Tax Hike, Job Cuts In School Budget Proposed For Cherry Hill

CHERRY HILL, NJ — Taxes would rise, jobs would be cut and middle schools would be restructured under the proposed budget for the Cherry Hill School District, which will have its state aid slashed for the second straight year.

District administrators put forth a prospective 2025-26 budget totaling $256.1 million at Tuesday's Board of Education meeting — a $309,110 reduction from the current school year.

But local taxes would increase by nearly $5.3 million to a $201.5 million total, which would increase property taxes by $179.59 on the average assessed home of $227,000.

Last year, state officials reduced Cherry Hill's aid by 19 percent — one of the biggest drops among all New Jersey school districts for the 2024-25 school year. The state is slated to slash the district's aid by another $4 million in the upcoming year.

• Read more: State Cuts School Funding For Cherry Hill Again

This budget-planning season is the first time the state's new school-funding formula went into effect to determine how much aid each district receives. Under the new system, Cherry Hill could face even steeper year-to-year cuts in the future, according to Assistant Superintendent of Business Lynn Shugars.

The state's new system limited the amount a district's aid could decrease or increase this year in an effort to limit unpredictable swings in budgeting. But those caps could be gone after the upcoming school year, Shugars said.

"If reductions in state aid continue, we're going to have to start taking a serious look at other areas as well," Shugars said.

Cuts would include the elimination of 19 support (non-teaching) positions and reducing educational-contracting services.

Personnel costs, such as salaries and benefits, account for about three-quarters of the district's spending. So trimming costs on factors such as equipment and supplies can only take the district so far, Shugars said.

The model for organizing middle school classes would also shift. Currently, Cherry Hill groups middle school students into "teams" — groups of students who share the same set of teachers.

While the current model helps middle schools feel smaller, district administrators said eliminating them would create greater flexibility that leads to savings.

Several board members praised the idea.

"We have no choice but to look at structural changes," said Board Member Miriam Stern. "It's actually what the board has been asking for since the entire time I've been on the board. Let's not look at piecemeal, small bites. Let's look at this realistically from a bigger perspective, from a successful educational perspective."

The board will vote March 18 on introducing the budget, which county officials must then review. Cherry Hill will hold a public hearing on the budget and vote on whether to adopt it on April 30.