Voters Approve $135.5M Bond Referendum For Freehold Township Schools

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP, NJ — Voters have officially approved a $135.5 million bond referendum to fund long-lasting building improvements at the district’s Pre-K-8 schools, according to certified results from the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office.

Unofficial results for the referendum initially came in on election night (March 11), though school district officials said the votes were “too close to call” at that time.

On Tuesday, March 18, the county clerk’s office updated voting results, which shows that the referendum passed with 1,520 “yes” votes and 1,399 “no” votes. 2,919 votes were cast in total.

The approved referendum will give Freehold Township upfront funding and unlock approximately $45 million in state aid to offset the total $135.5 million in project costs, school officials said.

Updates to the structures and systems that support students and staff members will be made at every building across the district.

“On behalf of the Board of Education and administration, I extend my gratitude to the residents of Freehold Township for voting and taking time to learn about this important step in the future of this community,” Superintendent Neal Dickstein said.

With the help of professional consultants, the school district said they worked carefully to plan improvements that will meet the district’s needs now and position it for the future.

Throughout the election process, residents and community members were also invited to information sessions (both in-person and virtual) where they could learn more about the referendum and ask questions.

Now that the referendum has passed, school officials said the tax impact is estimated at $37 per month over 20 years for the owner of a home assessed at the Freehold Township average of $611,704. Payments on this investment will start in July 2026.

“We are excited to begin working on finalizing the plans for updates and renovations so the district can better support our students and community now, and into the future,” Dickstein said.

Going forward, officials said Freehold Township’s financial advisor will focus on selling bonds at the most favorable rates and the architects will begin finalizing project specifications for the bidding process.

Work on the funded projects (which are outlined on the district’s referendum website) could begin as soon as summer 2026, officials said, though the timing of other renovations will be coordinated with the district to cause minimal disruption to daily operations.

To see the official election results from the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office, you can click here.

To learn more about Freehold Township Schools’ bond referendum, you can visit their website.

Related

• $135.5M Bond Referendum In Freehold Township: See Unofficial Results
• $135.5M Bond Referendum Proposed By Freehold Township Board Of Education