Hamilton Township Public Schools will receive $2.12 million in state grants to support $5.3 million in school construction projects.
TRENTON — Hamilton Township Public Schools will receive $2.12 million in state grants to support $5.3 million in school construction projects.
According to a release from the Governor’s Office, the grant is part pf $17.1 million in grant funding to support 57 projects in nine school districts in Mercer County.
”Mercer County students, teachers and school administrators will benefit from this infusion of more than half a billion dollars in state funding,” said Governor Chris Christie in the release. “These grants will allow for efficient, state-of-the-art school facilities that will help foster an improved learning environment for our children.”
According to the release, the state-funded grants represent at least 40 percent of eligible costs for projects in the regular operating districts and address health and safety issues, student overcrowding and other critical needs.
The grants are contingent on local approval of the remaining cost to school districts. Regular operating district grants are separate from the funding for the 31 “SDA districts,” where the Schools Development Authority is responsible for financing 100 percent of eligible costs.
”We’re pleased to announce this funding to districts to assist in the cost of local construction,” said Department of Education Commissioner Chris Cerf. “This state and local partnership will go a long way in making sure that Mercer County students have safe, modern facilities for learning.”
The Department of Education determines the selection of school projects receiving grant funds, which are administered by the SDA. In September, the state DOE received applications for more than 2,100 individual school projects.
The DOE categorizes applications into three tiers, with first level being the highest priority based on critical building upgrades, roof and window repairs, code issues, ADA upgrades, security systems and hazardous material abatement.
”This funding builds upon the Administration’s continued commitment to the future of Mercer County’s schoolchildren,” said SDA Chief Executive Officer Marc Larkins. “SDA has already executed 918 regular operating grants improving 553 facilities across 240 school districts under Governor Christie’s leadership alone. Continuing this effort with this state support will assist in our goal of providing students with a safe and healthy learning environment.”
According to the release, in July 2008 the Legislature authorized an additional $3.9 billion in bonds to finance the state’s share of school facilities projects. There have been three funding allocations since 2008; the most recent was the announcement of $270 million in ROD grants in July 2010.
The DOE determines which school projects receive grant funds from the SDA. The authority’s current portfolio of active projects is valued at nearly $2 billion – including the 2011 and 2012 capital project portfolios, additional projects in construction, emergent projects and ROD grants.
District officials could not be reached at press time to specify what the local projects would entail.

