SPF School District Receives 90k State Aid Increase For 2013-2014

The Scotch Plains-Fanwood school district will receive a 3.3 percent increase of a little over $90,000 dollars in state aid, according to the state aid numbers released on Feb. 28.

On the afternoon of Feb. 28 the state released the projected aid amounts for all school districts in New Jersey showing a 3.3 percent increase in aid for the Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District.

Originally, the board had budgeted for the state aid to remain flat, but now they are projected to receive an additional $90,124, according to the government document.

This goes back to what Board President Trip Whitehouse said at the last Board of Education meeting, when he pointed out to the public that although they are budgeting for aid to remain flat, it could go the other way and they could get additional state aid. 

However, the board budgeted for a 30 percent reduction in their federal grants due to potential sequestration, according to business administrator Deborah Saridaki. The grant numbers will not be available for several months, she said.

Although the district is receiving an additional $90,124 in state aid, once the debt service is subtracted what they are really looking out is an amount of $34,698. 

"Our “Assessment for Debt Service on SDA funding,” which is deducted from our State Aid, was increased by $58,142 over 2012-13 and $55,426 over our budgeted amount," Saridaki said. "Which nets the District additional dollars of $34,698 over our budgeted numbers." 

Nearby, the Westfield School district will only receive $1 more than the previous year, while Mountainside will see a 1.2 percent increase of $1,570.

The Scotch Plains-Fanwood district received the third highest bump in Union County behind New Providence (3.5) and Springfield (18.3).

The Board has already planned an additional budget meeting on March 6 to adjust the budget based on the state aid numbers before they present it to the county on March 7.