Proposed state aid awards for most public school systems in Essex County, including Newark, have remained unchanged since last year despite a slight overall increase in funding statewide, according to data released Thursday by Gov. Chris Christie’s office.
New Jersey school districts will receive $9 billion in state aid this year, an increase of $97 million from last year, the governor’s office said. Essex County districts will see an additional $4.3 million, including a $1.3 million bump in aid each for Orange and East Orange and $500,000 more for both Belleville and Bloomfield.
Newark’s award for the 2013-14 school year, a little more than $714 million, is by far the largest in the county. The Newark Public Schools, the biggest school district in New Jersey, have been run with state oversight since the mid-1990s.
“Throughout my time in office I have continuously argued that in order to grow New Jersey’s economy we must invest in education, and my proposed budget is a reflection of my commitment to our educational system and communities in Essex County and across the state. The $4,309,191 increase to Essex County districts is part of a bold budget that continues to prioritize education and funds schools at the highest levels in New Jersey’s history,” Christie said.
The aid awards this year include a number of new categories, including help for districts that are underfunded by 10 percent or more, aid for districts where enrollment has grown by more than 13 percent between 2008 and 2011, and so-called “geographic” aid accounting for differences in costs across the state.
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