Another Budget Meeting Set For Lacey Schools

LACEY, NJ — Another special meeting to discuss the 2025-26 budget is set Thursday for the Lacey Township Board of Education.

The budget will be presented at the May 1 meeting after their initial attempt was rejected back in March. Since then, several meetings and workshops have been held to try and agree on a budget, as the school district faces a $6 million gap.

The district needs to hold a public hearing on the budget no later than May 7, and must submit the final budget to the county no later than May 14, according to state deadlines. However, at this point, officials have not approved a tentative budget. Read more: School Board Votes On 14.24% Tax Increase In Lacey

"The Board may face a situation where it has insufficient revenues to close the budget gap without imposing severely austere cuts to its staffing and educational programs, as the May deadlines for submission of a final budget approach," the Board of Education wrote in a resolution approved at an April 29 meeting. That meeting's purpose was to approve the special meeting for May 1 in order to have more time working on the budget.

Officials have said that "draconian" cuts could be possible with this year's budget, meaning class sizes in the 40s and the removal of all co-curriculars. Read more: Massive Cuts Possible As Lacey Schools Face 'Budget Crisis'

The meeting is set for 6 p.m. on May 1 in the Lacey Township High School Lecture Hall at 73 Haines St.