By David Kilby, Staff Writer
MANALAPAN — The Citizens of Jamesburg and Monroe United, a group of parents trying to keep Jamesburg students in Monroe Township High School, were told by the Jamesburg Board of Education and Borough Council to go to the state with their concerns.
So they attended a town hall meeting and got a chance to speak with Gov. Chris Christie.
Tuesday at the Covered Bridge retirement community, Gov. Christie addressed various issues, including health-care reform, pension reform and education reform — but the topic of greatest interest for the Jamesburg residents was the governor’s thoughts on education reform.
A few months ago, the Monroe and Jamesburg boards of education agreed to stop sending Jamesburg students to Monroe Township High School starting in September 2012.
Jamesburg students who are in MTHS at that time will finish their high school careers there, but incoming freshmen in September 2012 will attend a high school yet to be determined.
The Citizens of Jamesburg United is doing all it can to have the Monroe and Jamesburg school districts change their decision and keep Jamesburg students in Monroe.
A few members of the group attended the meeting because Jamesburg school officials have suggested it present the issue to the state.
At the town hall meeting Tuesday, Gov. Christie said he disagrees with the state aid formula.
”We have this craziness in the Abbot decision,” he said.
He explained that when the formula was first implemented more than 30 years ago, the 31 Abbot districts in New Jersey — or the school districts in impoverished areas — received 36 percent of the state’s total aid to schools. Now the 31 districts receive 59 percent, or $4.5 billion in state aid.
He said the average Abbot district in New Jersey receives $16,100 per pupil while the average non-Abbot district receives $2,900 per pupil.
The amount of $16,100 was familiar to Jamesburg taxpayers because that’s how much they will be paying per pupil for their students to attend the new Monroe Township High School in the 2011-12 school year.
The Monroe School District was forced to place a high tuition rate of $16,100 per student upon Jamesburg taxpayers for several reasons, the main reason being Monroe School District’s state aid is only $204 per student — thus Monroe has to compensate through local tax dollars.
Gov. Christie said the Abbot decision may be a little more reasonable if it achieved results.
”Less than 50 percent of high school students in Asbury Park can do eighth-grade math,” he said. “And only 29 percent of Newark students graduate from high school. We’re paying $24,500 a year for this.”
Many questions on various subjects were asked at the town hall meeting Tuesday, and the Citizens of Jamesburg United only got the chance to ask one.
Dawn Reynolds, of Sedgwick Street, Jamesburg, asked about the possibility of consolidating Jamesburg and Monroe.
”Mr. Governor, a few years ago, the state forced nonoperating districts to consolidate with their receive counterparts,” she said. “With all the issues related to rising education costs, how far are you willing to go to help towns like Jamesburg and Monroe? Are you willing to help us consolidate by mandating it?”
”I think towns have to come to that conclusion on their own,” he replied, adding it would be requiring a lot from a town to ask them to give up their school district.
”I want to send the message ‘you can’t continue to bill us whatever you want,’” the governor said. “That (message) is what led to the property tax cap and administration cap.”
He said by squeezing their resources, he’s hoping to force school districts to explore their options more frugally and, hopefully, look at consolidation as one of their options.
He believes this would be better than the state making the decision. He also added he is putting incentives in place to encourage consolidated services.
Paul Gentile, a parent from Jamesburg, appreciated the governor’s comments, saying it’s encouraging the governor supports consolidation but isn’t demanding it.
”In 1979, the state mandated that Jamesburg close its high school and attend MTHS,” he said. “We don’t want or need a repeat of history. We want to control our own destiny.”

