The Jackson Township Board of Education is preparing to file a lawsuit against the state, citing “unthinkable cuts” and a drastic reduction in financial aid over the past few years.
The decision comes as the district faces a $165.7 million spending plan that would close Rosenauer Elementary School, cut staff, eliminate late buses, and increase the tax levy by 9.9%. The board unanimously rejected the budget – but was overridden by the state monitor – which would result in a $4,861 school tax bill for the average homeowner, a $146 increase from last year.
The district has seen a stunning decrease in state aid in recent years, from $51 million in 2018 to less than $25.3 million for the 2024-25 school year.
The district’s financial struggles are attributed to the 2018 S2 law, which rewrote the state’s school funding formula.
The expected lawsuit echoes that of the Toms River Regional Board of Education, which has filed a lawsuit against the state over “unconstitutional actions” that led to $137 million in school funding losses.
