintendent.

The meeting will be held at Bedminster Township School on Somerville Road.

The board of education is currently working to put its budget together without state aid figures.

The state aid figures are expected from Gov. Chris Christie around Feb. 28, and they are expected to be flat. From there, the district has to have the budget in to the county superintendent by March 7, with a finalized budget required by the end of March.

Board members have said they are trying to stay below the 2 percent cap, but are having difficulty because of unexpected special education costs.

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Business administrator Phil Acosta said the costs are rising from $280,000 allowed for in the 2012-13 budget to $800,000 needed in the upcoming budget.

Currently, Acosta said, the school district receives special education funding based on the number of special education students as of the preceding Oct. 15. If students needing special education services move to the district after that, they are not included in the calculation for special education aid.

The district has seen a large rise in the number of special education students over the past few months.