SHRHS costs outrageous

John A. Sunkiskis, Lambertville
    South Hunterdon Regional High School (SHRHS) was, is, and will continue to be Number One! Oh no, not academically (it’s not even the best in Hunterdon County), I mean as the most expensive public secondary school in the entire state.
   In my previous letter I said at a total cost per pupil of $24,196, SHRHS is $9,598 (or 65.7 percent) over the state average and $3,153 higher than the next most expensive secondary school (Wildwood High) in total cost per pupil (source: NJ Department of Education School Report Cards 2008). Apparently “highest” isn’t high enough, however, because on March 16, the South Hunterdon Regional Board of Education voted unanimously (there were two absences) to adopt the proposed 2009-2010 annual school budget, which with total operating costs of $8,865,749 and an anticipated enrollment of 357 students brings the total cost per pupil to a lofty $24,834.
   The cost at SHRHS is now so outrageous it doesn’t even seem appropriate to keep comparing it to costs at the other 335 NJ public secondary schools from which it continues to distance itself. As a matter of fact, the total cost per pupil at SHRHS is much more comparable to the tuition at two nearby private schools: Solebury School and The Pennington School. For 2008-2009 tuition for The Pennington School is $26,500, a cost which includes lunch; and Solebury School, which is grades seven-12 like SHRHS, charges $22,950 middle school and $25,650 for high school. An interesting wager might be how long it will take SHRHS to exceed the tuition costs at those well-respected private schools.
   This upward spiral in total cost per pupil at SHRHS is unconscionable, especially during a severe economic downturn and on the heels of state education Commissioner Lucille Davy’s call for “accountability for every dollar we spend on education.” Then again, why should SHRHS be concerned about the “real” world or follow the commissioner’s advice; that’s not how it became Number One! No, SHRHS became Number One (as in Most Expensive Secondary School or M.E.S.S.!) because of its ridiculously low student/teacher ratio and excessively small class sizes, because of its outrageous number of salaried positions for advisors and coaches for extracurricular activities and sports, and because an unbelievable 27 percent of its student enrollment is categorized as special education (double the state average!).
   The average student/teacher ratio at public secondary schools in New Jersey is 11.3; at SHRHS it is seven. Average class size statewide is 19.1 versus an average at SHRHS of 13.1. For sophomores and juniors at SHRHS the average class size is 10.5 and 10, respectively, literally one-half of the state average for those grades.
   At a board meeting earlier this year, a presentation on extracurricular activities and athletics proposed a total of 82 salaried positions for advisors and coaches for clubs and sports for an anticipated enrollment of 357 students, a ratio of one such position for every 4.3 students. Does that sound somewhat excessive? Actually, no, it’s insane! To the board’s credit it has proposed a reduction in the extracurricular and athletics budget to $374,843 for 2009-2010, but with a cost of $1,050 per student, SHRHS will still be 75 percent above the state average for this line item.
   Admittedly SHRHS does not have control over many of the variables relating to special education, but when 27 percent of the SHRHS enrollment falls into that category, something is very wrong. And what is wrong is dramatically impacting the excessively high budget expenses at SHRHS and warrants investigation by local, county and state officials.
   I know there are those who will argue that expenditures for SHRHS are justified because of its improved academic standing according to the rankings of NJ public secondary schools in the September issue of New Jersey Monthly Magazine ( SHRHS was #58). Bear in mind, however, that two of the criteria used in those rankings were student/teacher ratio and average class size, criteria which apparently skewed SHRHS’ ranking. It should be noted that of the 57 schools ranked ahead of SHRHS, only Princeton High School had a smaller average class size, and all of those 57 schools had greater student/teacher ratios, and all 57 had a higher percentage (in most cases much higher!) of graduates going to four-year colleges, and all 57 had a greater percentage (again by far) of faculty with advanced degrees, and all 57 are doing it for a lot less money. Obviously spending considerably more money per student than every other public secondary school in the state doesn’t guarantee better results. Still feel like striking up the band for good old #58? Oh, I forgot; we can’t do that because SHRHS doesn’t have an orchestra pit!
   Speaking of which, it should also be noted that costs related to the recently completed renovations and expansion at SHRHS are not included in its total cost per pupil, which is based solely on the total operating budget. Repayment of the debt for the $21 million bond issue for that construction project is a separate line item, which in the proposed 2009-2010 budget is $1,620,298. Make no mistake, we are still paying that $1,620,298, but it is not used in calculating the total cost per pupil. Just for laughs though, if the debt service were part of the calculation, the total cost per pupil at SHRHS would be $29,373 — take that, Private Schools!
   The bottom line is that SHRHS is the most expensive public secondary school in the state and does not need to be. Curriculum changes to a more intense academic program focused on strengthened core curriculum education would most certainly yield better educational results and be at a total cost per pupil closer to the state average and the average of the other top secondary schools in New Jersey. Unfortunately last year’s budget of $10,132,754, presented to the voters and defeated, has now become a budget of $10,486,047.
   The current administration and board of education have refused to recognize and correct the structural problems that are causing SHRHS to continue to be the most expensive public secondary school in total cost per pupil. Instead, they have congratulated themselves on saving $13,000 on cell phone costs. This refusal to recognize and correct the real driving factors for the out of control budget is more egregious and objectionable than the AIG bonuses.
   I feel the proposed budget is fiscally irresponsible and strongly believe some concessions and accountability are long overdue. If you agree, please make your voice heard and vote no on April 21. Polls will be open from 2-9 p.m.