BURLINGTON COUNTY: Federal aid puts some funds back in school coffers

By Christopher Sacco, Staff Writer
   After enduring a difficult budgeting process a year ago, Burlington County school districts will receive $13.4 million in federal aid stemming from the jobs bill Congress approved in August. This money does not cover the aid that Burlington public schools have lost in the current year, which is $56.7 million. The state as a whole received $268 million in funding.
   All 40 school districts in the county will receive aid, which was calculated using the same formula usually used to determine how much state aid districts will be given each year.
   Chesterfield’s $12,602 was the least amount of aid given to a Burlington County school, while Pemberton Township’s approximately $2.8 million was the most.
   The money must be used to either rehire or retain staff, but does not have to be used during this school year.
   Springfield Superintendent Joseph Miller said the state Education Department told districts it might be advantageous to save the aid for the 2011-2012 year. Mr. Miller, whose district will receive $44,490, expressed displeasure in the way the aid is being portrayed in the media.
   ”It’s being touted as the savior for those who’ve lost their jobs, but after you include a person’s salary and benefit package, (the aid Springfield is getting) amounts to hiring about half a person.”
   Mansfield schools received $25,855 and Superintendent Diane Bacher had a similar sentiment to Mr. Miller’s about not getting enough to hire a teacher. She said she will meet with the Board of Education to determine whether the money is better used during this year or in the next.
   In contrast to the aid given to Springfield and Mansfield, Northern Burlington Regional School District is receiving $401,217, but Superintendent James Sarruda doesn’t think holding it over until next year is realistic.
   According to Dr. Sarruda, NBRSD expected midyear staff reductions this year, but the federal aid money will hopefully save some of these jobs. Dr. Sarruda isn’t sure that the money will be able to prevent all of the job cuts, however, and hopes to have a better understanding of the financial situation after he meets with the Board of Education over the next two months.
   Despite being pleased with the aid, Dr. Sarruda said he was “cautious” about the status of the district’s state aid for next year. He said it is possible for the state to reduce or even withhold its aid if a district has recently received federal money, although he admits that that doesn’t seem to be state’s plan.
   North Hanover is receiving $376,144, a total Superintendent Richard Carson says he was “a little surprised by.” Still, Dr. Carson expects the money to be more helpful in the 2011-2012 calendar year than it would be this year.
   ”Had this money come in June or July, we might have had more of an opportunity to use it sooner,” Dr. Carson said, ultimately concluding that adding or rehiring staff at this point would upset the flow of the calendar the district has scheduled.
   Bordentown Regional School District is taking a similar approach to North Hanover, but Superintendent Constance Bauer said the tentative plan is to hold as much of their $276,276 as possible for next year’s budget.
   ”As we go through the school year,” Dr. Bauer said, “we’ll develop a keener sense of how the money will be applied.”
   Florence Township received $322,591, which, according to Superintendent Louis Talarico has yet to be allocated.
   ”Since the funds do not have to be spent until 2012, it would be prudent in my view to be cautious with the new funding,” Dr. Talarico said in an e-mailed statement. “It’s very easy to see a dollar amount and say, ‘Let’s do X, Y and Z with it,’ but you have to look ahead into the future as well.”
   Dr. Talarico said the best use of the money would be anything that allows the district to “best support teaching and learning in the classroom.” One way to do this is to see if lowering class size is a realistic possibility. Dr. Talarico expects to review the aid with the Board of Education and all applicable committees in the near future.
   Chesterfield’s Superintendent Ellen McHenry, whose school received the lowest amount of aid, said the money could go to hiring a part-time special education employee, but that the district hasn’t made any definite plans yet. She also said that the continued increase in Chesterfield’s enrollment limited the number of job cuts the district made this year, which might have affected the amount of aid the district received.
   Brian McBride, superintendent and principal of New Hanover Township School, said the district was “pleasantly surprised” with the $84,608 it received. Much like other districts, New Hanover is looking into possibly filling previously vacated paraprofessional or teaching positions, but Mr. McBride isn’t sure if there’s room to adjust the district’s tightly scheduled calendar for this year.